Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese

Sometimes all it takes is just a small taste of something and my mind starts wandering with all of the different combinations of food I could possibly make. Such is the case with this Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese.

I attended a small gathering recently to celebrate a close family friends' 75th birthday. At the party, which was hosted by his son and daughter in law, they had figs topped with goat cheese, rosemary and a jam (I can't remember what it was, but think it might have been apple) as one of the appetizers. They were amazing! I just loved the flavor combination and knew it would make a wonderful mixture in some other of our favorite dishes as well.

Well...my first attempt was a success! Everyone loved this Mac n' Cheese variation, even my 11 year old. She can't wait to try my new experiments when she gets home from school and we have a deal that I don't share what's inside the dish until she tries it. Even she was pleasantly surprised that it contained Goat cheese (which she never wanted to try before), but mixed with the cream cheese and rosemary, it was very subtle, yet rich and filling. If you want to impress your family and friends, you can make this as a main entree or as a side dish. It would also make an elegant addition to a buffet selection during the upcoming holidays.

Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese
Prep Time: 15 minutes  Cook Time: 15 minutes  Total Time: 30 minutes  Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 14.5oz. Box Multigrain Macaroni
• 4 tbsp. Butter
• 2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 c. Milk (I used 2%)
• 8oz. Cream Cheese
• 3.5oz. Crumbled Goat Cheese (I used Alouette)
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
• 1 c. Italian Flavored Breadcrumbs
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente; then drain and place back in the pot. 
3. While the pasta is cooking, melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; then whisk in the flour forming a roux. 
4. Gradually whisk in the milk until the roux has broken up and there are no lumps. 
5. Next, add the cream cheese, goat cheese and rosemary. Keep whisking until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is creamy. 
6. Add the sauce to the cooked macaroni and mix well; then place in an oven safe baking dish (8"x8"). 
7. Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl; then melt the remaining 2 tbsp. butter (either in the microwave or a small pan). Add the butter to the breadcrumbs, mix together and sprinkle on top of the macaroni.
8. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are lightly brown and the macaroni is bubbly. 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts 

Calories 465, Carbs 51.7g, Fat 21.4g, Protein 17.9g, Fiber 4.9g, Sugar 4.1g

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

Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese Shopping List

Pan Fried Rosemary Pork Cutlets

Pan fried cutlets, whether they be chicken or pork, are my family's go-to comfort meal. You can eat them 'as is' or top them with Bruschetta; which is another one of our favorite ways to eat them. They're so easy to make, especially on those busy weeknights. And if your family is like mine and has to eat at separate times, they also reheat beautifully. 

Pan Fried Rosemary Pork Cutlets

Prep Time:   15 minutes                               Yield: 4

Cook Time:  15 minutes                                Serving: 1 Cutlet

Total Time:  30 Minutes

Ingredients

• 4 (4-ounce) Center Cut Pork Chops, boneless
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 c. Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

1. Take each pork chop and slice it horizontally three-quarters of the way through. Flatten them out and pound them to an even thickness with a meat mallet (or you can use the back of a glass). 
2. Add eggs to one bowl and whisk until the yolks are broken. 
3. Add the breadcrumbs and rosemary to a separate bowl. 
4. Heat the oil in large nonstick saute pan over medium-hight heat. 
5. Dip the pork first into the egg; then into the breadcrumb mixture. 
6. Allow to brown 6-8 minutes per side until the pork is cooked through. Drain on paper towels; serve hot.  

Nutrition Facts

Calories 261 , Carbs 9.6g, Fat 11.1g, Protein 28.3g, Fiber .4g, Sugar .6g

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

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Enjoy! 

Rosemary Grilled Pork Skewers

Today is Food on a Stick Day (I know, there's a day for everything these days!) and since the weather is starting to warm up a bit, I thought I'd share these Rosemary Grilled Pork Skewers. They're so easy to make, are healthy and loaded with fresh, aromatic flavors like lemon, garlic and rosemary. 

The beauty of making a grilled meat skewer, or kabob if you prefer that term, is that you can add any vegetable you like and it will slightly change the flavor. My standard is to use some sort of mushroom, onion and tomatoes; then I add on others with what I happen to have in the house at that moment. This time I also used some zucchini, but eggplant, yellow squash and peppers would work well too. 

Rosemary Grilled Pork Skewers

1 1/2 lb. Center Cut Pork Loin, trimmed and cubed

1/4 c. Distilled White Vinegar

1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Lemon, zest and juice

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Vegetables for Skewers (I used baby bella mushrooms, zucchini, onion and Roma tomatoes)

Directions:

1. Combine the vinegar, oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk together. 

2. Add the pork to a resealable plastic bag; then add in the vinegar mixture. 

3. Refrigerate for 2 hours, remove pork then assemble skewers by alternating 3-4 pieces of pork and vegetables of your choice per skewer. 

