CEiMB: Macaroni and Four Cheeses

Well, here I am, barely under the wire, and getting my post up for this week's Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe, the Macaroni and Four Cheeses, as chosen by Beth at Supplicious.

Our Thanksgiving was good and busy, but has been the past few days after, with all of us now getting the flu, that has put me so far behind.

So, this is going to be sweet and short and my apologies that I don't have anything really intelligent to say. At this point, I'm hoping for coherent. When the fog lifts I hope to be back with a bit more personality.

In the meantime, I made this dish for dinner tonight and thought that it went together very easily. I blame the crack and cheese I usually make for not loving this dish more. The husband really liked it and didn't mind the difference. I really didn't mind the squash in it, and since here in Utah there was no such thing as pureed and frozen winter squash to be found in any of the grocery stores, I cut and roasted a butternut squash and used that. For my cheeses I used an Irish White Cheddar and some good Monterey Jack, plus the ricotta and parmesan.

So, will I make this again? Probably not. I actually really like butternut squash (yes, big surprise!) and would have rather just had it on the side with some regular mac and cheese. Anyway, I am glad I made it and tried it since I had this one bookmarked. If mac and cheese were something we ate more regularly around our house then I would probably try to make it this healthier version. Since we only eat it every once in a while, then I will probably keep it as an indulgence.

CEiMB: Baby Portobello Lasagna Rollups

Portobello Lasagna Rollups, hosted byMarthe of Culinary Delights was the choice for the Craving Ellie in My Belly crew this week. I felt a little like I got lucky because this was the other main recipe I was debating on with last week's turkey roulade. I ended up choosing the turkey roulade, and then, lookey there, Marthe chose the lasagna rollups! So big thanks to Marthe for choosing this one so I didn't have to wait!

Let me preface this entire post with saying that I have never liked mushrooms. My husband, he is a big fan, me not so much. That said, I have learned to like (a little) cremini mushrooms, which are what grow up to be portobellos anyway, so I used the package of cremini's I had in the fridge. I ended up with a little less mushroom than the recipe calls for, but I was proud of myself for not throwing some hamburger into the mix anyway. Granted, next time I make this, odds are good I will do a hamburger version, but at least I gave it a try.

This was pretty easy and fun to make and looked really pretty. Not surprisingly, the husband liked it more than me, but I still thought it was really good. I just still wanted more cheese/sauce and probably some meat. Since it made more than my husband and I could eat, I chose to deliver dinner to my lovely neighbors across the street who are always kind enough to let Aidan go and play (and play and play) at their house with their little boy. Aidan just loves it and it gives me a nice break! So, since Aidan was there playing again we took them a pan of the lasagna rollups and some focaccia.

The focaccia is a recipe I had bookmarked from the King Arthur Flour website a while back but never got around to making it. When darling Melanie made it a while ago, and gave it a glowing review, I knew I would be making it soon. Melanie has so many amazing recipes, especially fantastic dinner ideas, on her blog that whenever I am trying to come up with something I know will be good, I just go there first. I have made at least 7 or 8 meals from her blog and, sorry to tell you, they don't get their picture taken because I scarf them too fast. I am trying to do better about that. Just know that her recipes are fantastic and you should try them all.

While I am pretty obsessive about my baking being from scratch, I do take some shortcuts with cooking. Probably one of the main examples of this for me is pasta sauce. I know I could make my own, but the fact of the matter is that, other than at my favorite restaurant in Salt Lake to get spaghetti at, I haven't been able to make a version that either tastes better, or costs me less money, than just using the bottled stuff. I am, however, very particular about what I like. There is actually only one brand of the store-bought stuff that I have ever liked, and that is Prego. I have tried several other brands, but I just don't like the flavor or texture.

So, why am I telling you this? Well, because recently I received an email from some nice folks that work with Prego that offered to send me some samples of some of their products. So, of course I said yes! Aside from that lovely garlic and parsley blend they sent me (which I am now hooked on and can't wait to see what other varieties they have) they sent me a jar of their Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce (and a couple of other items that I will be using soon). I decided that this week's Craving Ellie in My Belly pick would be the perfect time to use that jar of sauce, since even Ellie suggests in the recipe that you can use her sauce or store bought.

