It’s funny how things change from when you’re little. As a child, I had a very uncomfortable relationship with eggs. With breakfast in general, actually. At the risk of sounding gross, on school days, I frankly couldn’t eat eggs for breakfast without the risk of them coming back up. Perhaps it was the 30 minute car drive on windy mountain roads. Perhaps it was the vestige of the tendency for nausea that I experienced as an infant. Either way, it took YEARS before I started eating eggs for breakfast on a regular basis.

Now, of course, it’s almost laughable how much I love eggs. For breakfast, as a mid-morning snack, as a burst of protein at lunch, baked or custard-y in desserts. But I especially like them in frittatas.

Frittatas provide most of the benefits of a quiche. Sure, you don’t get a flaky, golden crust to cradle the eggs, but you can also make a frittata in like, 20 minutes. Quiches are great, but they are not quick.

I also like that frittatas hold up well as leftovers. A frittata made on Sunday will feed me a warm, savory breakfast for most of the coming work week. Alternately, they feed a brunch crowd with minimal effort.

The one key challenge Not burning it to a crisp. I broil my frittatas so they have a nice, golden-brown top, but a few minutes distraction is enough to ruin your breakfast and, frankly, your day. I literally sit on the floor and watch mine cook to make sure they don’t burn.

The result Wedges of fluffy eggs, studded with ham and onion, beneath a crispy layer of hot cheese. Mm. I think I’ll go make another.

Ham, Cheddar, & Onion Frittata

1 1/2 T unsalted butter
4 oz diced ham
3 oz diced yellow onion
2 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1/3 c milk
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
3-4 cranks of freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven on the broiler setting. Dice ham and onion and grate the cheddar cheese. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper for 3-4 minutes.

Melt the butter in a 10-inch oven-safe frying pan over medium heat. Add the ham and onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes until the onions have softened and are beginning to brown. Spread the ham and onions evenly across the pan. Pour the egg mixture over the ham and onions and quickly stir so they are evenly distributed. From this point on, do not stir the mixture. Sprinkle the cheddar evenly over the top.

Once the edges of the frittata are cooked (they’ll be lighter in color and look solid), place the frying pan on a middle rack in the oven. Broil for 6-10 minutes, watching it VERY closely. Stay focused: the frittata will quickly burn if left under the broiler for too long. Once the top is golden-brown, solid at the center, and fairly puffy, remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. The frittata may flatten a bit during this time.

Cut the frittata into six wedges and serve immediately. This also holds up very well as leftovers.

Hi there.

Do you need some comfort food Something that invites your soul to snuggle up against some memories of simpler times, of peaceful days when the world made sense Something that fills your belly with a perfect medley of carbs, fat, protein, and flavor?

Me too.

This fall has been crazy. In mid-August I dove headfirst into some projects at work that required every ounce of creativity, planning, and time that I possessed. I took on a leadership role in my choir. I volunteered for an election that, well, let’s just say it didn’t go the way I’d hoped, and since then have still had trouble finding my bearings in this strange, post-election world. Sharing new recipes with you just hasn’t been at the top of the list.

But now it is! As the flood recedes, I’m finally finding myself looking through cookbooks again, browsing the wild and wonderful internet for tasty new things to cook. Which is how I found this one.

In truth, I’ve been making this for months. The fella in my house has always been a die-hard fan of Hamburger Helper, but in my continuing efforts to remove mysterious ingredients from our diet, I wanted to try a homemade version. There had to be one, right?

RIGHT.

The key is a big ol’ bowl of spices. Chili powder, paprika, cayenne, and garlic transform this otherwise bland mac-and-cheese-with-beef into a spicy, flavorful meal.

This meal is as easy as it is delicious. One pan. 30 minutes MAX. Fairly common ingredients. You don’t even need to cook your pasta separately, it cooks right with the ground beef, milk, and water.

Perhaps this greatest part though This is one of those magical meals that makes even better leftovers than first-night servings. Find the biggest pan your can and double this up if you want a week of packed lunches that will make your colleagues jealous. No need for comfort food to stay at home, right?

Homemade Hamburger Helper
Adapted from Farm Girl Gourmet

1 lb ground beef
1 T corn starch
1 T chili powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
8 oz elbow macaroni or cavatappi (any twirly noodle will do)
2 c hot water
2 c milk
10 oz sharp cheddar cheese

Heat a large sauté pan (or skillet with a lid) over medium heat. Add ground beef to the pan and brown. Tip: add a few tablespoons of water to help break up the beef. 

While the beef cooks, measure corn starch, sugar, salt, and spices into a small dish and set aside. Grate cheese and measure out milk, water, and pasta.

