Thanksgiving

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

November 20, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

I love all carbs, but noodles are my favourite! I always get cravings for Baked Macaroni and Cheese in the fall and winter. It’s just so comforting. I know the box stuff is convenient but it’s not the same. I have also tried all of those trick for making a single serving in the microwave and I’m sorry but that just wont cut it! Homemade with a roux and cream sauce os the only way!

I have been making homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese since I was a teenager. In high school I used to make it every Monday night for my brother and I to have for dinner before heading off to dance and soccer. I used a recipe out of one of my mom’s well used cookbooks and would top the whole thing with ritz crackers instead of breadcrumbs. It was good, but even back then I knew it wasn’t perfect.

It was dry, there wasn’t enough cheesy flavour and the noodles were way too soft. For years I didn’t make Baked Macaroni Cheese. There is a store by my house that sells a decent Baked Macaroni and Cheese, so when I need my fix my husband runs out and grabs some (he knows to keep me well fed!). Since it’s just the two of us it seemed like over kill to make a whole pan. But one morning I was watching cooking videos on Youtube and got inspired to perfect my Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe.

This recipe it perfect. It solved all the issues I had in the past and I really learned a lot about making Baked Macaroni and Cheese.

Undercook your pasta. Always undercook your pasta when making a Baked Macaroni and Cheese. Then you won’t end up with bloated macaroni
Use the strongest and highest quality cheese you can afford. You want to get the most flavour out of your cheese as possible. Find the best old cheddar cheeses you can find, you wont be disappointed.
Make way more sauce then you think you need. The sauce to noodle ratio should alarm you, you should be terrified that your making soup instead of macaroni and cheese. All kidding aside you need a lot of sauce!

If you can remember those three things your Baked Macaroni and cheese will turn out perfect. I hope that this recipe makes it to your table this fall.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

8 Ounces Elbow Macaroni

1/4 Cup Butter
1/3 Cup All Purpose Flour
3 Cups Whole Milk
8 Ounces Aged Old White Cheddar (crumbled or grated)
4 Ounces Sharp Orange Cheddar Cheese (crumbled or grated)
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Cup Plain Breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons Butter, melted

Directions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions, but reduce the cook time by 2 minutes. You need very al dente pasta for this recipe. Drain pasta and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease an 8 inch baking dish with butter or oil.

In a large sauce pan melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and continue to cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk milk into the roux. Whisk constantly to combine the mixture and prevent milk from burning. Continue to cook the mixture until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Whisk sauce occasionally.

Once the sauce has thickened reduce the heat to low. Add the cheese to the sauce, stir to combine. Season the sauce with salt, chili and garlic powder.

Fold cooked macaroni to the sauce to coat. Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking dish. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix together breadcrumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle the mixture over the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden and the macaroni and cheese is bubbling.

Adapted from Seasons and Suppers

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage

November 15, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Every year I make butternut squash soup and every year I’m underwhelmed. It never turns out very flavourful. Over the past year I’ve been cooking with all kinds of squashes a lot more then I used to. We love eating acorn, butternut and delicata squash. I’ve been roasting, mashing, topping salads and making sauces out of squash constantly. So when I made soup this year I was ready to get it right. And I did just that! This recipe is rich is flavour, easy to make and great for work day lunches.

In this recipe I roast butternut squash, onions and garlic in the oven until caramelized and browning. I also add fresh sage and delicious brown butter which takes the soup to the next level!

I like serving this soup with so super fast homemade croutons or to make it a really filling me some cooked apple sausage. Both are great options.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage

Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 Medium Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
1/4 Teaspoon of Pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons of Butter
2 Teaspoons Fresh Sage, chopped
6 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Stock
Optional: Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Spread out chopped butternut squash, onions and whole garlic cloves on a large baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until soft and squash begins to caramelize.

In a large soup pot melt the butter on medium heat. Continue to cook the butter in medium heat until it becomes golden and brown buts form on the bottom of the pot (3-5 mins). Reduce heat to low and add chopped sage. Sauté sage until fragrant and starting to crisp, about a minute.

