French Onion Mac and Cheese

French Onion Mac and Cheese

4 tablespoons butter

2 onions, very finely sliced

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

1 pound whole wheat penne rigate

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup whole milk

3/4 pound Gruyere cheese, shredded

Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and bay leaf for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and cook until the onions are lightly browned about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and discard the bay leaf. Reserve the skillet.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt and add the penne. Cook until al dente and drain.

Meanwhile, in the reserved skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons of remaining butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour for 1 minute. Then whisk in the chicken stock and milk. Bring to a boil; season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese until melted.

Combine the onions and sauce with the pasta.

Chad's rating: 8.5/10 - would like beef tips added to the pasta.

Amy's rating: 8.5/10

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray magazine

Crumbled Sausage and Peppers

Crumbled Sausage with Peppers and Onions

1 package Italian sausage

2 green peppers, chopped

1 onion, chopped

Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

Olive oil

Honey wheat buns

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add onions and peppers.

Heat another pan over medium-high heat. Cut casings off sausage and crumble into pan. Breaking up meat as it cooks. Continue cooking till browned; drain.

Add cooked sausage to onions and peppers. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.

Spoon into honey wheat buns. Top with mustard.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 9/10

Chicken with Apples and Potatoes

Chicken with Apples, Pears and Camembert Mashed Potatoes

2 pounds small yellow potatoes, diced

salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-4 chicken breasts

pepper

2 tablespoons butter, cut up small

1 gala or honey crisp apple, peeled and diced

1 bosc pear, peeled and diced

3 pinches of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice

1 grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey

1/3 cup milk

1 container of Camembert cheese, cut into small pieces

10 chives, chopped

In a deep pot, add the potatoes and water to cover. Bring to a boil, salt the water and cook the potatoes until tender, 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; add to the skillet and cook until golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples, pear, and nutmeg; season with salt. Stir in the lemon juice for 3 minutes, then stir in the honey for 1 minute.

Mash the potatoes with the milk and cheese; season with salt and pepper. Slice the chicken breast on an angle, arrange over the potatoes and top with fruit. Top with chives and lemon peel.

Chad's rating: 10/10

Amy's rating: 10/10

Recipe adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine.

Stuffed Zucchini

Stuffed Zucchini

5 small zucchini

5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 onion, finely chopped

1 can diced tomatoes, drained and juice reserved

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up small

3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Parmigiano- Reggiano

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 400.

Halve the zucchini and hollow them out with a small spoon. Drizzle olive oil over the zucchini and place in the middle of the oven to roast. (They will be ready when you take the stuffing off the heat.) Chop the zucchini centers.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, onion and the chopped zucchini. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often until the zucchini begins to caramelize.

Add the diced tomatoes and stir till heated through. Season with salt and pepper and deglaze the pan with the white wine. Cook until the wine evaporates, then stir in the reserved tomato juice. Reduce the heat to medium - low and let the juice slowly cook off.

While the stuffing cooks, heat another skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter. When the butter beings to melt, add the remaining chopped garlic, and cook for 2 -3 minutes. Then add the bread crumbs and lightly toast them. Add the cheese, parsley and pepper and remove from heat.

When the liquid has cooked off the stuffing, stir in the bread crumb mixture and remove from the heat.

Remove the Zucchini from the oven and fill each with a mound of stuffing.

Place bake in the oven for about 5 minutes to crisp up the bread crumbs.

Chad's rating: 7/10 (a little too vegetarian for Chad's liking.)

Amy's rating: 8.5/10

Recipe adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray

Couscous Stuffed Peppers

Couscous Stuffed Peppers

Red Bell Peppers (however many you want)

1 box Parmesan couscous

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 package pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/3 cup parsley, chopped

1 container cherry tomatoes, diced

Slice the top off the peppers and clean out the seeds and veins. Simmer the peppers in a pot of boiling water for 7 -1o minutes until tender (not mushy.) Meanwhile, prepare the couscous according to the package directions. Toss the prepared couscous with chickpeas, pine nuts, feta cheese, parsley and tomatoes. Fill cooked peppers with mixture.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 10/10

Crock Pot Roast

Crock Pot Roast

English Cut Roast

1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix

1 can Cream of Mushroom

1 can Golden Mushroom

Yukon Gold potatoes, diced

Baby carrots

Celery, diced

Place roast in crock pot. Poke holes in meat and rub in onion soup mix.

Add vegetables.

Combine Cream of Mushroom and Golden Mushroom soups. Pour over roast and vegetables.

Cook on low all day.

Chad's rating: 8.5/10

Amy's rating: 9/10

Recipe from my Mom. :)

Nutella Stuffed Crepes

Nutella Stuffed Crepes

4 large eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon butter

Nutella

Confectioner's sugar

Whisk eggs with milk. Stir in flour, salt and sugar till well mixed.

Heat butter over medium heat in 8 inch pan.

Once butter starts to foam, add in about 2 tablespoons of the batter. Lift pan and run batter across pan to create a thin layer. Cook 1 -2 minutes on each side.

Remove from pan. Spread Nutella across crepe and roll cigar style.

Top with confectioner's sugar.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 9.5/10

Spidini

Spidini with Sauteed Spinach and Potatoes

4 pieces of chip steak cut in half or 8 small pieces

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups Italian breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Chicken broth

5 red skinned potatoes

2 cloves of garlic

1 bag fresh spinach

Olive oil

Red pepper flakes

Pour olive oil in a dish. Season with salt and pepper. Pour breadcrumbs in another dish. Mix in cheese. Dip each side of chip steak in olive oil, then follow with the bread crumb mixture. Top the meat with onions and garlic. Roll up, jelly roll style, and secure with two toothpicks to hold together. Place rolls in a 9x13 dish. Pour chicken broth in dish till bottom is covered. Top Spidini rolls with a little extra breadcrumbs and cheese.

Bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes, turning rolls over once. Cover and continue baking about 25 more minutes. Add more chicken broth as it dries up. This will make a gravy for the top of the rolls.

For the potatoes - heat olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cloves of garlic. Cook for a few minutes. Then add diced red potatoes. Season with red pepper flakes. During the last few minutes of cooking, add spinach leaves.

Chad's rating: 9/10

Amy's rating: 9/10

Another Grandma recipe!

Pierogi Casserole

Pierogi Casserole

1 box frozen mini Pierogies

1 can reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup milk

1 clove garlic, crushed

Shredded cheese &/or Parmesan

Pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray a 8x8 dish with cooking spray. Add frozen pierogies. Mix soup, milk

and garlic together.

Pour over pierogies. Top with shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake

for 40 minutes.

Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes.

I served with couscous mixed with toasted pine nuts, scallions and

feta cheese.

This was not a planned meal - it was whatever was leftover from last

week's grocery trip. Turned out pretty good, though!

Chad's rating: 8.5/10

Amy's rating: 8.5/10 - Great "comfort" food.