Once the beef has browned, increase the heat to medium-high and add the water, milk, pasta, and spices to the pan and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is al dente.

Add cheese and mix well. Continue cooking over low for another 3-4 minutes if needed to thicken the sauce.

This meal is really, really good fresh. But it makes simply transcendent leftovers. Plan accordingly.

I have this issue with cheesecake. The issue is that if it is in my fridge, or available for purchase on a dessert menu, or available for purchase within walking distance, or even capable of being created with ingredients in my apartment, I have exactly 0% ability to resist it. As a result I make a point of not buying cream cheese very often. If I don’t have that one essential component, I can pretend that I’m happy living a life where I don’t eat cheesecake every single day for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, right Right??

I live for good cheesecake. But I am kind of picky about what makes one good. There are few things more disappointing than cheesecake that looks delicious and is, well, meh. If it’s too lemony or too dry or too rich or too dense or has too much topping or not enough or has too many mix-ins or just a gross combo of them or the crust is too thick or some crazy person put CINNAMON in it I get really cranky.

Most of the time, when it’s time to make cheesecake again, I fall back on two, trusty recipes I’ve used for a long time. The first is a classic, baked cheesecake that, actually, I’ve only shared here in a version dressed up for Thanksgiving. The other I fashion exclusively in miniature form, a holiday tradition in my family as essential as the tree and the Home Alone soundtrack.

But this summer, I’ve been reveling in the availability of locally-grown sweet cherries (difficult to obtain in both Columbus and Durham), and a cherry cheesecake seemed like just the ticket. And while we are “enjoying” the high-nineties here in Denver, I’m pleased to report that the oven was only on for a few minutes, and even that is not totally required if you don’t want to.

The crust is made of vanilla wafers, but you can easily swap in graham cracker crumbs if you like. They’ll need to be finely ground, which you can do with a food processor (lots of cleaning) or with a plastic bag and rolling pin or meat tenderizer (not much cleaning and way more fun). I like my crusts a little toasty, so I blast it in the oven for a bit, but you can also eat this sucker raw. Your call.

The filling is composed of a magical dairy medley: cream cheese, goat cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream. Also sugar and vanilla and lemon juice. Because the cream is whipped and folded into the tart cheese mixture, it creates a somewhat airy cheesecake that will likely give you a false sense of empowerment when evaluating how many slices to wolf down.

Then, for an agonizing two hours, we wait. Because this recipe doesn’t benefit from the structure of eggs baked into the cake, it finds its structure in the freezer. After freezing, move it to the fridge for 45 minutes before serving so you’re not actually serving cheesecake ice cream. (On second thought, that sounds amazing and I should try serving it frozen next time.)

While the cake is freezing, it’s time to make the most seductive looking fruit sauce in the known universe. I mean it, this stuff is SULTRY. Composed of fresh cherries, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and just a bit if corn starch to thicken up the juices, it’s simple and beautiful and a perfect celebration of this gorgeous tree fruit. Half of the cherries are added to the mixture raw at the very end, which lends a fresh bite that’s typically hard to find in pie toppings, pie fillings, and the like.

I mean SERIOUSLY.

Chill the cherry sauce for a while so it doesn’t melt your cheesecake when you add it. Once it and your cheesecake are ready for serving, pop the ring off the springform pan and top generously.

As a side note, the cherries are extremely delicious on their own, so it’s totally cool if you want to add extra to each slice once it is served. Or eat them with a spoon for breakfast.

This cheesecake will allegedly last a week in the fridge, but that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.

(Almost) No-Bake Cheesecake with Fresh Cherry Sauce
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Note: The (Almost) in this recipe is there because I like a toasted crumb crust, even in the summer. BUT. You can definitely eat the crust raw. Just put the whole pan in the fridge after you’ve pressed the crust into the base until you are ready to add the filling.

For the Crust
6 oz vanilla wafers, finely ground
4 T salted butter
2 T granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 450°F. Grind vanilla wafers in a food processor, or, to make your life easier, crush them in a gallon-sized zippered bag with a rolling pin or blunt meat tenderizer. Combine crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in the bottom of a 9″ springform pan. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes, then refrigerate until filling is ready.

For the Filling
1 c sour cream, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
4 oz soft goat cheese, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2/3 c granulated sugar
1 c heavy cream, chilled

Beat sour cream, cream cheese, goat cheese, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and 1/3 c of sugar in a stand mixer until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times to ensure smoothness. Remove mixture to a medium bowl.

Whip the remaining 1/3 c sugar and the cream until soft peaks form. Fold into cheese mixture until evenly distributed. Spread evenly into the crust. Freeze for at least two hours, then refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before serving.