For me, it is one of those things where, since I haven't gotten results that are better than the affordability and quality, not to mention the ease, of cracking open that bottle, the choice was a no brainer for me. Maybe someday, when I have time, patience and money/room to grow the garden I want, that will change. In the meantime, I am glad that I have options! The reason I didn't just make Ellie's recipe for the Easy Tomato Sauce (which you can find here) is because I really don't like chunky sauce - at all. So, while the Prego sauces have chunky options, the sauces I buy have some chunks, but not a ton, which is perfect for us.

I included some tips in my adapted version of the recipe below to tell you how I easily and cleanly like to make lasagna - it has to do with spreading the ricotta mixture, which is always the biggest mess and pain in my humble opinion. Don't forget to check out the new Craving Ellie in My Belly blog to see how the others did with their lasagna rolling experiences!

Baby Portobello Lasagna Rollups
Adapted from Ellie Krieger via Food Network and The Foods You Crave

12 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 3/4 pound) (I used organic, regular since I couldn't find whole-wheat)
2 teaspoons olive oil
12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped (I used about 8 oz of cremini mushrooms instead, which are just baby portobellos)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used gray sea salt)
4 cups of marinara sauce
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 egg, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg (I only use freshly ground nutmeg - it is worth it)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 ounces grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the noodles al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of pepper, and nutmeg.

Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle (I dump the mixture into a zip-top bag and snip off a corner, then pipe the desired amount easily and cleanly on top of each noodle, then just spread a bit with the back of a spoon). Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture, roll the noodle and place it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with grated cheeses, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.
Yield: 6 servings

Blitz Bread - Easy Focaccia
Adapted from the King Arthur Flour Website via Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe

1 1/2 cups warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil (plus additional for drizzling)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
3 teaspoons granulated garlic with parsley, optional
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, optional
Tuscan Herb Mill Blend, optional

Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, and drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom. Combine all of the ingredients (except the shredded cheese and herb blend if using) and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 60 seconds (add the cheese at this point until mixed in, if using).

Scoop the sticky batter into the prepared pan and stretch to the edges as best you can. Cover the pan, and let it rise at room temperature for 60 minutes, till it is puffy. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F. Gently poke the dough all over with your index finger. Drizzle it lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with the herb blend, if desired.

Bake the bread till it's golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove it from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then turn it out of the pan onto a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CEiMB: Sweet & Sour Brisket

Or in my case Sweet & Sour Corned Brisket. Yes, you heard that right. Sometimes it is difficult to find what we need here with ingredients. Anyway, I was out of time and patience and didn't have time to run to a 'specialty' butcher shop in the next County (as if brisket should be 'specialty' - ugh!). Anyway, I went with it. The butcher said that 'nothing' had been done to the brisket cut, and the spice packet was intact in the package and not open. I was 99.9% sure that he didn't know what he was talking about, but I didn't want to just give up, so I just decided to try it with the partially corned (brined anyway) brisket.

So, now you know why the meat is pink. Which is pretty darn off-putting in my opinion, but what can you do. I have never been a corned beef fan, but as someone recently pointed out to me, sometimes you just have to make due with what you've got. This dish for me was just 'okay'. If I had a brisket, I doubt I would make this again, but who knows. I don't blame the recipe, I blame my cut of meat. To try to make it as close to recognizable as possible I did trim the heck out of the brisket and rinse it really, really good, which I'm sure helped, but who knows.

I had every intention of making some yummy roasted baby red potatoes my parents brought me from the last weekend at our local farmer's market and some glazed carrots... but, we are having a heck of a week here at our house. Let's put it this way. There are four people in our house and I am the only one without strep. Yipee for me. That just means that I get to take care of everyone else who is really sick. So, I was just pretty glad that I ended up making this to begin with. So, you get rice from a bag and some steamed frozen green beans. That's as good as it gets. Hopefully we'll get around to those potatoes soon!

You can check in at What’s for Supper? for this week's recipe. Even though it wasn't my favorite, I'm still glad that she chose it because I had it bookmarked anyway! As always, check out the rest of the Craving Ellie in My Belly crowd, created by Leigh of Lemon Tartlet, for more reviews of this week's recipe from Ellie Krieger's Foods You Crave.