Add onions, butternut squash and garlic to the pot. Stir mixture to combine. Add the vegetable stock. Bring soup to a simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Using an immersion blender blend soup until completely smooth (If using a traditional blender allow soup to cool before blending). Return soup to pot. Taste the soup, add salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Serve with your favourite soup toppings and sides.

Warm Sweet & Salty Rosemary Cashews

November 8, 2018 by Danielle 2 Comments

Ok guys the holidays are coming! As I write this we are less then 7 weeks away from Christmas! That’s so crazy! Coming over the next 7 weeks will be lots of Christmas and Thanksgiving recipes. Canadian Thanksgiving may be over, but I know American Thanksgiving is right around the corner and there is some great sides a desserts coming for all my American friends. I also have some bonus posts coming up and even a new series coming in December! The next 7 weeks are going to be jam packed with Holiday content!

Today I’m kicking off my holiday content with a perfect holiday appetizer. These Warm Sweet and Salty Rosemary Cashews are so simple, but make a big impact. I’m all about impressing guests with as little effort as possible. The Holidays are so busy we really don’t need any fussy appetizers. With all the food that gets served on Thanksgiving and Christmas I like to keep things pretty simple. I also love that these can be made in advance and just warmed for a few minutes in the oven on the day of your party!

This recipe can be customized to your tastes. Don’t like cashews? Swap in some almonds. Hate the taste of rosemary? Throw a little chili powder in with the butter, sugar and honey mixture. You can really make it your own. I think I may even make a trio of nuts for my next party to go along with a super simple cheese board. How delicious would that be? The possibilities really are endless. Also the possibilities are really delicious and addicting… just saying!

I hope this helps jump start your holiday menu planning!

Warm Sweet & Salty Rosemary Cashews

Yields: 8 Servings

1 Pound Raw Unsalted Cashews
2 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon Honey
2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, finely minced
Flakey Sea Salt, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the over to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a saucepan melt butter, honey and brown sugar over medium-low heat. Once combined remove from heat. Add cashews and stir to coat.

Transfer cashews to the lined baking sheet and spread out into an even layer.Bake cashews for 10 minutes tossing the cashews half way through the cooking time.

Remove from the oven. Add chopped rosemary and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss to combine. Allow to cool for 5 minute before transferring to a serving dish.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week. To re warm the cashews bake in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.

Adapted from Entertaining with Beth.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

November 1, 2018 by Danielle 2 Comments

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Happy November! Do you get excited for a new month? I don’t normally, but now that we are heading into the holiday season I was very excited for this new month.

Today I will be sharing a recipe for Sautéed Brussels Sprouts. This recipe is delicious on your Thanksgiving or Christmas table, but so simple you could throw it together on a typical weeknight (we do!). Now I know that brussels sprouts are a polarizing vegetable, but I think even a brussels sprout hated would enjoy this recipe.

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I like to sauté shaved brussel sprouts instead of cooking them whole. Not only do they cook fast but I have found that people who claim not to like brussels sprouts will like them way better if they are shaved like this. Also add bacon, garlic and cheese to anything and I’m totally sold.

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Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Yields: 4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 lbs Brussels Sprouts
2 Sliced Bacon, diced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (soy sauce can be substituted)
Fresh Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Trim the end off the brussels sprouts and remove outer leaves. Use a food processors grater attachment of a knife to shave brussels sprouts. Alternatively you can buy a bag of pre cut brussels sprouts. Set aside.

In a frying pan cook diced bacon over medium heat until starting to crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Drain off excess fat. I leave just enough bacon fat in the pan to coat and discard the rest. Add brussels sprouts to the pan. Sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for 4 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper to the pan. Sauté for another minute.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with freshly grated or shaved parmesan. Serve immediately.

Homemade Caramel Corn

October 30, 2018 by Danielle 2 Comments

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BOO! I have one more Halloween post before the big day tomorrow! I hope you all enjoy the fun and spooky day, and if you have kids I hope they have the best time trick or treating! Like I said in this post, I wish I could go! Anyway I hope you are all doing something festive (I love festive!).