For the Topping
12 oz fresh sweet cherries, halved and pitted
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 T corn starch
1 T water

In a small glass or bowl, mix together the corn starch and water. Set aside. In a small pot, combine half of the cherries, sugar, and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cover, simmering for 5 more minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook for another 2-3 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and add in remaining cherries.

To serve, spread the cherry mixture over the cheesecake, slice, and enjoy. Or, spoon the cherries over each slice individually.

Do you like Italian food Do you like food that is kind of like lasagne but not exactly like lasagne?

Do you like making a multi-step meal that involves scratch-made sauce and hand-filled pasta?

Do you like leftovers that last for days and only get better with time Do you like perfectly delightful combinations of pasta, cheese, spinach, and meat sauce  Do you like noodle tubes filled with magic and topped with awesome?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then this is a recipe for you!

I started making manicotti a couple years ago when I was home for Christmas. My mom, a long-time lasagne maker, decided to mix it up and buy manicotti shells instead for a family dinner. I volunteered to help, and though it was a lengthy process, I genuinely enjoyed stuffing a cheesy, spinach-y goo into the shells. Since then I’ve tinkered with different recipes, and I finally landed on the right balance. Like, a year ago. But it takes a long time to make already, so I hadn’t yet talked myself into taking the time to photograph the process. Not to mention, I keep making it in the winter when I have little evening light for shooting photos, soooooo.

Sorry for the delay!

A warning: if you’re looking for a quick week-night dinner, this is not the right choice. It could be if you decide to use frozen spinach instead of fresh or pre-made pasta sauce. But where’s the fun in that?

We start with a full pound of fresh spinach and trim all the stems off. Honestly, when I’m being lazy, I don’t trim the stems, but can I urge you to do so The texture is just so much better without them.

Once trimmed, the spinach needs to be cooked down. Lots of people recommend boiling the spinach, but I actually prefer to sauté it. Since the spinach needs to be squeezed of moisture later, why introduce a pot of water to the equation?

So the spinach is washed, trimmed, sautéed, drained, squeezed, and chopped. Alternately, use a 10 oz package of frozen spinach. Your call.

Next up Saucy saucy. I love using my Favorite Quick Spaghetti Sauce for this with the addition of ground beef. If you’re not a carnivore, or even if you are but don’t feel like having meat today, you can also totally make this without and be perfectly happy. I like options!

NEXT! While the sauce is simmering along, mixing up the filling doesn’t take much time at all. A blend of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan is added to the spinach, along with an egg to keep the mixture nice and fluffy in the oven.

Also, cook your noodles. You’ll need those.

Sauce Check. Noodles Check. Filling Check.

Now it’s time for the fun, messy part!

Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to fill your noodles with a spoon. You’ll just end up with cheese everywhere around you with not nearly enough in the noodles.

I use a large pastry bag with an opening about 3/4″ in diameter. If you won’t have one of those, no sweat, just trim the end off of a plastic baggie.

Fill each noodle until it feels firm and the cheese is barely oozing out the ends.

Fast-forward 10 minutes and voila! You’re done! Now just a coat of meat sauce and a generous sprinkle of parmesan before it’s time for the oven.

I won’t lie: this is a lot of work. But the final product is so worth it! Next time you have a Sunday afternoon free and wanna make a splash at dinner, make this! You’ll be glad you did.

Manicotti
Adapted from Food Network Kitchen

For the Filled Manicotti Shells
1 lb fresh spinach (or a 10 oz package of frozen spinach)
1 1/2 lb (3 c) ricotta
6 oz (about 2 c) mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
2 oz (about 1 c) parmesan cheese, freshly grated
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp course salt
a few cranks freshly ground black pepper
1 lb manicotti shells

For the Sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 c diced yellow onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 pints basic tomato sauce
2 T sugar
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb ground beef

If using fresh spinach, remove stems and wash thoroughly. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add spinach in batches, cooking until spinach is soft, fairly dense, and dark green. Remove to a colander and repeat with remaining spinach. Squeeze as much liquid from the spinach as possible and chop finely. If using frozen spinach, thaw completely, squeeze the liquid out, and chop finely. Set spinach aside.

In the frying pan you used to cook the spinach, heat over medium and add ground beef. Season with salt and pepper and add a couple tablespoons of water to help break down the beef into small bits. Cook until browned through and set aside.

While the beef is browning, dice onion and mince garlic for the sauce. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan and saute onion and garlic until they have a bit of color. Add tomato sauce and all seasonings and stir well. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes or until sauce has begun to thicken. Once the sauce has reached desired consistency, blend with an immersion blender, blender, or food processor. Add the sauce to the ground beef and set aside.

While sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add manicotti noodles and cook for 10 minutes or until noodles are al dente. Drain in a colander.

While the noodles are cooking and the sauce is simmering, grate mozzarella and parmesan cheese. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Combine spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, half of the parmesan, salt, pepper, and the eggs. Mix well.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce into the bottom of a 13″x 9″ baking dish. Scoop filling into a large pastry bag, or, trim the end off a plastic storage bag. The opening of either should be about 3/4″ in diameter. Fill each manicotti shell by placing one end against the pad of your hand (to prevent filling from squeezing out) and filling to the top. Make sure each shell doesn’t have any empty sections. Place filled shells in the baking dish. You’ll have to press them fairly close together so they will all fit.

Spread the remaining meat sauce across the top of the manicotti. Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese over the top of the sauce and bake for 30 minutes.

For the better part of middle and high school, I was usually up in time to make breakfast for my mom and sister while they continued bustling about, getting ready for school. Most days, this breakfast consisted of “tortillas with cheese”, which is just exactly what it sounds like: three flour tortillas, each with a layer of rough slices of cheddar or colby cheese, heated in the microwave for 30 seconds or so before being rolled up in paper towels for a to-go breakfast of champions.

At some point later, upon partaking the joys of quesadillas that popped up on restaurant menus all over the place, I made the connection that I’d been making quesadillas all along (freakishly simple though they were). As with most of my cooking projects, though, I’ve stepped up my game and now make quesadillas not for hurried breakfasts on the go, but for sit-down dinners at home.

And you should too.

I will say one thing though, and don’t freak out: these quesadillas don’t have much cheese.

I know. I know. What sort of monster cuts the cheese so significantly in a dish that is literally NAMED after cheese But I tell you, it’s possible to have a delightful quesadilla that doesn’t have puddles of gooey cheese oozing out the sides and sizzling on your frying pan. Trust me on this.

These quesadillas start out very similar to my Easy Chicken Fajitas. A hearty sprinkle of Fajita Seasoning on half of a chicken breast (seven or eight ounces) will give you enough chicken for two very chicken-y entrees. You can also stretch this to four entrees if you’re okay with less chicken in each tortilla.

Chicken cooks in one pan while peppers and onions cook in another. In all honesty, though, I usually make quesadillas 2-3 days after making a batch of fajitas. It’s a great way to use up the leftover peppers and onions from that recipe and it makes this one even easier!

When the chicken and veggies are cooked, it’s construction time. I use two kinds of cheese: sharp cheddar and monterey jack. I like the contrast of colors, as well as the pungent cheddar against the mild jack. But you can really use whatever varieties make your heart happy. As you can see, you don’t need much: I have no more than two ounces of grated cheese on each. Stacked with chicken, veggies, and salsa, I like just enough cheese to form a glue to keep the sides of the tortilla together.

Quesadillas like to be squished when cooked, rather like a panini, to create a thin but full tortilla that is crispy on the outsides. I don’t have a panini press or a quesadilla maker, but trust me: you don’t need one! I use a heavy pan (in this case, my cast iron skillet) to press down upon the tortilla in a skillet heating on the stove. Not the prettiest technique, but it gets the job done without another one-trick-pony taking up precious cabinet space in my kitchen.

And that’s it! After a few minutes in the pan on each side, chop that sucker up in to quarters and serve with your favorite toppings. I adore these with sour cream, and if I happen to have it handy, with guacamole as well.

This recipe works equally well with ground beef or with steak. You can also be totally happy without any meat whatsoever! Though, in that case, I might actually add more cheese.

Not-So-Cheesy Quesadillas

Serves 2 as a meal, 4-8 as an appetizer

Note: I rarely actually cook the peppers and onions for this dish on their own. Often, I’ll make quesadillas a day or two after a batch of Easy Chicken Fajitas and dice up the peppers and onions leftover from that. Cook smart, folks.

Another Note: You can really put ANYTHING you want in a quesadilla. In the summer, I love cutting the kernels off a cob of corn. You can add green chile, beans, a different meat, no meat, different cheeses, whatever.

8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
1-2 tsp Homemade Fajita Seasoning
2-3 tsp vegetable oil, divided
about 1/2 a green bell pepper, diced
about 1/4 red onion, diced
course salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese
2 oz Monterey jack cheese
3-4 T your favorite chunky salsa
2 burrito-size flour tortillas
sour cream, guacamole, and or salsa for serving

Heat half the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breast generously with fajita seasoning and, if desired, a bit of salt. Cook until chicken is cooked through, then set aside and dice.

