Macaroni and Cheese

I love macaroni. I recently found macaroni-shaped shirataki noodles at my local international supermarket, Global Foods. I've used shirataki noodles in several dishes before, some turned out ok, others didn't. But still, these were the tofu ones, which tend to be less crunchy and chewy than the originals. I immediately thought of a macaroni and cheese dish, of course. I made too much cheese sauce, so I'm going to put in the recipe to add either meat or veggies (or both) or reduce the sauce amount so your noodles aren't swimming. I mean, not that I'd complain about too much cheese!

Ingredients:

• 3 bags Shirataki Tofu Macaroni Noodles
• 10 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 2-3 oz. another cheese (I used Havarti)
• 2 oz. another cheese (I used a bit of leftover smoked Gouda)
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/3 c. white wine
• 4-5 slices of bacon
• 3/4 c. chopped green onions
• 1 shallot, chopped finely
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 tbsp. garlic cheese butter (optional)
• 1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 c. grated parmesan 
• Choice of veggies (precooked): broccoli, asparagus, baby spinach, etc.
• Choice of meat: chopped ham, chopped turkey, chicken, sausage, even ground beef

Directions:

1. Use a colander to drain the noodles and rinse them well for at least a minute. You must do this or your noodles may have a weird taste. Set aside to drain and dry off a bit.
2. Microwave/cook the bacon until slightly crispy. Let cool.
3. In a sauce pan, melt 1 tbsp. of the butter and add the shallot. Saute until shallot is soft and translucent. Add the rest of the butter and the minced garlic. Add the garlic cheese butter if you have it. 
4. Add the cheddar and other cheeses except the parmesan to the sauce pan. 
5. Add the heavy cream and white wine.
6. Add the pepper, onion powder, basil, and parsley. 
7. Chop up the bacon.
8. You can either add the chopped green onions, noodles, bacon, parmesan, and your choice of meat and/or veggie to the pot and stir and serve, or you can put the noodles, onions, and bacon into a casserole dish, add the meat and/or veggie, pour over the cheese sauce, sprinkle on the parmesan, and bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes. I prefer to bake it to make the cheese sauce thicker and more cohesive. If your sauce is a bit runny, try adding more meat and veggies, or even xanthan gum. 

It was very delicious, and if I hadn't been full after one serving, I'd have gotten seconds. 

Update on the Kitchen Remodel!

It's finally done! For the most part anyway. We're still going to have people come in and fix small things and do touch-ups. And the curtains still have to be made. BUT, I have counter tops now, which is what counts. So, I am planning on posting two recipes today, one is a simple one for a cheesecake milkshake and the other is the zucchini lasagna I'm planning on making tonight. School is all done for me for the summer so I have my three days off that I'll try to post on every week. Thanks for being understanding about the remodel and my schedule. <3

Some pictures for you:

Rum Cheesecake with Hot Caramel Rum Pecan Sauce

A special meal requires an equally special dessert, and the Cheesecake I made was very delicious, despite being a tad eggy/fluffy (hey, I'm still working on getting my texture to be dense and creamy). BUT, it was super flavorful. So here's the recipe. It's based on the one on the Betty Crocker website: "Hot Buttered Rum Cheesecake with Brown Sugar-Rum Sauce". Since obviously the real recipe has sugar and stuff, I've changed it up a bit (okay, a lot).  *Note: Some of these quantities are estimated to the best of my memory because I didn't have time to measure out perfectly and write down my exact usage of ingredients. Please feel free to use more of something if it is so required.*

Rum Cheesecake with Hot Caramel Rum Pecan Sauce

Ingredients

Crust:
1 and 1/4 c. almond flour
1/2 stick butter (1/4 c.) melted
1 c. Stevia powder

Filling:
8 oz. sour cream
4 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese (softened)
1 c. stevia powder
1/4 c. sugar free simple syrup (or simply flavored beverage syrup like caramel or vanilla)
1/4 c. spiced rum, like Captain Morgan
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1-2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs

Sauce:
1 jar smuckers sugar free caramel sauce
4-8 oz. of pecans (optional)
1/4 c. spiced rum
2 tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. sea salt

*Note: before I press the crust into the pan, I like to make a circle of parchment paper to put into the bottom of the pan. It makes remove of the cheesecake from the bottom part of the pan much easier.*

