Cheeseburger Macaroni

The weather here in NJ has been horrible lately with rain almost every day and I hate rain or rather I hate getting wet. But with a lot of rainy days comes that melancholy feeling for comfort foods. Last week, my kids were begging for this Cheeseburger Macaroni and said that I haven't made it in YEARS(do you hear their whining voices?). Well, it wasn't years, but it has been quite a while. They LOVE it and I like that it's so easy and quick to make and has a considerable less amount of sodium than the boxed variety. If you want to lighten this up even more, use 99/1 Ground Turkey instead of the beef or throw in some vegetables to add more fiber. 

Cheeseburger Macaroni
1/2 lb. Barilla Whole Grain Rotini Pasta 
(or any other type of pasta)
1/2 lb. 90/10 Ground Beef 
(you could also substitute ground turkey or chicken)
1 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
3/4 c. 2% Milk
8 Slices 2% American Cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. In a nonstick pan, brown the ground beef. Remove from pan draining off any excess liquid then set aside. In the same pan, melt the butter then stir in the flour forming a roux. Add in the milk and cheese and stir until all of the cheese has melted and sauce becomes thick. Add back in the ground beef and pasta, mix well and season with salt and pepper. Serving Size=1/2 cup

*Nutritional Information: Calories 167, Carbs 15g, Fat 7g, Protein 12g
*Nutritional Information with Ground Turkey: Calories 142, Carbs 15g, Fat 4g, Protein 12g

Enjoy!

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into MyFitnessPal and may not be 100% accurate.

Shared at Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen 5/21/12
Shared on Recipes for My Boys 5/31/12

Broccoli and Cheese Frittata, Fresh Blueberry Pancakes, Linguica and Potatoes

Don't be afraid! Frittata is just another word for a big omelet. It's the perfect way to make eggs when you have to serve a lot of people; especially on an occasion like this one. There are many ways to make this dish and if you don't like broccoli, feel free to substitute items you and your family may like better (i.e. tomatoes, bacon, mushrooms, peppers, etc). In any frittata recipe however, you cannot use a non-stick frying pan (due the fact that it will go in the oven). When it's done, the eggs are fluffy and you can either scoop them out with a spoon or cut them like you would a pie or cake in wedges; it's completely up to you. I also like to cut down on the cholesterol which is why I use eggs and egg whites, but you can use all whole eggs if you prefer. 

Broccoli and Cheese Frittata (Serves 6)

4 Large Eggs, whisked

4 Egg Whites

1 Cup Broccoli Florets;  cooked and chopped

3 Slices American Cheese, cut in pieces

Kosher Salt and Crushed Black Pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large, stainless steel frying pan, generously spray bottom and sides with cooking spray.  Add eggs, egg whites, broccoli, and cheese. Using a spatula, draw the egg mixture away from the sides towards the middle until it is almost set but slightly runny in the center, about 4 minutes. Place the entire pan in the oven and cook through approximately 10-15 minutes or until all liquid has been evaporated and the mixture has 'puffed up'.

*Tip: Remove pan from the oven using a potholder, as the handle will be hot.

This next recipe came from my Canadian heritage. My Great, Great, Great Grandmother was an Iroquois Indian and married an English Soldier while stationed in Canada. After several generations of residing in Canada, my Great Grandmother lived on a farm that produced syrup and created this recipe. It's light, almost like a crepe, but thicker like a pancake. I've also substituted the all-purpose flour for wheat flour and 2% milk for the whole milk if you're looking for a healthier variation. 

Fresh Blueberry Pancakes (Serves 8)
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

3 Tbsp. Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Cups Milk

1/3 Cup Canola Oil

1 tsp. Vanilla

½ Cup Fresh Blueberries

Mix the first 8 ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Gently fold in the blueberries. Heat your frying pan or griddle on medium heat. When you sprinkle a few flecks of water on your pan and the water 'dances' or jumps off the pan, then you know the pan is hot enough to cook on.  Spray the pan with cooking spray (or you can use butter) and pour about 1/4 cup of the batter onto the pan. Cook for approximately 2 minutes or until the pancake starts to bubble on the top and around the edges. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until it is golden and remove.  

*Tip: Heat your syrup in a pan or in the microwave in a microwave safe carafe or pitcher before pouring over your pancakes!