Heat the other half of the oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until peppers have softened and are lightly charred. Remove from heat and set aside.

While you construct the quesadillas, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Set another heavy pan or pat next to the stove.

To construct the quesadillas, fold each tortilla in half to form a visual crease. Unfold, then sprinkle the Monterey Jack cheese evenly on one half of each tortilla. Evenly layer on the chicken, peppers and onions, chunky salsa (use as little liquid as possible so it doesn’t squeeze out during cooking), and finish with the cheddar cheese. Fold the top of the tortilla over the filling and press slightly.

Working one at a time, gently place each quesadilla into your hot pan and rest the heavy pot or pan on top. Cook for 4-6 minutes, checking periodically to make sure you don’t burn the tortilla. Once the tortilla is golden-brown and crisp, carefully flip the quesadilla and rest the heavy pot on top of it again. When the second side closely matches the first, remove to a cutting board and cut into four wedges.

Serve immediately with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or whatever your little heart desires. If you save any for leftovers, I highly recommend re-heating the quesadilla in an oven or toaster oven so avoid the soggy-licious future that awaits it in the microwave.

I wish I could say that I’ve been harboring this recipe for years, that I’m embarrassed to be posting it only now after summers and summers of enjoyment. I wish I could say that I’ve been adding it to my menu every week of every tomato season for as long as I can remember. I wish that the glut of tomatoes that I harvested this year, the glut that caused me to try this experiment, had happened years ago.

Well. I can say none of those things. The truth is I’ve never been a big fan of fresh tomatoes, and as such, I’ve spent my life picking them off of salads, sandwiches, and pastas. But I’ve vigilantly planted at least a couple of varieties each of the last few years in an effort to force myself into using them, and this year, the strategy paid off handsomely. It seemed wrong to take such ripe, beautiful fruits at their peak and cook them down into sauce, and the internet seemed to agree that bruschetta is a great way to feature them raw.

Lord. The internet was right. I’ve already whipped it up three more times after we inhaled the inaugural batch, moving this straight to the top of our meals-to-look-forward-to-in-the-summer list.

If you’re a tomato-avoider like I can be sometimes (though it seems I’m becoming less of one every year) I urge you to set aside your skepticism and give this a shot. The acidic flavor of the tomatoes is tempered by the mozzarella, brightened by basil, and deepened by gently-cooked garlic and dark balsamic vinegar.

Once the chopping is done, the rest comes together pretty quickly. Toss everything in a bowl, along with some balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and leave it to soak while you prepare the second half of this perfect marriage: buttery, toasty bread.

Now the bruschetta is good, very good, eaten straight from the bowl with a spoon. But atop a slice of warm, toasted bread that’s been brushed with butter, it’s just… OH. So sublime. So wonderfully tasty.

And I warn you: do not, under any circumstances, skip the buttering and toasting. We tried it, and a slice of untoasted bread is practically a different ingredient. And it doesn’t take long. You can buy a whole baguette and slice it yourself. Or, I’ve had pretty good luck buying day-old bread that the shop will slice up and bag for me. A brush of butter and a few minutes under the broiler will wipe away any deficiencies of using not-quite-fresh bread.

Bruschetta is typically served as an appetizer, a beautiful presentation that can easily serve 8-10 people as a starter. But I highly recommend it as a main course. Especially with the addition of mozzarella, this makes a perfectly filling meal for two people.

Besides, as of now, it’s all I can do to share with Brad, let alone try to limit myself to an appetizer-sized portion.

Bruschetta Mozzarella
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 2 as a main course, 8-10 as an appetizer

1 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 pint roma tomatoes
12 leaves basil
8 oz fresh mozzarella
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
about 1/2 a baguette, sliced in half-inch slices
4 T unsalted butter

Heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Mince the garlic and add to the hot oil; sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is a light golden color. Empty the garlic and oil into a medium mixing bowl.

Dice the tomato and slice the mozzarella into small pieces, about the size of a thick coin. Chiffonade the basil by stacking the leaves, tightly rolling them length-wise, and then slicing the resulting log into thin strips. Add the tomatoes, cheese, and basil to the mixing bowl. Add the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the bread.

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the broiler on high. Slice the baguette and spread the slices on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Melt the butter completely and brush lightly over each piece of bread. Toast the bread under the broiler for 4-5 minutes or until the edges of the bread are golden-brown, but keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Remove the tray and place the bread on a serving plate.

Serve immediately. You’ll hardly be able to resist.

I’m just gonna come right out and say it. When discussing cheese and pasta, sometimes one must be blunt.