4. Grill 8-10 minutes or until the pork has reached the proper internal temperature. Makes 8 skewers; Serves 4. 

The nutritional information for this recipe takes into account all ingredients, even though most of the marinade is discarded before grilling. Please take that into consideration when calculating your caloric intake. I've given you both sets of data so that you can decide which one you prefer to use. 

*Nutritional Information per Skewer With All of the Marinade: 

Calories 177, Carbs .2g, Fat 10g, Protein 21g, Fiber 0g

*Nutritional Information per Skewer--Pork only; does not include vegetables: 

Calories 119, Carbs 0g, Fat 3.4g, Protein 21g, Fiber 0g

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

Enjoy!

Sauteed Chicken with Soy Sauce & Lemon, Sauteed New Potatoes with Rosemary and a GIVEAWAY

As I mentioned once before in a previous post I was on a quest to get some new cookbooks over the holidays, especially those written by my foodie friends. Table for Two by Warren Caterson was the second book I received and I couldn't wait to try out some of his recipes. His book features over 235 recipes made with fresh, readily available ingredients and is a great cookbook for young couples, empty nesters and everyone in between that are looking for recipes geared towards serving two people. I really wish I had this when I was single and living on my own. I would always make meals then either have a ton of food left over or I had continuous guests! 

I've been craving Asian flavors lately so I decided to make this Sauteed Chicken with Soy Sauce and Lemon. The recipe was easy to follow and I was able to adapt it slightly to increase the portion sizes to feed my family of four using the same ingredients. My family and I LOVED the flavor combination of the soy and lemon in this dish and I served this with steamed rice and a vegetable to complete our meal. 

Sauteed Chicken with Soy Sauce and Lemon(Copycat)

Adapted from Table for Two by Warren Caterson

12 Chicken Thighs, bone-in, skin removed

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 Lemon, zest and juice

1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/2 c. Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

1/2 tbsp. Sugar

1 c. White Wine (I used a Chardonnay)

Directions: 

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven, then add in the chicken and allow to brown on both sides; approximately 10 minutes in total. You may have to do this in two batches so as not to overcrowd the pot. 

2. Remove the chicken and set aside. 

3. Add in the garlic, lemon zest, and cayenne pepper and saute for 1 minute; then add in the soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar and wine. 

4. Return the chicken to the pot, reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. 

5. Remove chicken to a serving plate and spoon sauce over chicken. Serves 6. 

*Nutritional Information per Chicken Thigh: Calories 146, Carbs 3g, Fat 6.9g, Protein 14.2g, Fiber 0g

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

The next dish I tried out of the book were these Sauteed New Potatoes with Rosemary. I just love this flavor combination, but I had never cooked them on top of the stove before. They were delicious and the butter gave the potatoes a crispy coating. 

Sauteed New Potatoes with Rosemary (Copycat)

Adapted from Table for Two by Warren Caterson

6 Medium Red Potatoes, skins washed and cubed

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp. Butter

1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

Kosher Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Add the potatoes to a pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until tender; approximately 10-15 minutes. Drain. 

2. Heat oil in a large, nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat; then add the potatoes and saute until brown; approximately 15-20 minutes. 

3. Add the rosemary and garlic and saute for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serves

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 178, Carbs 34.4g, Fat 3.3g, Protein 4.1g, Fiber 3.7g

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

And now for the Giveaway!!! 

Warren has graciously offered to give one of my readers a copy of his book, Table for Two, and there are several ways to enter through Rafflecopter below. The more points you accumulate, the more chances you have to win the book. The winner will be selected on Friday, March 1, 2013 and notified by email where they will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be selected. 

Good luck!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Braised Chicken and Red Potatoes in a White Wine Rosemary Sauce

All-in-one dishes like this one are great for busy, weeknight meals. Just brown your meat and add in the remainder of your ingredients until it's all done. This is also a wonderful meal to prepare the night before or over the weekend as it reheats beautifully. 

Braised Chicken and Red Potatoes in a White Wine Rosemary Sauce
8 Chicken Thighs, bone-in, skin removed
2 c. White Wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
2 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
3 Medium Red Potatoes, cut in chunks
4 Garlic Cloves, rough chop
1-2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a Dutch oven or large pot, then brown the chicken on both sides. You may need to do this in two batches(which is where you may need additional oil). Remove the chicken and set aside. 
2. Add the wine, rosemary, garlic and potatoes to the pot; scraping the bits off of the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. 
3. Add back in the chicken, cover the pot, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Serves 4-6. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving(based on four servings): Calories 462, Carbs 26.6g, Fat 15.8g, Protein 41.2g, Fiber 2.9g

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

Enjoy! 