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix all crust ingredients until mixture is crumbly yet cohesive when pressed.
2. Oil a springform pan and press crust into the bottom. Crust should reach the edge.
3. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F and let cool.
4. Combine all filling ingredients (except the eggs) in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
5. Add the eggs and mix on low until incorporated.
6. Pour over the crust and bake at 325 F for an hour and 15 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and the center is still soft. 
7. Turn off the oven, but don't remove. Crack the door about 4 inches and let sit in the oven for 30 minutes. This helps prevent cracking caused by the quick temperature drop of removing it.
8. Remove from oven after the 30 minutes and let cool completely. Use a small rubber spatula to loosen cheesecake from the sides of the pan before releasing the latch.
9. Release the latch and remove the sides.
10. In a small saucepan, mix all sauce ingredients and heat until combined and bubbly. Serve over top of the cheesecake immediately or chill the cheesecake and sauce separately until it's ready to be served.
11. (Optional) Serve with vanilla Carb Smart ice cream. Cut small pieces of the cheesecake. It's incredibly filling.

Miso-Maple Glazed Salmon with Mango Balsamic Reduction

July 1st is Alex's birthday, and I still remember him raving about a meal he had at the Chart House in Alexandria last year for my 21st birthday. So, I made a mental note (or Google Keep did, thanks Google) and searched up the recipe. 2 sauces, I remember. Okay, not that big of a deal. 2 sides. Alright. And dessert. Mmhmm. Aaaand an appetizer (thanks Wegmans). The 2 sides were green beans with Wegman's Miso Ginger Vinaigrette, and my popular smoked gouda and bacon cauliflower mash. Because I either have these posted elsewhere (cauliflower recipe can be found here), or are self-explanatory, I will just be posting the main salmon dish and its 2 sauces in this post. There is a separate post for the Rum Cheesecake here. Here is the full menu for the evening:

Appetizer

Wegman's Artichoke Asiago Cheese Dip w/ pork rinds for dipping

Main Course

Wild Caught Miso-Maple Glazed Salmon with Mango Balsamic Reduction and Lemon Shallot Butter

Bacon and Smoked Gouda Cauliflower Mash

Green Beans with Miso-Ginger Vinaigrette

Dessert

Rum Cheesecake w/ Rum Caramel Sauce and Pecans 

(optional vanilla bean Carb Smart ice cream)

Wild Caught Miso-Maple Glazed Salmon with Mango Balsamic Reduction and Lemon Shallot Butter

Mango Balsamic Reduction

Do this first because it needs time to sit and simmer to reduce and thicken.

Ingredients:

• 1 tree-ripened mango, cut into cubes/slices
• 4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (I used the white, normal is fine too)
• 4 Tbsp. honey (I used real honey because we were carb cycling. You can use sugar free simple syrup- unflavored, or some stevia/splenda equivalent)

Directions:

1. Puree the mango and add to saucepan.
2. Add vinegar and sweetener.
3. Mix well and cook over medium-low heat until reduced to a thick consistency.  Mix often or it will sputter all over you and the stovetop. 

Salmon and Glaze

Ingredients:

• 4 wild caught Alaskan salmon fillets
• 3 Tbsp. seasoned miso paste
• 3 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar (if you don't have seasoned, you can add just a bit of sugar substitute and salt to your vinegar)
• 3 Tbsp. maple syrup (I used the real stuff since we were carb cycling) You can use sugar free syrup flavored with maple flavoring
• 2 tsp. hot chili sauce (Sriracha)
• 2 tsp. oil (any kind that's liquid at room temp and not EVOO)

Directions:

1. Whisk/mix together all sauce ingredients together (miso, vinegar, syrup, sriracha) in a bowl.
2. Brush an cast iron/oven safe skillet with the oil.
3. Place salmon fillets skin side down onto the cold pan. The cold pan makes the salmon skin stick to it so it easily separates later after cooking.
4. Set the oven to 350 F.
5. Over medium heat, cook the salmon just until the skin starts to sizzle.
6. Brush on the glaze and place in the oven to finish cooking. Remove from oven and slide your spatula under the fillets, separating the skin easily from the fish. Drizzle (or pour, I won't judge) the mango balsamic reduction over the fillets and serve.