I like stove-top macaroni and cheese more than baked macaroni and cheese.

This is the truth, straight from me to you.

I mean, that’s not to say I won’t consume a mound of baked mac rapidly if it’s served at a potluck, a cookout, or a picnic. And I won’t say no to a fancy mac, like this one I made last year. But the macaroni of my dreams is prepared on the stove-top: al denté, piping hot, and swimming in thin, just-a-little-bit-spicy, orange cheddar cheese sauce.

Is this a product of being raised on the blue box Perhaps. Is this a product of wanting my pasta so firm that it nearly crunches between the teeth, a state that is nearly impossible to achieve when baking pasta That’s probably reading too deeply into the whole thing. Maybe I don’t like the breadcrumbs that typically accompany a baked mac Maybe I don’t like the waiting?

One significant downside of loving so much a mysteriously created product of food science is that it can be incredibly difficult to replicate at home. What the hell is that orange powder anyway I theorize it must be fairy dust, for I have searched for years for a mac and cheese recipe that, if not identical, could at least be a satisfactory homemade replacement to the mac and cheese of my childhood.

Friends, I HAVE FOUND IT.

I beg, beg you to try this mac and cheese. It’s pretty dang easy, fast, and delicious. Like many good sauces, it starts off with a roux, which is a mixture of butter and flour used as a base for many different sauces. Don’t be scared of that fancy-sounding word though! You need not be a trained chef to create a roux. In fact, this was only my second or third time making one, and now I wonder why on Earth I’ve been avoiding them all these years.

In addition to the flour, this roux will involve some spices. Salt, pepper, ground mustard, and paprika accompany the flour, giving not only a little zip to the cheese sauce, but a little bit of extra color. You can add even more if you like your mac spicy!

To make a roux, melt the butter in a large frying pan and then add the flour mixture. You’ll mix it together to form a thick liquid. You can use a fork for this, but I adore my roux whisk. It’s a flat whisk designed exactly for roux-making, and they are easily available. This mixture will form a base for your sauce that will help it thicken once the milk and cheese are added.

Speaking of cheese, I wanted to make my classic mac with classic mac cheese, so I used half a pound of sharp, orange cheddar. I haven’t yet tried this recipe out with a mixture of other cheeses, but I imagine you could use just about whatever you want: white cheddar for sophistication, cheddar and parmesan for something punchy, gouda for something smoky and rich…

Now the noodles. Elbows aren’t actually my favorite shape of pasta, but they really do set the stage for a classic macaroni and cheese dinner, don’t they Like I said, I like my noodles fairly firm, so I cook them just barely to al denté, usually the shortest amount of time recommended by the box. No harm in nibbling on some of the noodles to check their firmness before you finish cooking.

Once the noodles are done and the sauce is complete, the two are joined in one of the greatest arranged marriages of the culinary universe. And it doesn’t even require mysterious orange fairy dust.

Classic Stovetop Mac & Cheese
Adapted from Amanda’s Cookin’

You can use whatever variety – or varieties – of cheese that you like.

1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground yellow mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 c unsalted butter
2 c milk (I used 1%)
8 oz cheddar cheese
1 lb elbow pasta

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, ground mustard, paprika, and black pepper. Mix well with a fork and set aside. Measure out milk and grate the cheese and set aside.

Add butter to a large skillet or frying pan and heat over medium-low. While the butter melts, begin heating a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

Once butter has melted, add the flour mixture to the butter. Use a roux whisk or a large fork to mix, whisking constantly. The mixture will begin to smooth out. Once it has cooked for about three minutes, slowly add the milk, whisking the entire time. At some point, the water in the other pot will come to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente.

Once all of the milk has been added to the roux, increase the heat slightly to just below medium. Whisking constantly, the mixture will begin to thicken to a consistency closer to cream than to milk. It should never come to a boil.

When the pasta is cooked to al dente, drain into a colander but do not rinse. The starch from the cooking water will help the cheese sauce to stick to the noodles. Return noodles to the pot and cover until the cheese sauce is ready.

Turn off the heat under the sauce mixture and add the cheese. Whisk for another minute or two until cheese has melted completely and the sauce is smooth. Pour over the drained noodles and mix well.

The internet is full of food blogs, and though I’ve been a bit busy for leisurely reading lately, I read quite a few of them. I love to see what other bloggers are cooking, writing, and photographing; each one is hugely inspiring. One of my favorites — I adapt quite a few recipes from her posts — is Smitten Kitchen, crafted by the clever, snarky, and talented Deb Perelman. Her site is gorgeous, her archives well-organized, and if you’ve never taken a look, I highly recommend it. In fact, Smitten Kitchen was the first food blog I ever read, and was a major source of inspiration for me to start a food blog of my own.