Chicken Balsamico

I had purchased some chicken thighs in preparation of making something with them while my Mom was visiting last month, but never really got around to it. The kitchen still wasn't done through most of her stay and we were just too busy with other things to really make dinner home much. (Truth be told, I had no where to take a nice, pretty picture of anything new once it was done. So the things I did make were recipes I've either made before or new ones that I'll have to make again...hmmm if I can remember, I rarely make the same thing the same way twice!) 

Since I froze this large package of chicken in it's entirety, I wanted to make something with a sauce or stew since the chances of it being eaten more than once would have been a lot better than if I had grilled them. I wanted simple and easy, as cheering season is underway (and I have no life) and this was perfect. Now, I'm not one to eat leftovers, but I have to say, they tasted even better heated up the next day! I just love the flavor combination of balsamic vinegar and fresh rosemary and by cooking them in this sauce, they were extremely moist too. 

Chicken Balsamico
12 Bone-in Chicken Thighs
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary, removed from stem
4 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 c. Aged Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. White Wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
1/2 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In your Dutch oven, add the oil and season the chicken with salt and pepper. 
2. Next, brown the chicken on both sides until the chicken is almost cooked through. You may need to do this in two batches. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover and set aside. 
3. Add the rosemary, garlic, vinegar, wine and chicken broth to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Let simmer 5 minutes. 
4. Add the chicken back in, cover and let simmer for 30-40 minutes(until the chicken is cooked through). Remove the chicken and place on a serving platter; then cover and set aside. 
5. Turn the heat on high and bring the liquid in the Dutch oven up to a full boil, uncovered for approximately 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Serves 6. 

Nutrition Facts per Piece of Chicken

Calories 131, Carbs 2.3g, Fat 6.6g, Protein 13.9g, Fiber 0g, Sugar 1.6g

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

Enjoy!  

Honey Lemon Grilled Chicken Breasts & Home Grown Chef Contest Winner!

You can really learn a lot in a year without even realizing it. Last year, I can honestly say I used to burn or just about overcook everything I tried to grill (to the point of shoe leather!), but I have to say, though I'm not perfect yet, I am doing a much better job.


Here are some grilling tips for chicken I thought you might find helpful:

• After you fire up the grill, don’t poke the chicken. Instead, use tongs to turn it over. Using a fork to turn the chicken pokes holes in the meat, thus letting some of those juices go to waste. 
• The only time you need to cut into the meat is when you are cooking a whole chicken and it is almost done. 
• One trick I learned for grilling chicken on the bone is to simmer it in water first. Add chicken pieces to a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Then allow to simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes. You can do this with or without the skin on. This accomplishes several things. One: The chicken doesn't dry out on the grill (especially when using chicken breasts) before it has time to cook through. It also won't have that completely charred bbq sauce on the meat; which if you're like my family, the kids refuse to eat! Two: It reduces your grilling time which is helpful if you're entertaining for a large crowd. Three: If you are cooking for a crowd, you can prepare the chicken ahead of time, even the day before the event, so you can spend more time with friends and family and less time sweltering over the heat of the grill...BONUS in my opinion! 
• Grills vary, thickness of meat, bone-in or bone out, skin or no skin, and even the weather all effect the cooking times of chicken. Use a meat thermometer, look for golden brown skin, clear running juices, and monitor closely to cook to the best doneness.
• Get a grilling thermometer. The recommended internal temperature for chicken when it is finished is between 165 - 175 degrees and the juices run clear. 
• Don’t serve the chicken right away. Let the chicken “rest”. For grilling a whole chicken let it sit for about 15 minutes after taking it off the grill and before carving. For chicken pieces let them sit for about 5 minutes to let the juices run back into the meat. The chicken will be much juicier this way! 

You can't get any simpler than this and the flavor was INCREDIBLE! Sweet, tangy and woodsy all in one made this one of my favorite ways to marinate chicken. 

Honey Lemon Grilled Chicken

Four 4-6oz. Boneless Chicken Breasts

½ c. Honey

1 Lemon, zest and juice

1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

Add the honey, lemon zest and juice, and rosemary to a bowl and whisk until well blended. Add the chicken to a resealable plastic bag, then add the honey mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes prior to grilling to bring the meat to room temperature, discard the marinade, then grill until desired internal temperature. Serves 4. 

Enjoy!


And now for the contest results! THANK YOU to everyone that voted and again to our contestants! Are you ready.... 

In 5th Place with 7 Votes was Lily Zhou's Steelhead Trout


In 4th Place with 11 Votes was Patty VanKirk's Caramelized Snack Mix


In 3rd Place with 50 Votes was Jenn Cedeno's Chicken with Roasted Peppers


In 2nd Place with 55 Votes was M.J. Vitelli's Nana's Chicken Ravioli Filling


And...The winner of the $50 Williams Sonoma Gift Card and the Bamboo Cutting Board with 71 votes was Karin Hung's Hot Cross Buns Ice Cream

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU! 

