Sunday, September 27, 2009

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese


Now that I'm a mom (I'll never get tired of saying that!), one of my fears is that Landon will grow up to be a picky eater. I hope that's not the case & plan on introducing him to all sorts of interesting dishes. Of course, when it comes to vegetables, I already have one picky eater. The only green vegetable Mike likes is green beans. Forget spinach, brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc. But I do try to sneak these in on him when I can...remember the time I added spinach to my chicken parmesan? Anyway, I was watching TV the other day & saw the Sneaky Chef (Country Crock) adding cauliflower to macaroni & cheese. At once I knew that would be the way to get Mike eating this vegetable that I love. I went searching for a recipe and came across this one by Rachael Ray. And he really liked it - enough to eat two helpings. Try this out & let me know what you think.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Salt
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pound whole wheat pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the florets with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In the same boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente then drain in a colander. Add the pasta to the cauliflower.

While the pasta is working, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Have Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and chicken broth and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Whisk in the mustard and season with pepper. Stir the cheese sauce into the pasta and cauliflower. Yum-o!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

One Pot Sausage & Peppers


With a new baby in the house, I am really appreciating the ease of one pot and slow cooker meals. I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, but I still want a hearty meal. This sausage & peppers recipe couldn't be simpler. It's a stove-top version of a slow cooker recipe I found at the McCormick website. I served mine mixed with cheese tortellini, but any type of pasta would work well. Or you could put the pot on the table with a basket of rolls to enjoy hoagie-style.

Sausage & Peppers
1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbs. EVOO
2 bags frozen pepper & onion medley, thawed*
1 can tomato puree
6 oz. tomato paste
3/4 cup water
One half package McCormick Slow Cooker Italian Herb Chicken Seasoning
Red pepper flakes

Heat EVOO in dutch oven. Add sausage, cooking until browned. Remove from pot & drain on paper towels. Drain grease from pot. Add sausage & pepper/onions back to pot, along with tomato puree, tomato paste, water & seasoning mix. Add red pepper flakes if desired. Stir well & cook over med. heat for about 15 minutes.

*I like to use fresh peppers, but they are ridiculously expensive here right now. I thawed my frozen peppers & onions in a colander lined with paper towels to absorb the moisture.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Grilled Raspberry & Nutella Sandwich


I found this wonderfully delicious sandwich over at Doughmesstic. It's absolutely delicious & so very easy. Slather some bread with Nutella, add some fresh raspberries & prepare just like you would a grilled cheese. Mom & I had these for breakfast yesterday & I fell in love...it's like a little bite of Heaven. If you love Nutella, you will love this sandwich.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Pasta Salad


It's such an amazing feeling having a new baby in the house. Our lives have changed completely and we're loving every minute.

My mom is spending a few days with us to help out with Landon. I knew Mike's parents would be dropping by yesterday too, and I wanted something quick and easy for lunch, something that would allow everyone to help themselves. We got a sliced ham, all the makings for sandwiches and I made pasta salad early yesterday morning. It's easy to make and very economical - I had everything I needed on hand.

Pasta Salad
1 lb. box elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions & rinsed in cold water
1 tomato, roughly chopped
1 English cucumber, large dice
1 green pepper, large dice
1 red pepper, large dice
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 bottle Zesty Italian dressing
1 teaspoon sugar

Combine pasta & vegetables, mixing well. Add packet of HVR dressing mix, Italian dressing & sugar, mix well. Allow to chill 2-4 hours before serving.

*Good add-ins would be sliced black olives, diced pepperoni, maybe some cheese.

Coming tomorrow...
Nutella-Raspberry Paninis

Sunday, August 30, 2009

And Baby Makes Three (part 2)


Baby Landon is here. He was born on Thursday, August 27th at 5:50pm. He weighs 6 lbs., 3 oz., and is 18 3/4 inches long. We are so, so happy.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

And Baby Makes Three

The Dempsey house is full of activity as we prepare for the arrival of our son. We're adopting a baby boy. Baby Landon is due September 20th, so we have lots to do and could not be more excited! My baby shower is next Saturday, so I'll be posting some pictures on Sunday.

Then I'll be back soon with lots of baby pictures, updates on our wonderful little blessing, and lots of great recipes.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Happy Summer!

I will be back in September with a great new blog design & lots of hearty recipes for fall.

Enjoy your summer!
Tonia
 
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