Mac and Cheese with Polish Sausage

I am not sure if I have mentioned my love for cheese before. Well I do. I love Mac and cheese. Growing up I am pretty sure I followed a strict cheese diet which included Grilled Cheese and Mac and Cheese maybe with the occasional chicken thrown in. 


My relationship (yes relationship) with Mac and Cheese has gone in phases, starting with the blue box, moving to the orange box, then to the Blue Box but in the microwave, to the box with the bunny and now from scratch. This is my definition of comfort food. Brings me back to Minnesota.


As I have entered adulthood I came to the realization, mac and cheese is not waist friendly. Not to worry, I have a fabulous cookbook The Most Decadent Diet Ever! And I found this recipe. This was my first time (gasp) making Mac and Cheese from scratch, it was easy and tasty. 


Happy Tasting!


Mac and Cheese with Polish Sausage
4 ounces of extra lean kielbasa or smoked turkey sausage. (we used chicken sausage).
1 cup dried elbow macaroni
2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fat free milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 ounces (1 3/4 cups) finely shredded Cabot's 75% Light Cheddar Cheese, or your favorite low-fat Cheddar.


Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a full boil. Cut the sausage into 1/4 inch-thick slices.
Add the macaroni and the sausage to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the macaroni is cooked al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain
Meanwhile, mix the flour with just enough milk to form a paste in a small bowl. Slowly add the remaining milk, stirring as you do, making sure to remove any lumps. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Pour the milk mixture into the saucepan. Stir in the salt. Add the cheese and continue to stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the cheese is completely melted and the mixture starts to thicken. When the mixture is almost smooth, stir in the cooked macaroni and sausage until is is well incorporated. Serve immediately. 

Source: The Most Decadent Diet Ever! by Devin Alexander

Goat cheese Crostini

One of the things I adore about warm weather and St. Louis is the Tower Grove Farmers Market. I am counting down the days until it opens. It is one of my favorite things about the city. 


My tummy is hungry thinking about the fresh fruit, veggies, and cheeses we come home with. Not to forget the breakfast burritos and grilled cheese sandwiches.  


I thought of this tasty appetizer when we had some friends come over for our first summer BBQ which included burgers, guacamole, baked beans and sangria.  That morning we headed to the Tower Grove Market where I picked up a French Baguette, some fresh goat cheese, and tomatoes. I had basil growing in our small city home garden.


The lazy days of summer are so close I can almost taste them, yet so far.


1 French Baguette
Olive Oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Basil Leaves
Goat Cheese
Tomatoes sliced


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut baguette into slices. Mine were about 1/2 inch thick.
3. Drizzle olive oil onto baguette 
4. Spread garlic onto baguette
5. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until your desired crispiness, 
6. Cool
7. Spread goat cheese on baguette slices, top with one basil leaf and tomato.


Happy Tasting!

Kalamata-Balsamic Chicken with Feta

Kalamata-Balsamic Chicken with Feta

Feta cheese is one of my favorite things, as is olives. When I saw this recipe, it was sure to be a winner. I have dreams of eating my way through Greece.  The olives, tomatoes and feta compliment each other perfectly.  A sure winner for us. Happy Tasting!

What you need:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Spray

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

16 pitted kalamata olives, halved

3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons small basil leaves

Directions:

1. Sprinkle chicken evenly with pepper.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Cook chicken 6-7 minutes on each side, or until done. Transfer chicken to a serving platter, keep warm.

3. While chicken cooks, combine tomatoes, olives, and vinaigrette in a medium bowl.

4. Add tomato mixture to pan; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until tomatoes soften. Spoon over chicken. Top evenly with cheese and basil.

Source: Cooking Light: Fresh Food Fast

Rocky Road Bars

Anything with chocolate and peanut butter is heavenly for me.  I simply do not think it can get better. Unless you throw a good bottle of wine in. That would be a tough, chocolate or wine. That's up for debate. 

Growing up I was a member of the YMCA's Y Princess program. It involved Father Daughter bonding time. (insert awww). We would go camping with a group of girls that were my age and their fathers. My favorite event was the "lock in" at the Y. We had full access to the Y and could do all sorts of activities; swimming, games, getting the giant parachute out and running the track and more! Of course we needed to refuel and eat as many tasty treats as we could handle.

As I remember being in the Y Princess program, I remember helping my Momma make these. I think we made these for every event. 

So there is a little bit of history about me, and an understanding of my love of chocolate and peanut butter.

Rocky Road Squares/Nut Goodie Squares

1 12 oz package chocolate chips

1 12 oz package butterscotch chips

1 C peanut butter

1 10 oz package miniature marshmallows

3 C peanuts

Melt chips and peanut butter over low heat or in double boiler. Or microwave on medium until melted.

Add marshmallows and peanuts and mix.

Pour into greased 9x13 pan.

Cool and cut in squares.

Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Source: My Mom!

Banana Nutella Bread

Nutella. Love. I adore chocolate and baking. I first discovered Nutella when I was in France 12 years ago. Love blossomed, I was so thrilled that a tasty spread existed. 


One day I woke up thinking about Nutella. I know most people wake up thinking about work, their children, or brushing their teeth, but here I was wondering if bananas and Nutella have met in bread form.
Sure enough and luckily for me, they have.  


Momma and Pa were coming to visit me as I was baking this delectable treat. I was so pleased when they came in and were drooling over the banana bread smelled that had filled the house. 


Please go and make this. Happy Tasting!

NUTELLA- SWIRLED BANANA BREAD

www.RecipeGirl.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup plain low fat yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda & salt.

3. In a separate large bowl, beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until flour is incorporated (don’t over mix).

4. Spoon Nutella into a medium dish and soften in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Add 1 cup of the banana bread batter to the Nutella and stir until blended well. Spoon Nutella batter alternately with plain banana bread batter into the prepared pan. Swirl batters together with a knife.

5. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check the oven at 45 minutes to check the top of the bread for browning. If it’s browning too quickly, cover lightly with foil for the remainder of the baking. Cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Adapted from Recipe Girl

Mini Egg Omelets

When I first saw these I thought to myself. Adorable. How much cuter can it get, a mini omelet? Total cuteness. 


I enjoy cute things. Puppies, babies, Edward from Twilight. Now I can add this to my list. 


And they just look so cute and are equally as tasty.


Happy Tasting!

• 4 cups broccoli florets- I used peppers instead.
• 4 whole eggs
• 1 cup egg whites
• 1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar
• 1/4 cup good grated cheese like pecorino romano
• 1 tbs olive oil
• salt and fresh pepper
• cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Steam broccoli with a little water for about 6-7 minutes.
When broccoli is cooked, mash into smaller pieces and add olive oil, salt and pepper.Mix well.

Spray cupcake tin with cooking spray and spoon broccoli mixture evenly into 9 tins.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites, eggs, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Pour into the greased tins over broccoli until a little more than 3/4 full. Top with grated cheddar and bake in the oven until cooked, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator to enjoy during the week.

Source: Skinny Taste

Ruth Chris

 We visited Ruth Chris during Clayton’s restaurant week. I love restaurant week. 3 courses, 25 bucks. It gives us the chance to get out of the house and try some new places and a good price.  We’ve heard good things about Ruth Chris, so when we saw it on the list, we ventured out to try it. I have nothing good to say. No wine list offered,  No coat check offered, poor location of a table, rude waiter, steak was ehh, so so, mashed potatoes with way too much butter. The good thing that happened was when the waiter brought us our bill, after an entirely too long of wait and we were out!