Please email your mailing address to carrieexpktchn@optonline.net so that I can get  your prizes out to you asap! :)

Recipe Shared on Recipes for My Boys Tasty Treasures 6/7/12


THIS CONTEST HAS BEEN CLOSED. 

Wine & Balsamic Marinated Filet Mignon

This past Saturday, we had very full day which started out with an early morning cheering competition for my eldest daughter (which they came in 2nd place in their category). We then headed home so that my youngest daughter and her friends could practice for their schools "lip sync" show. It's really quite cute. The kids get on stage and lip sync to their favorite songs while showing off their choreographed dance moves. They have a blast and the parents enjoy watching them as well as the teachers that usually perform an ending number. 

I had taken out a roast beef for dinner that I knew was going to be too much for us to eat so I had invited my in laws over for dinner and had asked one of my friends and her family to stay as well (I just love last minute entertaining). This marinade was fantastic on the roast beef, but since we were having so much fun, I forgot to take a picture. So when my daughter wanted filet mignon last night for dinner (she was at another Sweet 16 party Sat night and missed out), I agreed so that I could make this marinade again and take a picture this time! It was a fantastic flavor combination and even better on the filets. 

Wine & Balsamic Marinated Filet Mignon
4 Filet Mignon

Marinade
1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. Dry Red Wine (I used Malbec)
1 tbsp. Stone Ground Mustard
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt

Whisk all ingredients together until well blended. Add the meat and the marinade to a resealable bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Discard marinade and let rest at room temperature prior to grilling to your desired internal temperature. Serves 4. 

*For Roast Beef, bake at 350 degrees approximately 20-30 minutes per pound.

Nutrition Facts per Serving (based on ¼ cup marinade)

Calories 225, Carbs .7g, Fat 12.7g, Protein 24.6g, Fiber 0g, Sugar .5g

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

Enjoy!

Dijon Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

When we were in Rome this past summer, we ate at this restaurant that served small, cubed roasted potatoes with our meal. I usually make mine a little larger but figured I'd try something new. These were so easy and my youngest one loved them because they were already bite sized. 

Dijon Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
6 Russet Potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary
1 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper


In a bowl, whisk together the oil, rosemary, mustard, salt and pepper. Add in the chopped potatoes and coat well. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes until well browned, turning halfway through cooking time. Serves 4


Points+=8


Enjoy!

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Maple Roasted Pork

I was home all day on Tuesday getting caught up on some housework so I had the opportunity to make a roast, which is normally left for our Sunday meals. I have to say it was quite nice to smell the maple as it was roasting in the house and it didn't take as long as I originally thought it would. I happened to use a pork loin end roast with the bone in and it was just enough for the four of us after carving. The maple syrup mixed with the horseradish, mustard and fresh rosemary was a wonderful combination for this pork roast and would even make a great marinade for pork chops as well if you're low on time. 

Maple Roasted Pork
4# Pork Loin End Roast, bone in (approx. weight), rinsed and trim any visible fat
1/4c. Maple Syrup
1 tsp. Horseradish
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard (I used Grey Poupon)
1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
1 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

In a bowl, mix together the maple syrup, horseradish, mustard, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper until well blended. Add the meat to an oven safe dish and baste the pork with the syrup mixture. Add the chicken broth to the bottom of the pan and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 2 1/2 hours (figure on 25-30 minutes per pound), basting every 30 minutes. After the meat has reached the desired internal temperature, remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. (You may have to add more broth towards the end if you want to make a gravy, we just ate it 'au jus'). Serves 4. 


Enjoy!


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Shared on Baking Bad 1/27/12

Roasted Chick Peas in Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette

I was browsing recipes one day when I came across one for Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad by Mind Over Batter.  It looked phenomenal and I will definitely be making her version of this very shortly. But I didn't have any fresh limes or cilantro in the house but wanted to try my little spin on it. So I roasted the chick peas first, like I did when I made the Roasted Chickpea & Leek Hummus, then I just added some scallions for color and used some more of that wonderful Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar from Pampered Chef I purchased. This was SO easy to make, healthy and filling. I just wish I had made more! This would make a great salad on it's own or used on top of tossed salads to give it a little something extra. 

Roasted Chick Peas in Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette 
(Inspired by Mind Over Batter Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad)
1-15oz. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
1 Scallion (approx. 2 tbsp.), chopped
2 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
3 tbsp. Pampered Chef Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar 
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Place chickpeas on a baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and roast in 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Let cool. In a bowl, mix together the chickpeas, scallions, rosemary, vinegar and oil until well blended. Makes approx. four 1/2 cup servings. 


Points+=7pts per 1/2 cup


Enjoy!