I had never cooked with Linguica until I met and married my husband, whose father happens to be Portuguese. Linguica is a form of Portuguese cured pork sausage, seasoned with garlic and paprika. When you're looking for a little 'heat' in your food, this will do the trick! However, it's a little difficult to find in the North Jersey area. The BEST Linguica we've found comes from Fall River, MA,  so when we head up there we always remember to bring a cooler to stock up on some to keep in the freezer. (When cooking with Linguica or Chorizo, which is the Spanish version, remember it is only partially cooked during the curing process, so you must cook it before eating it!)

Linguica and Potatoes (Serves 8)
3/4 lb. Linguica, remove casing and chop into 1/4" rounds
8 Russet Potatoes
1/2 Yellow Onion, chopped
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
Kosher Salt, to taste

First, cook your potatoes. This process can be done up to 2 days beforehand.  In a large pot, add potatoes, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.(If the skins start to peel away from the potato, they are probably done.) Drain the hot water and add cold water to the pot to bring down the temperature of the cooked potatoes. You may need to do this 2-3 times. Once cooled enough that you can handle them, carefully peel away and discard the skin of the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1-2” chunks. 

In a large frying pan, add oil, linguica and onions over medium heat. Saute the until the onions start to become translucent and the linguica starts to get slightly browned. Add potatoes to the mixture and mix together. Cook for approximately 1/2 hour stirring occasionally until potatoes become slightly browned.
*Tip: If you prefer your potatoes a little more browned and well done, you may need to gradually add a little more oil.

Here is a slight twist on the regular Mimosa. I prefer pineapple juice to orange juice and this recipe gives a slight twist to the old favorite. I recommend making this recipe right before you're ready to serve it so that the bubbles don't dissipate. 

Island Mimosa (Serves 8)
3 Cups Chilled Champagne
1 Cup Pineapple Juice
1/2 Cup Cranberry Juice

In a pitcher, add champagne, pineapple and cranberry juices. Using a spoon, gently mix together. (You don't want to over mix and release all of the champagne bubbles). Serve in champagne flutes. 

*Tip:If you want your drink to be more frothy, blend the pineapple and cranberry juice with some ice in a blender before adding the champagne!

Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese on a Hard Roll

According to Wikipedia, pork roll is a type of sausage-like meat product commonly available in and around New Jersey and Philadelphia. In North Jersey, where I'm from, it is usually called Taylor Ham. The product, as it is made today, was developed in 1856 by John Taylor of  Trenton, NJ, though several firms produce their own versions. A popular breakfast sandwich in the region made with pork roll is known as the Jersey Breakfast, a "Pork Roll, Egg, and Cheese", or a "Taylor Ham, Egg, and Cheese." A Jersey Breakfast always contains pork roll, typically served with american cheese on a hard roll. It is a staple of many delis, diners, bakeries, and breakfast spots in NJ. In Philadelphia, the hard roll is commonly replaced with the local "long roll" used for hoagies and cheesesteaks. If you're not from the New Jersey or the Philly area, you can also buy some online and have it shipped directly to you from Jersey Pork Roll...isn't the internet a wonderful thing? 


So why all of this talk about Taylor Ham? (my preferred nomenclature). I was out with my youngest daughter the other day and she wasn't hungry for breakfast before we had to leave the house to take my older daughter to work. As we're driving down the highway, I asked her if she wanted to stop for a bagel since we haven't had those in a while. But she didn't want that. She specifically wanted, and I quote "a Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese from the convenience store located at the Lukoil gas station across from the Target..they make the best Mom!" Since I've never even filled my tank there, let alone got a sandwich there, I asked her how she knew about it. Apparently, it's a favorite weekend spot my husband takes her to when he's in the mood for one as well. So, we pull in. Park. Get out in the pouring rain. Go inside and there we find several iterations of the Taylor Ham sandwiches. One with just cheese. One with just egg. Then we see the one she wants..Taylor Ham with Egg and Cheese. I've never seen a 9-year old smile so big when she grabbed the last one and brought it to the counter to pay. As we got back into the car, she opened it up, took a bite and when I asked her how it was she replied "This is the best giant circle of goodness I've ever had!". Always a comedian my daughter.  

Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese on a Hard Roll
1 Hard Roll
2 Eggs, fried
2 Slices American Cheese
2 Slices Taylor Ham


On a flat grill pan, heat Taylor Ham over medium heat until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from pan and keep on the side. Fry the eggs, breaking the yolk. Add cheese to the top of the eggs so that it melts. Place the eggs on the roll and top with cooked Taylor Ham. 

Quick Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

Well, we have officially hit the halfway mark of 2011 and I can't believe it's July 4th weekend already. It's a time to celebrate our independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain and is our national holiday. In the U.S., we celebrate with fireworks, picnics, parades, political speeches, concerts, BBQ's and family gatherings. Last night, we started off the weekend at our local township fireworks and had a blast with great friends. They had a band playing, food vendors and local businesses, rides for the kids including rock climbing, bouncy houses and even a small version of a mechanical bull (and no, I didn't go on it, but I was tempted). It was so refreshing to see my kids gathering with their friends, experiencing these times together and creating memories that will last a lifetime. The best part for me was looking around to see all of the children watching in awe as the sky turned brilliant colors of white, red and blue. 


As a kid myself, I used to love the pre-packaged boxed Macaroni and Cheese. Until one day, when I purchased it as an adult, I realized how salty it was. (And orange?!). So I made up a healthier version for my own kids and they actually prefer it. This is typically not a picnic food (unless you were in my home and that was the only thing my child would eat when she was 2) but it does make a great addition and is quick to make if you happen to have a picky eater in your family.


You can use whatever shaped pasta you wish. For this recipe in particular, I happened to have shells. I've even browned some ground beef and onions, mixed them with this macaroni and cheese and you get a quick and easy Beef-A-Roni dinner that's perfect for those nights when you just don't have the time. And for all my little friends who can't eat the standard Macaroni and Cheese and feel like you're missing something...make this with Gluten-Free Pasta!

Macaroni and Cheese
1 lb. Pasta
5 Slices American Cheese
1/2 Cup Fat Free or 2% Milk
1 Tbsp. Butter
Salt and Pepper, to taste


Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and put back into the pot. Add the cheese, milk and butter. Stir until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6.


Enjoy!

Cheeseburger "Sliders"

To me, I just call them mini-hamburgers. But in today's day and age, they are infamously known as "Sliders". Growing up, the only real mini-burger we heard of was at White Castle and it took a good 45 minutes to get to the closest one from where I lived. Now, they have a whole food category all on their own. In fact, when searching on FoodNetwork.com, there are 78 listed different kinds of them on their site alone...amazing! So I did a little bit of research to find out who REALLY invented the slider and this is what I found out. 

In the 1940s, Walter Anderson formed White Castle. He wanted his burgers to be as inexpensive as possible so he made them small and came up with his own cooking process (that still exists in the business today). White Castle sells its own original burgers under the trademark Slyders, these will always be known as the first and the best.

So, there you have it. Mine aren't that special. Just some ground beef, cheese, ketchup and Kosher Dill Sandwich Pickles; however, I only use Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls when I make mine. I stumbled upon them by accident several years ago after coming home from a weekend in MA and visiting Fall River for some Chorizo and Portuguese Sweet Bread. We brought some bread home and it was about to get stale so I decided to put hamburgers on it. It was so good and added a little sweetness; which a regular roll doesn't have. Then I found these Kings Hawaiian rolls at the supermarket and decided to try them out and it was a close match. 

We don't have this meal often (as you can see by my over 50+ recipes in the last month and not one burger has been had for dinner) but every now and then, my kids crave some good 'ole burgers and fries. We're not a "fast-food" type of family. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've eaten at one in the last few years. Though, when Wendy's came out with their Sea Salt French Fries, my youngest was all gung-ho and wanted to try them. But then, once she had them, she said "it was not a big deal" and hasn't asked to go back since. Who needs Wendy's when you can make them at home yourself in minutes!

Cheeseburger "Sliders"

1 lb. Ground Beef

1-Package of 12 Kings Hawaiian Rolls

6 Slices American Cheese

Form 12 mini-hamburger patties and grill approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Add 1/2 slice cheese to each burger until it is melted and put on roll. Top burger with your favorite condiments. 

Enjoy!