Tag: Pasta

LarpMom’s Baked Mac n Cheese

Ingredients:

3/4 box cavapatti noodles cooked in salted water for 7 minutes
4 oz cream cheese block, cubed
8oz velveeta cheese block, cubed
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more to dust on top
4 Tbs butter, plus 3 more Tbs reserved
1/4 cup ap flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprkia
1/4 to 1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground dry mustard
1/8 to 1/4 cup pinot gregio
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F. Add spices to flour and stir to mix. Melt 4 Tbs of butter in large pot, then add flour and whisk until smooth and cooked about 2 minutes.

Add 2 cups milk slowly, and continue to whisk to avoid clumping. Cook 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat, until thickened. Add cream cheese and velveeta, and stir until melted and smooth. Turn off burner, and 2 cups cheddar and 1 cup of parmesan. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Stir until melted and smooth. Pour wine into sauce and stir until mixed well. Add noodles and fold to coat. Transfer noodles to a 9×13 baking dish and smooth down until even in the dish. In the empty pot you used to cook the noodles, melt remaining butter and add the bread crumbs. Stir until fully moistened with butter and slightly toasted. Remove from heat. Grate more parmesan cheese over the macaroni and cheese, then top with bread crumbs.

Cover with tin foil or a lid and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 additional minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

Herbed Pork Penne with white wine cheese sauce

I had some pork chops that needed to be cooked, but I really wanted mac and cheese. So I decided to make an adult mac and cheese style pasta dish with pork and herbs. My family loved it! I hope you will, too. 🙂

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz box penne, cooked to package directions and reserved in pasta pot
  • 1 lb boneless pork loin (I used a 6 pack of boneless chops), cubed
  • 1 cup sweet white wine
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
  • 2 Tbs chopped Rosemary leaves
  • 2 Tbs chopped Sage leaves
  • 6 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 cup shredded Mozzerella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup Cream cheese
  • 1/8 cup shredded Applewood Smoked Gouda
  • 1/4 to 1/8 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1 stick butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Mix the salt and pepper in a small container. Pour over cubed meat and massage with fingers to coat.

Melt half the butter in a large skillet. Add herbs and garlic. Stir until fragrant.

Add the pork. Arrange in pan so that all the cubes touch the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn pork over and cook another 4 to 5 minutes. Stir until white on all sides and firm. Spoon out pork, leaving as much liquid in pan as possible.

Add rest of butter. When melted, add the flour and whisk smooth. Add wine and pasta water to pan. Whisk until combined. Add the milk and whisk until heated through. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Stir until melted, and adjust seasoning as needed.

To the pasta pot, add the pork and all the cheese sauce. Stir until well combined. Pour pasta into a large baking dish. Sprinkle more mozzarella and grated parmesan over top. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Remove cover and cook 5 more minutes, until the cheese sauce starts to bubble.

Remove from oven and let sit 5 or 10 minutes, then serve.

LARPmom’s Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna

Good evening everyone!

Tonight, I’m going to share a recipe for one of my favorite comfort meals: Lasagna. There’s a big difference between my Lasagna and the normal stuff: I don’t use tomatoes. Not because I don’t like them, I actually love them. But with the birth of my oldest child came a diagnosis for a condition called Interstitial Cystitis, which is a pain in the butt. I can’t have certain high potassium foods, one of which is tomatoes! Ahaha*sobs in Italian*

Ahem.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

  • Lasagna noodles cooked to package directions
  • 1 cup grated parmesan
  • Fresh mozzarella cheese, 2 rounds, cut into small cubes.

Sauce:

  • 4 red bell peppers, halved and roasted for 20 minutes at 450°F, steamed in glass bowl with lid to help remove skin.
  • 8 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 diced carrots
  • 2 diced celery stalks
  • 1 diced onionop
  • 1 handful Italian parsley stems
  • 2-3 cups merlot or red wine
  • 1-2 water or chicken broth
  • 1 parmesan heel
  • 4-6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • Smoked paprika
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Instructions:

Blend red pepper and garlic in food processor until smooth.

Saute’ diced veg in oil over medium heat. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook about 3 minutes. Add wine and whisk to deglaze pot. Pour puree into pot. Add water or broth. Bundle cheese heel, stems and bay leaves with kitchen twine. Add to pot with some salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cook for 30 minutes with lid on.

Remove lid. Stir, add a small palm full or two of smoked paprika.

Add miniature Turkey meatballs, simmer another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove herb bouquet and cheese rind.

Turkey meatballs (Giada style)*

  • 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 Tbs whole milk
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp pepper

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in large bowl and form into little meatballs. Cook stovetop in oil or bake at 375 on cookie sheet for 15 minutes (I bake them on a greased cookie sheet because it is faster overall).

Ricotta cheese mixture

  • 1 handful Italian parsley leaves, chopped
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 large container ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in large mixing bowl and set aside.

Assembly:

Spoon a small amount of sauce into bottom of a large casserole or deep rectangular dish. Lay down some noodles lengthwise to cover bottom of pan. Add a layer of ricotta, then sprinkle with parmesan and mozzarella.

Spoon over sauce and meat. Add a layer of noodles crossways in pan this time, and repeat, alternating noodle direction to give strength and bite to layers.

Finish with a layer of noodles running lengthwise, topped with meat sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Cover with lid or foil and bake in preheated oven at 375° for 25 minutes.

Remove lid or foil and bake an additional 25 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes prior to serving.

*The meatball recipe I got from Giada de Laurentiis’ Everyday Italian cookbook and I modified it slightly to suite my needs. Please check her out and show her some love! Her recipes are fantastic and I’d use a lot more of them if I were able.

Where you can buy her cookbook

Browse more of her recipes at Food Network

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. It was really fun to create.