Creamy Three Cheese Macaroni

I never thought I would find a better Macaroni and Cheese than my original favorite, but this healthier version compares in taste and texture but not in calories and fat! It's simply fabulous!!

3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

1/3 cup flour

2-2/3 cups lowfat 1% milk

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced fat Sharp Cheddar cheese

3 ounces process light American cheese (Velveeta)

2 tbsp. grated reduced fat Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/8 tsp. pepper

1. Heat oven to 375º. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Cook macaroni according to package directions for 6 minutes.

2. Sprinkle flour into a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk; cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in cheeses and cook and stir for 2 more minutes, until cheeses are melted and sauce is creamy. Remove from heat and stir in salt, mustard and pepper. Stir in macaroni.

3. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Yield: 8 servings.

Macaroni and Cheese

I have two homemade macaroni and cheese recipes I use, this one and a healthier version (which is also phenomenal). This is my old faithful, though, and for good reason. One rich and creamy bite and you'll see why.

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1-3/4 cups milk

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

3 cups (12 ounces) grated Sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. Cook macaroni in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish.

3. In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour. Cook and stir for one minute. Gradually stir in milk. Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and mustard. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce bubbles and thickens. Stir in half of the Cheddar cheese until melted.

4. Toss macaroni with remaining Cheddar cheese. Pour sauce over macaroni and mix thoroughly.

5. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until bubbly and browning. Yield: 6 servings.

Bow Tie Pasta Puttanesca

This is one of my personal favorite dishes. The hot Italian turkey sausage makes this dish! A hearty salad and glass of red wine compliment this filling pasta entree nicely.

8 oz. hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14 oz.) tomato puree

1 can (14 oz.) petite diced tomatoes

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Pinch each sugar, salt and pepper

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/4 cup reduced fat Parmesan cheese

12 oz. farfalle (bow tie pasta)

1. In a medium skillet, crumble and cook sausage with onion and garlic over medium-high heat until turkey is browned. Stir in tomato puree, tomatoes, seasonings and olives. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 40 minutes.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Serve sauce over pasta; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

Grilled Italian Sandwich

This really is so simple and casual, but oh so tasty and filling. Pairs nicely with a light pasta salad and fresh fruit. (Often I use all turkey as it's my favorite).

2 loaves (8 ounces each) French or sourdough bread
4 tbsp. mustard
4 tbsp. mayonnaise
8 ounces pastrami, thinly sliced
8 ounces smoked turkey or ham, thinly sliced
2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
Red onion rings
4 large slices Provolone cheese
4 tbsp. Italian salad dressing
Shredded lettuce

1. Slice bread in half lengthwise. Scoop out bread in bottom halves, leaving a 1/2 inch thick shell. Evenly layer ingredients in order listed in both bottom halves; replace bread tops. Wrap sandwiches in foil.

2. Grill over medium coals for 15 minutes, or until warmed and cheese is melted. Or, bake in oven at 350º. Unwrap sandwiches, fill lettuce and slice into serving size pieces. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Almond Cream Cheese French Toast

The toasted almonds and almond extract really make this French toast stand out!

8 ounce loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch slices

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp. toasted chopped almonds

1 tsp. powdered sugar

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Cut a pocket into each bread slice. Combine cream cheese, almonds and powdered sugar; evenly stuff into bread pockets.

2. Beat together eggs, milk, almond extract and cinnamon. Dip bread slices into egg mixture to coat. Brown both sides on greased hot griddle. Yield: 4 servings.

Honey Mustard Pork Scallopine

This recipe humbly earned me a 4th place win in a 1998 Taste of Home Quick Cooking magazine contest.

4 thin cut boneless pork chops

2 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. spicy mustard

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup finely crushed buttery crackers

2 tbsp. butter

1. Pound pork chops to about 1/8-inch thickness between waxed paper.

2. In a small bowl, combine honey and mustard; mix well. In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs and cracker crumbs.

3. With a pastry brush, generously coat both sides of pork slices with the honey-mustard sauce. Coat in crumbs.

4. In a heavy skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook pork 4 minutes per side until crisp and lightly browned. Yield: 4 servings.