Today is a special day here at 30 Pounds of Apples… it’s my two-year blogoversary! And to celebrate, I have a copy of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook — signed by Deb Perelman herself — to give away to one of you!

Last fall, Deb’s work jumped out of the internet and onto my bookshelf when she released a cookbook. After receiving a copy as a Christmas gift from my fabulous sister, I spent quite a bit of time and many post-its paging through her book marking up recipes I wanted to try. And this one, for these luscious, savory breakfast buns, was at the top of the list.

These buns. Whoa. A combination of soft bread dough, sharp, bubbly cheese, and zingy onion, these are PURE delight. Admittedly, the dough is a little time-consuming due to the lengthy raises, but the wait is totally worth it.

Rather like a cinnamon roll, these buns wrap filling up in a swirl of soft dough. Though the original recipe makes larger buns, I wanted to make batch of mini cheddar buns. The primary difference Rather than rolling out a large square of dough, I rolled out a long, narrow rectangle. Then, the best part: the FILLING.

Once the filling is spread out, it’s just a simple matter of making one long, skinny log roll of cheesy goodness. Start on the long edge and carefully inch your way across until you have a perfect spiral of bread and cheese. Then, using a serrated knife, the log is chopped into little buns.

After a ride in the oven, the little buns pop out puffy, warm, and bubbling with cheese.

The magic of this filling is the union, really, of the cheeses and onions. As the buns cook, the onions caramelize slightly as the cheeses melt, giving a sweet but zingy flavor that sets these apart from other cheese breads I’ve had before.

This was the first recipe I tried from the gorgeous Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, but if this one is any indication, the rest of her recipes are likely to be pretty darn good.

In February, Deb made a stop in Raleigh for the second leg of her book tour, and I went with a couple of friends to hear her chat about her book, answer questions, and sign books. And guess what Not only did she sign my copy (squeee!), but I bought another copy that she was gracious enough to sign for one of you!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED: How to Win The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

1. Leave one comment on this post to answer this question: What is your favorite breakfast food?
2. BONUS! To enter twice, head on over to 30 Pounds of Apples on Facebook and like the page. Then, come back to this post and leave me a comment saying you liked the Facebook page, and you’ll be entered twice. Fancy! (New likes only, but thanks to all the early adopters!)
3. Enter before 11:59pm EST on Sunday, April 28. Winners will be announced on Monday, April 29.
4. Open to US residents only (sorry to my international readers, shipping is so dang expensive!)

Mini Cheddar Swirl Buns
Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 T granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 c milk
1/4 c melted butter, cooled to the touch
3/4 c grated onion
3/4 c grated sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 c grated asiago cheese
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
additional 1 T melted butter for brushing

Combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and mix with a fork. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yeast and milk until yeast is dissolved. Pour the yeast mixture and melted butter into the mixer bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until loosely combined. Place the dough hook on the mixer and knead on low speed for 6-8 minutes until a smooth ball of dough is formed. You can also knead by hand on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rest until it doubles, about 2 hours.

When the dough has about 15 minutes left to raise, combine grated onions and cheeses, dill weed, sea salt, and black pepper and mix well. Remove dough from bowl and roll out on a floured surface into a long, narrow rectangle about 8-by-24-inches in size. Spread filling evenly across the dough, leaving a half-inch border on all sides. Carefully roll up the dough along the one of the long sides to form a long, narrow log. Cut the log into 3/4″ segments using a sharp serrated knife, which should yield 32-36 pieces.

Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan and an additional 8-by-8-inch pan with cooking spray.  Place the pieces into the pans leaving about 1/2″ of space between them. Melt butter and brush the tops of the buns. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and allow to raise for about an hour in a warm place.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap from pans and bake for about 25 minutes until tops are golden and the cheese is slightly bubbly.

Best served immediately, but they also reheat nicely for several days after baking.

There are some foods that have always been magic to me. Tortillas, croissants, tortellini, cream puffs… those dreamy little bites that all seem borderline impossible for a person in a home kitchen to make. Incidentally, jam also mystified me. Perhaps it was really the canning part that seemed so out of reach, for until a couple years ago, I never canned my own.

I’ve learned, however, that jam is actually quite simple to make, and it doesn’t necessarily require large batches and canning. It seems you can boil together almost any fruit and have jam in a matter of minutes, ready to serve warm or to store in the fridge for many days.

This treat is a celebration of quick jam, a blend of two early harbingers of spring: strawberry and rhubarb.