Today I thought I’d share one of my favourite fall recipes that I think is the perfect treat for Halloween night! I think this is a great recipe if you’re staying in watching a scary movie, or if you’re having people over for a Halloween party. I know I get sick of these mini chocolate bar and prefer to have festive fall treats at Halloween parties.

Tomorrow we will be snacking on Caramel Corn, drinking a beer and watching a scary movie. Oh and by scary movie I mean Hocus Pocus….it’s the scariest movie I can handle (Pathetic I know!).

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I always found caramel intimidating, so I never tried making my own caramel corn until recently. Once I did I felt really silly for waiting so long since it is incredibly easy! It’s perfect for halloween or really and day ending in Y! We’re addicted! So please give this a try it’s really easy and really delicious!

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Homemade Caramel Corn

Yields: 12 Cups

Ingredients:

12 Cups Popped Popcorn (1 cup kernels, approx.)
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/3 Cup Light Corn Syrup
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet (you may need two) with parchment paper. Spread popcorn evenly on baking sheet, and set aside.

In a medium saucepan on medium heat add butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Whisk together until butter has melted and ingredient combine into a smooth sauce. This will take 3-5 minutes. Add vanilla, salt and baking soda to the sauce. Whisk constantly. Sauce will lighten in colour and increase in volume. Continue to cook for 2-4 minutes to thicken, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat.

Pour sauce over the trays of popcorn. Use a spatula (silicone is best) to toss popcorn and coat. This does not need to be perfect.

Bake popcorn for 30 minutes. Check on the popcorn every 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and toss the popcorn again to continue coating and breaking up chunks. Repeat this process 2-3 times over the 30 minute baking time.

Remove baking sheet from the oven set aside and allow to cool for at least an hour. Check on your popcorn after 30 minutes to break up any large clumps that are forming. Once fully cool serve immediately or store in an airtight contained for up to 5 days.

Adapted from Homemade Hooplah, Homemade Caramel Popcorn.

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes with Brûlée Bananas

October 23, 2018 by Danielle 4 Comments

I have had that Jack Johnson song Banana Pancakes stuck in my head all week, so on Saturday when I woke up early and had nothing on the agenda for the day I thought I’d make a special breakfast of Banana Pancakes. I decided to switch things up a bit and add brûlée bananas to the top…. Yum!

I like to use whole wheat four whenever I can since it has added fibre. I also love the nutty flavour which compliments banana really well. The problem with whole wheat flour is that it can create tough pancakes that sit in your belly like a rock! So I’ve added extra moisture to keep these pancakes light and fluffy!

Now the brûlée bananas are an extra special touch that really doesn’t take much effort at all. The banana caramelize and sweeten which is a nice addition to the soft fluffy pancakes. I like to top my pancakes with butter and a little maple syrup, but next time I’m adding walnuts for some extra crunch!

These were so good, I hope you give them a try!

Whole Wheat Bananas with Brûlée Bananas

Yields: 8-10 Pancakes (depending on size)

Ingredients:

Pancakes:

1 1/3 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Egg
1 1/4 cup Milk (any kind)
2 Tablespoons Butter, melted
1 Ripe Banana, mashed
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Brûlée Bananas

2 Tablespoons Turbinado Sugar (raw brown sugar) or White Sugar
1 Large Banana, Sliced

Directions:

Move the rack in your oven to the top position closest to the element. Preheat your oven to broil (500°F). Place Turbinado or white sugar in a small bowl. Dip one side of the banana slices into sugar and place on cookie sheet. Broil bananas until sugar crystallizes and starts to brown. This will take 2-5 minutes depending on your oven. DO NOT walk away from oven, check on bananas every 30 seconds to 1 minute. Do not let bananas burn.

Once caramelized set bananas aside to cool.

In a large bowl mix together flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside. In a small bowl whisk banana, butter and egg together. Add milk, brown sugar and vanilla extract to wet ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold together using a spatula or wooden spoon. Mix until just combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat a skillet or grilled over medium heat. Once warm grease pan with a small amount of butter or oil. Pour 1/3 cup of batter onto skillet. Cook until bubbles form on surface of the pancake, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook the second side until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.

Serve pancakes with butter, broiled bananas and maple syrup.

Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction and Entertaining with Beth.

Thanksgiving

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