Lemon Shallot Butter

This is good on just about everything. Place a puddle of it on the place before setting down the salmon and/or add it to the green beans. 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 stick Kerrygold butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 shallot
• 1 tsp. organic Santa Cruz lemon juice

Directions:

1. Mince and saute shallot. 
2. Add in butter to hot pan to melt it. 
3. Add salt and lemon juice.
4. Set aside/serve.

Oven-Roasted Goldbar Squash

I've never really been one for squash, but doing low-carb forces you to seek out new things so you don't get bored with your cauliflower mash (which is my favorite side dish now, btw). My friend had been demoing grilled squash and zucchini with our store's garlic cheese finishing butter. I tried it and really liked it. But, of course, I thought I could do one better. I bought one of those beautiful goldbar squashes:

and thought about what to do. This was the recipe I came up with, and I ended up going back for seconds. Now, let me repeat: I am not really a squash person. They are pretty bland but have a particular subtle flavor that I just didn't care for. This recipe, however, was so good I told myself that this would become another staple side dish, right behind my dreamy, creamy cauliflower mash. So without further ado, here it is:

Oven-Roasted Goldbar Squash

Note: 1 medium squash serves about 3 people

Ingredients:

1 Goldbar squash

2-3 tbsp. Kerrygold butter

1 tsp. garlic powder

1-2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 to 1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Wash and slice squash into 1/8 inch thick rounds.
2. Place a bit of oil on a baking sheet and spread it evenly.
3. Place your squash down, as flat as possible on the sheet.
4. Sprinkle evenly with garlic, basil, salt, and the parmesan.
5. Microwave butter in a small bowl until melted. Pour evenly over top of the squash. 
6. Bake at 350 F until parmesan turns golden.
7. Fight over the delicious squash medallions; seriously, they fall apart on your fork they're so tender.

Egg Muffins

This quick breakfast is grab and go once they've been prepared. I recommend making them the night before or on a weekend so you can enjoy them throughout the week. You can put any combo of ingredients into these besides the eggs, like:

• spinach and mushroom with mozzarella cheese
• sausage and red bell pepper with swiss or cheddar cheese
• ham and broccoli with cheddar
• bacon and chive with gouda

Egg Muffins

I used a set of silicone muffin cups. They are flexible enough to bend, but stiff enough to not spill when full. I used Hamilton Beach brand. The ones I used were standard size, but you can use bigger ones if you want. Here is how I made them, although feel free to try new combos like those listed above.

Makes 6 "muffins"

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp. butter (for sauteing pepper)
• 1/4 c. ground pork sausage
• 1/4 shredded cheddar cheese
• pinch of parsley
• salt & pepper
• onion and garlic powder

Directions:

1. In a small non-stick pan, saute bell pepper in butter until slightly browned around the edges and soft. Set aside in a small bowl.
2. Cook sausage in the same pan, using the butter leftover from the peppers. Cook until you don't see any more pink. Set aside in a bowl.
3. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs and add the spices and herbs. 
4. Place muffin cups on a pan, and place 3/4 of the sausage in the bottom of the cups. 
5. Put 3/4 of the pepper in on top.
6. Top with 1/2 of the cheese. 
7. Top with rest of the pepper and sausage.
8. Pour egg mixture into cups. Be sure to divide it fairly evenly.
9. Top with rest of cheese.
10. Bake at 350 F until puffed up and cheese is melted. Egg should be cooked through and fluffy.
11. Serve, or let cool and bag in 2s and pop in the fridge for when you're in a hurry. 

Non-Food Product: OXO Kitchen Supplies

OXO seems to be my favorite brand for kitchen supplies. My favorite knife, a paring knife, is my go-to for everything: fruit, cheese, veggies, sometimes even meat, opening stubborn containers.... It has a nice, soft, non-slip handle.
The knife in question:

The knife seems to be out of stock, but there is a similar knife on oxo's website; it has a different handle though.
















I also found out that our oven mitts are oxo brand. These are nice because the silicone is further heat-resistant, and is super easily to rinse off if stuff gets on them. Accidentally stick your thumb in the casserole? No problem. Just wipe it off. The downside to just cotton/cloth is the staining; and the downside to just silicone is the lack of heat-resistance. These combine both for the best of both worlds. We've had these for years. There's a small rip in the joint between the thumb and the index finger on one of them, but otherwise they've help up remarkably well. There is a magnet embedded in them, so they'll sort of stick together or to metal. They don't stick to my fridge. Too heavy.

There are several different colors available: Cherry (Red), Licorice (Black), Blueberry (shown-Blue), Key Lime (Green), and from Amazon only, Lemon Chiffon (Yellow)















The meat tenderizer is also oxo brand. It's quite heavy, and pounds any cut of meat out, even ones with a good bit of connective tissue. Works great on chicken breasts too. Also great for crushing nuts, cookies, crackers, etc. for a recipe.

They also make mixing bowls with a non slip silicone bottom! How cool is that? No slipping or sliding when you're putting some elbow grease into a mixture. :) If I find any other oxo products in my house, I'll try to add.