While bundled stalks of rhubarb have graced the tables of the farmers market since early February, strawberries have only recently returned to the scene. Last week, a few pints of these precious red fruits have appeared between towers of broccoli and leafy greens, and just like every year, I could hardly wait to get my hands on some.

Last year, I triumphed in making a strawberry rhubarb pie (though not without a disastrous first attempt), but I wanted to try something quick, something easy, and something delightfully simple this year to celebrate the return of this masterful pair. A baguette and block of goat cheese seemed like the perfect vehicle for a gently cooked blend of the fruits.

These little toasts would be welcome at numerous occasions. A quick breakfast, a lengthy brunch, or even dessert are excellent venues. The barely sweetened jam is nicely balanced by the creamy goat cheese and a crisp bite of bread.

In a way, I can hardly believe I’m posting this as a recipe. But sometimes it is the simplest combinations of food that are the most satisfying. And a delicious way to welcome in the spring

Strawberry Rhubarb & Goat Cheese Toasts
Adapted generously from Rock Recipes

2 c chopped strawberries
1 1/2 chopped rhubarb
1/2 c sugar
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 baguette, thinly sliced
1 T unsalted butter
4-5 oz goat cheese

Combine strawberries, rhubarb, and sugar in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Stir often and boil gently for 10-15 minutes. To test set, spoon a few drops of jam onto a plate and place in the freezer for a few minutes. Quick jam should be runny but not fluid. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for a minute more, then remove from the heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 250°F. Thinly slice baguette at an angle, each slice a quarter of an inch. Spread slices out on a cookie sheet. Melt the butter and brush it lightly over each slice of baguette. Bake for 5-6 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.

Serve warm toasts with goat cheese and a spoonful of quick jam.

Brad and I sometimes grapple a bit when it comes to ordering pizza. Brad likes lots of toppings: meats, mushrooms, onions, veggies, goat cheese, herbs… and I actually like those, too. But if I ever have a choice, if I’m ever ordering pizza just for me, I get cheese. Beautiful, glorious, unadulterated cheese pizza.

But the shocking truth is that until last week, I’ve never made a cheese pizza at home. I know. I know. I can’t explain myself. I’ve been making pizza regularly now for a couple of years, but I’ve always dressed it up. It was high time I build my own perfect cheese pizza from scratch.

This pizza started with my go-to pizza crust recipe. I have another crust that I really love, but I only make it when I have excess whey from a batch of homemade mozzarella. This recipe, on the other hand, is super-easy to whip up when you need dinner in less than an hour. It’s a no-fuss crust that requires little resting time and rolls out easily.

And on this soft spread of dough Cheeeeeeese!

Mozzarella, parmesan, and asiago form the trifecta of awesome atop this particular pizza. Mozzarella is the classic pizza topper, but I love the punchy, sharp flavor provided by the two harder aged cheeses.

I also used a batch of the pizza sauce I canned last summer. I don’t exactly know what possessed me to can this sauce in half-pint sizes, but it was BRILLIANT. One jar gave me just the right amount for this little pizza of mine.

The result was a cheese pizza worth making all the time.

Can you add any manner of toppings to this Of course you can. But if cheese pizza is your favorite too, stand up against the toppings! Defend the cheese! And then eat as much as you want of it, because this is YOUR pizza.

Three Cheese Pizza

Makes one 12-inch thin-crust pizza

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 T instant dry yeast
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c warm water

3/4 c pizza sauce (your favorite!)
2 c grated mozzarella cheese
2/3 c grated asiago cheese
2/3 c grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

If you’re using a pizza stone, place it on a center rack in a cold oven. Preheat oven to 450°F. Sift together flour, yeast, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add water and mix with a fork until a dough is formed. You may have to abandon the fork and switch to using your hands before a dough is fully formed. Dough should be slightly sticky. Knead lightly on a floured surface for about five minutes. Form dough into a ball and cover with a damp cloth while you prepare the rest of your pizza ingredients.

Grate all cheeses and grind black pepper. Once the dough has rested for a few minutes, roll it out on a floured surface until it is about 1/4″ thick. Sprinkle a cutting board with corn meal and transfer the crust to the board. Spread pizza sauce evenly across the surface of the dough, leaving about 1/2″ of space around the edges. Sprinkle the three cheeses evenly over the pizza: first the mozzarella, then the asiago, then the parmesan. Finally, sprinkle the pepper over the pizza.

Slide the oven rack with the pizza stone out of the oven, and gently transfer the pizza to the stone before sliding the rack back inside. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges of the crust are browning and the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven and slide the pizza onto a cutting board. Slice into pieces and serve hot.