YumSugar

Mac Attack! Goat Cheese and Pesto

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:15:41 -0700

You love pesto, I love pesto! I have to admit I was giddy when I found a recipe that combines the comfort of mac and cheese with pesto. It also uses another one of my favorites, goat cheese. Since I had already eaten a lot of elbow macaroni, I picked up a box of orecchiette. They are said to be shaped like small ears, but I think they look more like little bowls; a perfect vessel to fill with sauce!

The combination of goat cheese, Parmesan, and pesto is insanely creamy. For a great crunch and texture, the mac and cheese is topped with panko. Rather than make a big pan, I cooked it in easy-to-serve individual ramekins. With a little planning this recipe won't take much longer than a box of Kraft - except it's a million times more rewarding. If you want to wow your friends and family with scrumptious mac and cheese, keep reading!

Come Party With Me: Tailgate - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:00:25 -0700

Hey football fans, get excited: this week I'm putting together a tailgate! Cal's my alma mater, and while Stanford is their biggest rival, on Saturday they face USC. It's the homecoming game, and a bunch of friends and I will be in attendance, so a pregame fiesta is in order. To kick things off, I'll throw an artichoke shrimp dip on the grill. Since this takes 20 minutes to heat up, I'll keep the crowd satisfied with store bought chips and guacamole. Then I'll make a round of grilled quesadillas with jack and spicy sauteed peppers. Finally, for the main course, I'll offer everyone a grilled sausage sandwich with caramelized red onions. To serve these tantalizing recipes at your next tailgate, read more.

Shrimp-and-Artichoke Dip
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
1 large white onion, finely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
One 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup grated pecorino-romano cheese
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Two 8.5-ounce cans artichoke hearts, finely chopped and squeezed dry
10 ounces precooked shrimp, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Pita chips or bagel chips, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 7 minutes; remove from the heat.
Stir in the cream cheese, 1/2 cup pecorino-romano, the paprika and mustard. Stir in the artichoke hearts and shrimp; season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup pecorino-romano. Bake until warmed through, about 18 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Broil the dip until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot with the pita chips.

Serves 6.

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Quesadillas With Jack and Spicy Saute
From Aida Mollenkamp

Ingredients

1 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 medium jalapenos, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced crosswise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 medium poblano peppers, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
3 cups shredded jack cheese

Directions

Heat oven to 500 degrees F and arrange 1 rack in top and a second rack in middle.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add onions, garlic, and jalapenos, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add poblanos and stir to coat. Add broth and cook until the liquid reduces enough to just coat the vegetables, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
When pepper mixture is cool enough to handle, top 1 tortilla with 1/2 cup cheese and 1/6 of the pepper mixture, close with a second tortilla. Repeat to make 6 quesadillas.
Arrange quesadillas on 2 baking sheets and place 1 sheet on top rack and another on middle rack. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Switch baking sheets and continue to cook until tortillas are golden-brown and crisp, about 5 more minutes.

Makes 6 quesadillas.

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Grilled Merguez Sandwiches With Caramelized Red Onions
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper
Four 6-ounce merguez or fresh chorizo sausages, pricked all over with a fork
Four 6-inch pieces of baguette, split and toasted
12 large cilantro sprigs
4 lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, season with salt and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the honey and balsamic vinegar and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until richly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Light a grill. Grill the sausages over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until nicely charred and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Set a sausage in each piece of baguette. Top with the caramelized onions and a few cilantro sprigs and close the sandwiches. Transfer to plates and serve. Garnish with the lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

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A Day at the Great American Food (and Line) Festival

partysugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:30:42 -0700

For weeks I was looking forward to attending Serious Eats Great American Food and Music Fest at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA. With big-name celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri, and the best of America's regional cuisine - Katz's pastrami sandwiches, Pink's hot dogs, Tony Luke's Philly cheesesteaks, etc. - it was sure to be a fabulous festival.

Unfortunately, the first-time event was plagued with problems, so much so that the organizer, Ed Levine, published a formal apology. The computerized credit card pay system crashed, the staff was unhelpful and clueless, and, most importantly, the wait to get any food was two hours long! Instead of smiling, contented faces and full bellies, the crowd was hungry, aggressive, and angry.

Luckily, as the day wore on and the crowds thinned out, things got a little better. Fieri and Flay both gave enthusiastic demos in front of cheering fans. The wine-tasting room was uncrowded, the line for bacon was empty, and the chocolate-almond-covered caramel sticks were finger-licking good. Did anyone else attend? What food did you eat?

To take a closer look at the festival, check out all of my images and read more.

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Say Cheese! Monterey Jack Quesadillas

partysugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:45:38 -0700

Named for the coastal California city, Monterey Jack cheese was first created by Franciscan friars in Monterey, CA, in the 1800s. Like cheddar, the cow's milk cheese is incredibly versatile. The most common kind is unaged, although aged or dry jacks are becoming more popular. The semisoft cheese has a mild flavor and good melting properties. Aged jack cheese is firmer and good for grating with a sharper flavor.

Jack cheese is often used in Tex-Mex cuisine, to see how I made these easy but tasty quesadillas that are perfect for Cinco de Mayo, read more.

Cheese Quesadillas
Modified from Aida Mollenkamp

Ingredients

2 medium roasted or grilled jalapenos, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced crosswise
2-2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Salsa, for serving

Directions

Combine chiles, cheese, and cilantro in a medium bowl and toss to evenly mix.
Heat a seasoned cast iron skillet or a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla and cook until soft, about 15 to 30 seconds.
Add 3/4 cup cup cheese mixture and cover with another tortilla like you would a sandwich. Cook until cheese is melted and tortilla is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown. Repeat for remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve with salsa.

