Focaccia Bread

This recipe is from Brad's mom!  Delicious!  Next time I would flatten it out all the way on my cookie sheet.  Cause it still rose? a little bit once it cooked, so parts of the bread were really dense.

Ingredients

2 ¼ tsp. Yeast

4 tsp. Sugar

1 ½ c. water

½ c. chopped onion

3 ½ c. flour

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. rosemary

1 tsp basil

2 cloves crushed Garlic

 Directions:

Dissolve yeast and sugar in water.  Saute onions in dry skillet.  Place dry ingredients in bowl.  Mix garlic into onions.  Add to dry ingred.  Add yeast slowly.  Knead 10 min.

Roll in to a ball.  Coat bowl w/ olive oil.  Turn dough over in bowl to coat.  Cover and let rise till double.

Brush baking sheet w/ oil.  Punch down dough and then down onto pan leaving craters and indentations.  Brush w/ olive oil, sprinkle w/ sea salt and cracked pepper

375 till golden brown.

Spicy Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

We skipped adding panko bread crumbs and broiling it in the oven.  We like are Mac-n- Cheese to stay creamy. We loved the spicy kick this had!


Ingredients:

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped into small chunks
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 yellow squash, quartered and diced (Skipped cause I forgot to buy it)
10 baby carrots, sliced thinly
2 cups whole wheat pasta (elbow macaroni, rotini, penne, etc.)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups (8 oz.) Sargento® Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (Used Chili powder instead)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Set a medium pot of salted water to boil. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with aluminum foil and coating with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.

Toss broccoli, red pepper, squash and carrots onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Remove from oven and set aside.

Once water is boiling, lower heat slightly and add pasta, cooking according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until well distributed and melted. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add macaroni and vegetables.

Place mixture in a large casserole dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs. Place under the broiler in your oven (500 degrees) for 3-4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Italian Mac-N-Cheese

This is definately one of our favorites!!!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ziti rigate, penne rigate, or cavatappi pasta (We use whatever we have)
1 lb. Italian sweet sausage
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
12 crimini mushrooms, sliced (We've never done this, but brad wants me to try it :/ )
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. all- purpose flour
1 C. chicken stock
1 C. heavy cream
1 (10 oz.) sack 2 1/2 C., shredded Italian 4 cheese blend.
1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
1 tsp. hot sauce (optional, we've never tried this either, but should!)
1/2 C. Parmesan

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.

In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage.  Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate.  Return pan to heat and add oil, butter, and garlic and mushrooms.  (I'll usually just add the garlic and skip the shrooms)  Season liberally with salt and pepper.  saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.  (if used)

Preheate broiler to high

To mushrooms (or garlic) add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes.  Whisk in stock, then stir in cream.  bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 2 cups of 4 cheese blend.  when cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes.  when sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, ading hot sauce if desired.

Combine chese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to baking dish, casserole or oven safe serving platter.  sprinkle remaining 1/2 C. of 4 cheese blend and the grated parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.

Penne Rustica

Made this for Valentine's Dinner!!  It was my first time using Wine to cook!! I felt so sophisticated! haha, it turned out delicious!  Thanks Jess for recommending it! :)

Ingredients:
1/2 pound grilled chicken breast

7-8 slices of thick cut bacon
24 oz (1 1/2 boxes) penne pasta
1 large red bell pepper- diced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp paprika

Gratinata Sauce:
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup marsala wine OR (if you don't cook with wine, you can use this as a substitute:

3 TBSP apple juice + 1 tbsp red wine vinegar + enough chicken broth to equal 1/2 cup
1/2 tsp dijon or dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups heavy cream

Directions:

Chop bacon and cook in large pan. Once it's cooked, remove bacon and drain all but about 1 tsp of grease. Saute garlic in bacon grease briefly. Add marsala wine (or your substitute), mustard, salt, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and heavy cream. Cook pasta according to directions. Slice chicken into medium-bite size pieces. Combine sauce, cooked pasta, diced chicken, cooked bacon, bell peppers, parmesan cheese, and paprika and mix thoroughly. Spread in 2 - 9x13 pans. Top with chopped rosemary and mozzarella cheese.

Bake @ 475 for 10 minutes. (doesn't need long since it's everything is already cooked)