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Mac Attack! Three-Cheese Mini Macs

partysugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:50:10 -0700

Looking for something orange to serve at your Halloween bash on Saturday? Why not make these adorable and delicious macaroni and cheese bites?! This mac gets its vibrant hue from cheddar and American cheeses.

The technique is like a typical macaroni and cheese recipe, but the ratio of cheese to liquid is different. There's more cheese and less milk resulting in a dense, easily-compactable pasta with thick sauce.

Although the recipe calls for five minutes of cool time, I found that these macs, which are cooked in mini muffin pans, need about ten minutes to set. If you try to get them out of the pan too early, the pasta won't hold its shape and instead of mac and cheese minis, you'll just have a mac and cheese mess. To look at the recipe, keep reading.

Must Make: Triple Decker Italian Cheese Sandwich

partysugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:44 -0700

When I was little there was nothing as comforting as a grilled cheese sandwich. Although I enjoyed its crisply toasted exterior and gooey melted-cheese center, what I loved most about a grilled cheese was the name. For the longest time, I thought they were called "girl cheese sandwiches," meaning that the sandwich was something so special and delicious only girls like myself got to enjoy them. Eventually, I learned that boys ate them too, but at that point, I was so smitten by the classic combination of cheese and bread that I didn't care. My latest favorite "girl" cheese sandwich is actually a baked cheese sandwich. With its three cheeses (fontina, provolone, and parmesan), triple decker, and slow roasted tomatoes, it's far more gourmet than anything I devoured as a child. However, it still is everything a classic grilled cheese should be: nostalgic, comforting, and sublimely scrumptious. To savor every bite of this sandwich yourself, get the recipe now.

Reader Recipe: Hamburger Stroganoff

partysugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:50:43 -0700

Do you cook wonderfully delicious dishes and then take photographs of them to show your friends and family? Well, why not go one step further and share them with us in the YumSugar Community? That's what reader MénagèreModerne recently did with this scrumptious sounding stroganoff recipe. Classic stroganoff is made with ground beef, but Ménagère used ground pork because that's what she had on hand and she wanted to "cut down on the salt a bit." The final dish, that combines the meat with sour cream, sherry, and mushrooms, is economical and surprisingly fast. More of Ménagère's stunning food photography can be viewed on her blog, mmmm...food!, but to check out the pork stroganoff recipe, read more.

Hamburger Stroganoff
www.simplyrecipes.com

I made this over the weekend and my husband and I both really liked it. I used ground pork instead of beef since that's what I had on hand and cut down on the salt a bit and it tasted great. It was yummy, economical (since it uses ground meat instead of a more expensive cut), and really fast to make. I will be making this dish again for sure.

Ingredients

* Butter
* 1 lb ground chuck
* Salt and pepper
* 1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
* 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms (can substitute button mushrooms), sliced
* 1/3 cup of dry sherry, dry white wine, or water
* 1/2 cup chopped parsley, loosely packed
* 1 1/4 cups sour cream (room temperature)
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice (I used a bit more than that)
* 1/4 teaspoon paprika or more to taste (I used smoked paprika instead and more than what the recipe called for)
* 8 ounces egg noodles

Directions
1) Put a large pot of salted water (1 teaspoon salt for every quart of water) on to heat, for the pasta.
2) Heat a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in the pan and swirl it around. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan generously with salt. Working in batches as not to crowd the meat, break up the ground beef and add it to the pan. Sprinkle the meat with salt. Do not stir the meat, as stirring will prevent browning. Once the meat is well browned on one side (a couple minutes, depending on how hot the pan), use tongs or a fork or a metal spatula to flip to the other side. Once that side is browned as well, use a slotted spoon to remove from the pan and set aside. Continue to brown the meat in batches, adding a teaspoon of butter to the pan with each batch if needed, and salting the pan and the meat, until it is all browned. Remove meat from pan. Drain excess fat from pan.
3) Lower the heat to medium. Add the onions to the pan. If you are working with very lean meat, you may not have any residual fat in the pan. If this is the case, you'll want to add in a tablespoon of olive oil or butter to the pan. Cook the onions, scraping up the meat drippings, until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove onions from the pan (add to the meat).
4) Depending on the cooking times of your particular brand of pasta, this is likely a good time to add the pasta to the (should be now) boiling, salted water.
5) While the pasta is cooking, add a tablespoon of butter to the pan, increase the heat to medium high. Add the sliced mushrooms. Sauté until nicely browned (about 4 minutes). Add the sherry (or dry white wine or water) to the pan to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Let the sherry reduce by at least a half, then lower the heat to low.
6) Remove the pan from the heat. Mix in the sour cream and paprika until smooth. Return the pan to very low heat, and not let the sour cream boil (or it may curdle). You may add a few tablespoons of water to the mixture to thin it out a bit at any time. Stir in the lemon juice, and about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt (taste). Stir in the meat and onions. Stir in the chopped parsley. Add more salt, pepper, and/or paprika to taste.
7) Keep the stroganoff on warm heat until the noodles are done cooking. When the noodles are ready (al dente) drain.