CEiMB: Banana Cream Pie

In Ellie's book, The Food You Crave: Luscious Food for a Healthy Life she describes her Banana Cream Pie as "fragrant vanilla pudding cradled in a graham cracker crumb crust, topped with bananas and real whipped cream..." - now with a description like that, how can you not want to try this?

As our very first dessert selection from the book for our CEiMB group, and an absolute banana pie lover, I couldn't be happier to make this one. My parents were visiting and since my Dad has a real sweet tooth, this was perfect. They both have a lot of dietary issues and it was really nice to be able to offer something that wasn't going to cause problems for them.

It was definitely a different version of this kind of pie than I've made before - translation: I've never made one that verges on being so, well, healthy! No sugar in the crust, very little in the pudding, lots and lots of fruit, well, with a pie like this, yes, we ate it for breakfast - well, my parents and I did anyway. And I didn't even feel guilty about it. The vanilla flavor in the pudding wasn't as prominent as I thought it would be, but it was still good.

The only change I made to the recipe was to make a little extra crust (one full recipe + half a recipe more). With that much fruit I just know that I am going to want a little extra crust. I've adjusted the amounts for the crust below accordingly.

Banana Cream Pie
(Source: The Food You Crave: Luscious Food for a Healthy Life)

For the Crust:
Cooking spray
11 graham cracker sheets
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 Tablespoons water

For the Pudding:
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
3 Tablespoons boiling water
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk (I actually used nonfat)
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Filling:
2 cups 1/4-inch-thick banana slices (3 medium bananas)

For the Topping:
1/4 cup well-chilled heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

To make the crust, in a food processor, process the graham crackers until finely ground. Add the butter and water and process until the crumbs clump together. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pie plate and about 1 inch up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Put the gelatin in a small bowl; add the boiling water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/3 cup of sugar and the flour. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the milk and egg yolks together. Add the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan and whisk so the flour and sugar dissolve. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. Stir in the vanilla and gelatin mixture. Set aside to cool slightly.

Arrange the sliced banana in the crust and pour the pudding on top. Place in the refrigerator until the pudding has set, about 3 hours.

Whip the cream in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. When it is about halfway to soft peaks, add the 1/2 teaspoon sugar, then continue whipping until it barely holds a soft peak. Put the whipped cream in a plastic bag, concentrating it in one corner of the bag. Snip that corner off the bag and squeeze the whipped cream out of the bag in a decorative pattern around the pie. The pie will keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.

CEiMB: Steak Tacos with Cucumber-Avocado Salsa

I am happy to say that I enjoyed this week's recipe pick for CEiMB a whole lot more than last week's (which we didn't like at all - just personal taste though). Anyway, I love steak tacos and these were no exception. I was pleasanty surprised to discover that I don't mind crunchy, cold cabbage and cucumbers on my tacos though since I never have before. It didn't put me off as much as usual. I still prefer without, but I liked it.

I loved the avocado on the tacos, but that definitely isn't a shocker since I love avocado any time, but I would probably increase the amount of avocado and decrease the amount of cucumber for me next time I make these.

These were a simple and super yummy way to make steak tacos. The only modification I made to the recipe at all was to add a little bit of smoky ground cumin to the rub and a little bit of mild taco sauce to some of the tacos as we were eating them.

The best part of this meal (aside from being so fast to make and put together) was that Aidan (the 5-year old picky monster whom I love dearly) actually agreed to try these and really liked it - cucumber avocado salsa and all. Hello miraculous!! We have tried to get that kid to try vegetables for EVER. He finally is starting to try some and hallelujah for that!

I'm looking forward to next week's recipe for the Banana Cream Pie, which I had already flagged in the book. If you want to find out more about the book we are cooking from, it is The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger and is definitely going to be worth it. I am just really glad that I am getting into a habit of cooking more again and cooking a bit healthier - especially as Winter looms here in Utah (and so do my comfort food loving Winter pounds!!).

Thanks again to Leigh, my favorite Lemon Tartlet, for turning me on to this book and inviting me to join the group!