Serves 2.

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Ask Aïda: Can You Show Us Around Chow?

partysugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:15:14 -0700

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with Aïda Mollenkamp. A girl of many talents, Aïda is an editor and recipe developer at Chow, a home cook, a passionate fan of Slow Food, and host of the Food Network's new, interactive show, Ask Aida.

Aïda took time out of her busy schedule - the San Franciscan travels to New York twice a month - to give us a tour of the Chow test kitchen. Afterwards, Aïda and I sat down for a quick Q&A session.

To take a behind-the-scenes look at Chow, and find out more about Ask Aida, watch our exclusive video below.

Source

Yummy Links: From Tomato Bites to Horchata

partysugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 06:45:01 -0700

Tomatoes, basil, and goat cheese combine to make a delicious and adorable appetizer. - The Food in My Beard
Meet Food Network's newest star, Aida Mollenkamp. - Chow
Wake up to the smoky smell of bacon with this bacon alarm clock. - Serious Eats
Candy is a sweet theme for a baby shower. - Hostess With the Mostess
Edible gifts for new parents. - The Kitchn
Are gummi bears good for your teeth? - Slashfood
Test your celebrity food knowledge by taking this fun quiz. - The Epi-Log
Are these musk-flavored candy sticks for real? - Candy Blog
The latest update on the salmonella outbreak. - FitSugar
Making homemade horchata is easy and cooly rewarding. - Baking Bites

Source

13 Under $20 Wines Perfect For Hostess Gifts

partysugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:15:34 -0800

Do you have an iPhone? Then stop what you're doing right now and download the Nirvino (my preferred online drinking community) wine ratings guide. With over one million wines listed by name, price, grape varietal, flavor profile, region, and producer, the wine application is an amazing resource to always have at your fingertips.

Not only does it provide food pairing suggestions, but there's also lots of fun lists to browse. Food Network's Aida Mollenkamp shares her favorite wines to drink while cooking, Sommelier Mark Bright rounded up his top bottles from Whole Foods, and yours truly has even created a list!

I headed to Safeway to pick out the best wines - all of which are under $20 - for hostess gifts. I've tasted and enjoyed these wines and would bring them to a party. Be it a birthday bash at Hog Island oyster farm, an intimate Thanksgiving dinner, or an upcoming holiday soirée, there's a bottle for every occasion. To check out my list, keep reading.

Gourmet's Lasagna Bolognese Is to Die For

partysugar — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:00:33 -0800

About a month ago, I got an intense craving for lasagna. I spent way too much time searching for the perfect recipe and I finally settled on Aida Mollenkamp's Italian sausage and three cheese variation.

While this lasagna was delicious, I found myself, a week later, reading the new Gourmet magazine devoted to Italian-American cooking. I turned the page and was shocked to see the most delicious looking lasagna! I felt embarrassed to have served my friends such a mediocre lasagna when a masterpiece of a lasagna like the one in Gourmet existed. I knew I had to make Gourmet's version immediately.

The recipe did not disappoint. This lasagna is complex, hearty, and comforting. The chunky beef sauce is rich, classic, and fragrant. Although the final result is a drier lasagna, its thick layers meld perfectly. The creamy, flecked-with-spinach ricotta mixture puffs up like a souffle. I highly recommend this dish. To check it out: read more.

Lasagna Bolognese
From Gourmet

Ingredients

For bolognese sauce:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 ounces sliced pancetta, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 pounds ground beef chuck (not lean)
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
For Ricotta filling:
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach,thawed
2 (15-ounce) containers whole-milk ricotta
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup whole milk, divided
For assembling lasagne:
12 Barilla no-boil dried lasagne noodles (from 1 box)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

Make Sauce: heat oil in a 12-to 14-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Cook pancetta, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden and softened, 12 to 15 minutes.
Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up any lumps, until meat is no longer pink, 6 to 10 minutes.

Stir in wine, milk, tomato paste, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid has evaporated but sauce is still moist, about 1 hour.

Make ricotta filling: put spinach in a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and twist to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
Whisk together ricotta, eggs, parmesan, nutmeg, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Transfer 1 1/2 cups ricotta mixture to another bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup milk; set aside.
Whisk spinach into remaining filling with remaining 1/2 cup milk.
Assemble and bake lasagne: preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
Soak noodles in a bowl of very warm water until pliable but not softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Place on a kitchen towel (it's not necessary to pat noodles dry).
Spread 1 1/2 cups bolognese sauce in baking pan and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parmesan. Cover with 3 noodles, leaving space in between.
Spread half of spinach filling on top, then 1 cup bolognese sauce, and top with 1 tablespoon parmesan and 3 noodles; repeat.

Top with remaining bolognese sauce, 1 tablespoon parmesan, and remaining 3 noodles. Pour reserved ricotta mixture over top and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan.
Cover pan tightly with parchment paper and foil (or just buttered foil) and bake 50 minutes.
Remove foil and bake until top is browned in spots, about 15 minutes more. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes before cutting.

Serves 8-10.

Make ahead: Bolognese sauce can be made 2 days ahead and chilled (covered once cool). Lasagne can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350°F oven, loosely covered with foil.

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Do You Know What's Cooking This Week?

YumSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:00:29 -0700

We began our star-studded week by taking some time off the Olympics to watch the season premiere of The Hills. Later we sat down with TV host Aida Mollenkamp and set the record straight about some Food Network gossip.

How much were you tuned in? Take our weekly quiz to find out!

Take the quiz