Serve the stroganoff on top of egg noodles. Serves 4.

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Would You Rather Eat Pot Pie or Shepherd's Pie?

partysugar — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:30:37 -0700

Source: Flickr Users gtrwndr87 and randomduck

Fast & Easy Dinner: Turkey Chili

partysugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:15:01 -0700

On a cool Fall evenings, I often crave chili. While a pot that's simmered on the stove all day is intensely flavorful and satisfying, a quick week night rendition filled with aromatic spices, black beans, and chunks of turkey, is equally gratifying.

This recipe employs cooked turkey, but, if you prefer, feel free to substitute rotisserie chicken or ground turkey.

Don't forget the condiments - sour cream, fresh lime wedges, and grated cheddar cheese enhance the comforting richness of the dish. To serve this rapid chili to your family, get the recipe and read more.

Turkey Chili
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
2 bell peppers (any color), cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
2 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice
1 (19-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup water
2 cups cooked turkey, cut into 1-inch pieces
Accompaniments: sour cream; sliced avocado; chopped white onion; lime wedges

Directions

Cook onion and peppers in oil in a heavy medium pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
Add spices and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, breaking them up with back of a spoon, then add beans, water, and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
Stir in turkey and let stand, covered, until heated through, 5 minutes.

Serves 6-8.

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Let's Dish: What Foods Do You Eat When You're Sick?

YumSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:00:47 -0700

There's a nasty cold going around the Sugar office, which makes me want to whip up a big vat of chicken noodle soup. Though honestly, chicken soup isn't something I crave when I'm sick - unless I have a stomach flu, in which case, chicken broth is basically all I can eat.

Assuming you can keep food down and you're not nursing a hangover, what comforting foods do you use to defeat a cold or get over an illness?

Source: Flickr User Robert Couse-Baker

Neapolitan-Style Mac and Cheese Is Dangerously Addictive

YumSugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:30:49 -0700

I don't take advantage of them too often, but lazy Saturdays are the best. Not only because I'm at home enjoying doing nothing, but also because my favorite shows on KQED, San Francisco's public television station, all happen to be on: Check, Please!, Made in Spain, Lidia's Italy, and Secrets of a Chef.

Recently the boy and I were watching an episode of Lidia's Italy in which she prepares a Neapolitan version of mac and cheese. Her recipe called for ditalini in lieu of macaroni, smoked provola instead of American or cheddar, and bacon, potatoes, and diced tomato. We sat there in captivation, practically smelling the sizzle of smoked bacon vaporizing in our living room.

We were so tantalized that we drove to the grocery store to make it immediately, with the notes I'd taken while watching the show as our guide. It tasted just as good as we'd hoped. Later, I got my hands on the book for the written recipe. Want it? Read more.

Would You Eat This Taiwanese Fried Bread Sandwich?

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:00:28 -0700

Earlier this week, a new study found that different generations have distinct ideas of foods they consider to be comforting. The same goes for various cultures. In Taiwan, this fried-bread-on-fried-bread sandwich, known as sao bing you tiao, isn't just a popular breakfast item - it's also considered the ultimate in comfort food. You tiao (literally, "oil sticks" which resemble long, savory doughnuts) are sandwiched between sao bing, a flaky, sesame seed flatbread. Together, the two make a craveworthy, if greasy sandwich with a carb content that rivals Domino's Bread Bowl Pastas. In Taiwan, they're favored with a great, big warm bowl of Chinese soymilk. Would you try one?

Cheese Please! Some Comfort Foods Span Generations

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:50:15 -0700

Do you crave ice cream or feel comforted by mac and cheese? You're not alone. These classic American treats are considered comfort foods by eaters of all ages. According to a new survey by the Center for Culinary Development and Packaged Facts, certain comfort foods span generations from Baby Boomers to Generation X and Gen-Yers.

The survey of 3,700 people found that sweets top the list of comfort foods, no matter how old you are - and even more so if you're female. But there were also some interesting discrepancies in what different generations consider comforting. Keep reading

Yummy Links: From Passover to Fried Chicken

partysugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:50:25 -0700

Everything you need to know about hosting your first Passover Seder. - Chow
What's your cooking personality? - Slashfood
Paula Deen discusses this year's kitchen gadget trends. - Serious Eats
Seven delicious dinners that celebrate the bounty of Spring. - Bon Appétit
Give your favorite comfort food classics a healthy makeover. - The Epi-Log
Learn how to make finger-licking-good fried chicken. - The Kitchn