Steak Tacos with Cucumber-Avocado Salsa
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/4 lbs top sirloin steaks (about 1 1/4 inches thich)
Twelve 6-inch corn tortillas
3 cups shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges
Cucumber-Avocado Salsa (recipe follows)

Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and preheat it over medium-high heat.

Combine the spices in a small bowl and then rub the mixture into both sides of the steaks.

Broil the steaks for about 5 minutes per side, turning once, for medium rare or to your desired taste. (Prepare the salsa below while the steak is broiling). Remove and allow to sit and rest for 5 minutes before slicing into thin slices.

Warm the tortillas by placing them on a hot skillet or grill for about 30 seconds, turning once, or you can place 6 tortillas at a time between two moist paper towels and microwaave for about 45 seconds. Wrap them in a cloth napkin to keep warm.

Top tortillas with cabbage, steak, salsa (recipe below) and a squeeze of lime juice and sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro and serve.

Cucumber-Avocado Salsa
1 medium English cucumber, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
2 medium firm-ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
Juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
Salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss gently to combine. Serve within an hour of preparing.

CEiMB #1: Ellie's Mom's Turkey Meatloaf

Yes. Another event. I know. I have a problem and I'd like to say that I think I need a support group or 12 step plan or something, but, well, blogging is both of those for me. So, since this is my therapy, yes, I joined another group.

I think this one will be good for me though. It isn't about me baking more goodies and treats (thank goodness!!). It is about making some healthy meals, at least once a week, from a book that comes highly recommended by darling Leigh. So, since she hasn't steered me wrong before, I said I was in.

Watch for posts for the new event on Thursday's. Today is the first post and the event deet's can be seen at the group blog Craving Ellie In My Belly while I attempt to make some of the meals we eat a bit lighter and healthier. The Ellie in question is of course the darling Ellie Krieger and the cookbook is The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life.

The rules are sweet and simple for this group so if you want to join in the healthy fun (if like me you are doing a lot of the sweet and not so healthy fun) then email Leigh with your info and grab the book.

This week's recipe was for Turkey Meatloaf. I'll tell you right off the bat that we didn't like it. Nothing at all against the recipe really, but it just isn't our cup of tea. First of all, I barely like regular meatloaf and only my recipe. I tried to doctor the recipe up a bit flavor wise with a little chipotle and honey (which I know I love with turkey) without affecting the nutritional value too much. Anyway, it was more of a texture thing for me. The flavor wasn't too bad, but I just really don't like ground meats all that much. I don't eat sausage either, so not too surprising. Anyway, don't let my little quirks stop you from trying this recipe if this is something you think you would like. Afterall, you never know unless you try.

To go with the meatloaf I made a dish of baked mashed sweet potatoes also flavored up a bit with honey and chipotle. I took a few shortcuts to try to make things a bit faster and I also made the meatloaf in mini loaf pans to make faster cooking individual sized portions. It didn't change the baking time too much, but it just makes the glazing a bit more pronounced which I know I like.

Anyway, if you are like me and need a bit of a boost to get cooking some healthy meals, then give this event a try. In the meantime, go see what the others thought of their turkey loaf.

Mom's Turkey Meatloaf
3/4 c. quick cooking oats
1/2 c. nonfat milk
1 medium onion, peeled
2 lbs. ground turkey breast
1/2 c. seeded and chopped red bell pepper (1/2 medium pepper)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 8 oz. can no-salt-added tomato sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, stir together the oats and milk and allow to soak while you get the rest of the ingredients together, at least 3 minutes.

Thinly slice one-quarter of the onion into rings and set aside. Finely chop the rest of the onion.

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, oatmeal mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire, ketchup, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Mix just until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 inches high. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions.

Bake until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 F, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let res for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Variation: If the honey/chipotle flavor catches your imagination then just add the following to your meatloaf mixture: 3 Tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper hot sauce or 2 teaspoons adobo. For the glaze combine the tomato sauce with 3 Tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper hot sauce or 2 teaspoons adobo and whisk together well.

Baked Mashed Sweet Potatoes
1 large can sweet potatoes (29 0z), drained
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper hot sauce or 2 teaspoons adobo, or to taste
freshly ground pepper
pinch of salt
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat together on medium-high until fairly smooth and well mixed. Put mixture into a buttered casserole dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until hot and lightly puffed.