Alex's Macaroni and Cheese

I seem to have gotten myself into and interesting habit--at least where my romance novels are concerned.  I'll have some character somewhere mention something about a dish made from an old family recipe, which means I'll have to include that recipe at the back of the book.  Oh well. 

In my latest novel, The Deception, (which I've written as Marina Martindale), Alex, the leading man, is reunited with Carrie, his long-lost childhood best friend.  He comes to her apartment to prepare dinner, and makes his mother's famous macaroni and cheese; a dish that had been their favorite as children.

They say art imitates life, and macaroni and cheese has been one of my favorite dishes since childhood too.  Problem was, I had no family recipe, and, ding, ding, ding, I'd been buying the prepacked mac and cheese dinners for years.  So, it was time to Google macaroni and cheese and do some research.  I compiled several different recipes, did some test runs, and some tweaking, and came up with a recipe that was absolutely delicious.  No wonder my two characters loved it.  You will too.

For more information about The Deception, please visit my website at www.marinamartindale.com, or my other blog at www.marinamartindale.net.

Enjoy.

GM


ALEX'S MACARONI & CHEESE


2 cups macaroni, cooked and drained
2 ½  cups milk
1 cup sour cream
2 ½ cups grated Mexican cheese blend
(or 2 ½ cups cheddar)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup breadcrumbs.

Preheat oven to 350° and cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain. While pasta is cooking whisk milk and sour cream in a medium-sized mixing bowl and add seasonings. Set aside. Chop two tablespoons of butter into small pieces. Chill in refrigerator until needed. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small mixing bowl. Add breadcrumbs, blend thoroughly and set aside.
Layer half of the cooked and drained macaroni, chopped butter, and cheese into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Top with remaining macaroni, butter and cheese. Pour milk mixture over the top and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the top is crispy and brown.
If desired, ham or sausage may be added. Low-fat milk, sour cream and cheeses may also be used.

Fiesta Chicken Casserole

I know, it's been awhile since I've been here, but I've been busy working on another novel, and I just haven't had as much time to try new recipes.  However this one is a Campbell soup recipe that I've tweaked and played around with enough to call it my own.  It's easy and delicious.  Enjoy.

GM

FIESTA CHICKEN CASSEROLE

1 to 1 1/2 cups diced, cooked chicken breast
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 cup sour cream
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 can cream of chicken soup
6 corn tortillas
1 cup Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut chicken breast into small pieces, cook until well done and place in a large baking dish. Blend salsa, sour cream, corn, beans and soup together in a large bowl. Pour over chicken in baking dish and stir. Top with corn tortillas. (Tortillas may be cut in half to cover the casserole more evenly.) Top with cheese and bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling. Makes approximately 6 to 8 servings.

Historic Recipe--Potato Soup

As winter is winding down I wanted to test one more historic recipe before the weather turns hot. This one is an absolute classic, and I'm sure many of you probably have your own versions in your own family cookbooks. It's the perfect soup for a rainy day. Enjoy.

GM

POTATO SOUP

2 cups raw potatoes
2 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 quart milk
1½ teaspoon salt
pepper

Chop potatoes fine or grate them. Add potatoes, margarine, and onion to the milk. Cook the mixture over low heat until the potatoes are tender, stirring regularly. By that time the starch from the potatoes will have thickened the milk slightly. Add salt and pepper.

Modern Variation: To give this soup some extra zing try adding bacon, ham, or corn.

Historic Recipe--Cream of Vegetable Soup

Yes, I am alive and well. It's that thing called life, along with that darn having to make a living thing that's been keeping me so busy these days. But before the weather starts turning hot I want to try a few more recipes to be included in Rosie's Riveting Recipes.  This recipe is incredibly simple, and a great way to use up those leftover vegetables that may be lurking in your refrigerator. 

Enjoy.

GM

CREAM OF VEGETABLE SOUP

2 tablespoons fat
4 tablespoons flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 cups milk
1 cup cooked vegetable pulp*

Melt fat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Stir in milk. Add vegetable pulp. Cook 10 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

* Pureed cooked vegetables (of your choice)

Modern adaptation:  Olive oil may be used instead of “fat.” If you do not have a blender or food processor simply chop the vegetables into tiny pieces. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, to help keep the milk from scorching. Once soup begins to boil, reduce heat to simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook for 10 minutes, as directed. For more zing, try lemon pepper or season salt instead of salt and pepper.

Brown Rice = Healthy and Tasty Side Dishes

Let's face it.  Most of us lead busy lives, and cooking from scratch, while ideal, oftentimes just isn't possible. At least, not everyday.  So we turn to prepackaged convenience foods.  These food products, while tasty and easy to prepare, have their drawbacks, such as too much salt, MSG, and other nasty chemicals that we really shouldn't be putting into our bodies.

One of my favorite convenience foods for years was Rice-a-Roni.  My mother refused to buy the stuff when I was a kid, so l was introduced to it by a college boyfriend who didn't have a lot of money.  He bought it because it was cheap, and then I started buying it.  It tasted good, it was easy to prepare, and it was inexpensive.  After college I continued buying it, and I've been eating it for years.  However, I keep hearing that processed foods are bad for you, so now I really am trying to cut back on foods like Rice-a-Roni. I think I've finally found a tasty substitute.  Brown rice cooked in chicken or beef broth. 

Sometimes the solution is so simple we want to smack ourselves on the head and shout, "Well duh! Why didn't I figure this out before."

If you're really into eating healthy, organic foods, you can find organic chicken or beef stocks, and brown rice at stores like Trader Joe's.  From there simply follow the directions for cooking the rice, using the stock instead of water.  If desired, add a little salt and pepper, or your favorite seasoning, and that's it.  You have a healthy, delicious brown rice side dish that is just as easy to prepare as those convenience rice dishes, and probably cheaper per serving.

I know, I should have figured this one out a long time ago.  Nonetheless, it's my tip for the day.

GM