The School Lunch Bag

It's back to school time, and to avoid brown bag boredom, here are some tasty sandwich combos to keep lunch exciting:

Avocado with Monterey Jack cheese, roasted red pepper slices, sliced tomatoes, cucumber slices, sprouts and mayonnaise

Bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado with mayonnaise

Balogna with American cheese, green pepper rings, mayonnaise, mustard and lettuce

Chicken with Brie, apple chutney, deli mustard and sprouts

Chicken with smoked Gouda, deli mustard and tomato slices

Club sandwich with turkey, ham, bacon, mayonnaise, mustard, Cheddar cheese and lettuce

Corned beef with Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing and cole slaw mix

Egg salad with sunflower seeds

Ham with Cheddar cheese, sliced apples or pears and Dijonnaise

Ham with Swiss cheese, mayonnaise, honey-mustard, sliced tomatoes and sprouts

Pastrami with mayonnaise, mustard, sliced sweet onion, sliced tomatoes and lettuce

Peanut butter with honey and sliced bananas

Peanut butter with marshmallow fluff

Roast beef with cream cheese, dill, sliced tomatoes and sprouts

Roast beef with Monterey Jack cheese, mayonnaise or horseradish, roasted red pepper strips and lettuce

Tuna fish salad with sweet pickles and cucumber slices

Tuna fish salad with crushed pineapple, cashews and lettuce

Turkey with sliced apples and finely chopped celery with raisins and mayonnaise

Turkey with Cheddar, mayonnaise, deli mustard, tomato slices, lettuce and sprout

Turkey with Havarti, Chipotle mayonnaise, pepperoncini and baby spinach

BBQ Strip Steak

This marinade ROCKS, oh yeah! This would be great on any favorite tender cut of steak or pork. Earmark this as a must try!

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. steak seasoning
1 tbsp. sweet and smoky chipotle seasoning
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
4 strip steaks, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total

1. Whisk together olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, seasonings, vinegar and pepper in a gallon size Ziplock bag. Add steak and turn to coat. Refrigerate and marinate at least 6 hours, turning bag often to evenly distribute marinade.

2. Discard marinade and grill steaks over medium hot coals until desired doneness. Yield: 4 servings.

Grilling and Baking

Today is a fall like day yet I have some steaks marinating for the grill later. Normally I'd be itching to make a hearty stew or casserole on a cooler day like this. But, I'm one of those people who will grill year round, rain or shine, snow or hail. (Well, I might draw the line at dodging hail bullets just to sear the perfect grill marks, but you get the picture). Grilling is one of my favorite methods of cooking, and even better is that Casey is a master griller and often does the outdoor cooking. It's not unusual for me to do all of the prep work and make the sides, then chill with some wine by the grill as he cooks the main dish. It's our form of cooking together, and not only is it good bonding time, it really is a lot of fun. And I'm okay giving up the title Queen Griller to uphold the King Griller's delicious skills.

Since it is cooler and a bit overcast I'm going to do something more traditional of this weather and bake something. There are still some ripe blackberries ready to be picked out back that would make great Blackberry Shortcakes for dessert. Just like Strawberry Shortcakes, just substitute blackberries. Because I'm using blackberries instead of strawberries I'd adjust the spices just a tad and add a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg to the shortcake dough. Not only do those spices accent blackberries well, they'll really make the house smell like fall around here! Fall is my favorite season and I'm ready to welcome it in.

Grilled Potato Skins

I could make a meal out of these potato skins! Gimme an ice cold beer or glass of wine and I'm gooood. (In fact, I think I'll grill these up this weekend).

4 medium baking potatoes

1/4 cup picante sauce

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tbsp. real bacon bits

1/2 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup sliced green onions, green tops included

TOPPING:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. sour cream

1-1/2 tbsp. Ranch salad dressing

1 tbsp. real bacon bits

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1. Scrub potatoes; prick with a fork. Place 2 of the potatoes in the microwave oven. Micro-cook on 100% power (high) for 11 to 14 minutes, or until just tender, rearranging once after 7 minutes. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Cool enough to handle.

2. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch thick shell. Discard pulp, or save for another use. Spoon 1/2 tbsp. picante sauce into each potato shell. Sprinkle each with cheese and bacon.

3. Grill potato skins on an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 10 to 12 minutes or till skins are crisp. Sprinkle with tomato and green onions. Top with sour cream mixture. Yield: 4 servings.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

These lemon twisted blueberry muffins are so light and refreshing. This quality recipe comes from a friend, Mary Beth, and has been a favorite for years. Mmmm!

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup lowfat lemon yogurt or sour cream

Juice from one large lemon

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1 pint blueberries, fresh or frozen

Sugar for sprinkling

1. Heat oven to 375º. Grease or line muffin cups with paper liners.

2. Mix together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir just until blended. Fold in blueberries. Pour into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with sugar.

3. Bake for 20 minutes or until muffins test done. Yield: 1 dozen.

Salmon with Honey Lime Butter

This is an excellent, very flavorful salmon recipe. The citrus butter combo is fantastic. I serve this with rice pilaf and a fresh seasonal vegetable. A light white wine like Riesling or Gewurztraminer is a good compliment to this entree.

4 large salmon steaks or 2 salmon filets (about 1 pound each)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup lime juice

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. crushed dried rosemary

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Honey-Lime Butter (recipe below)

.

1. Palce salmon in a shallow dish. Combine remaining ingredients and mix well; pour over salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain; discarding marinade.

2. Grill salmon over medium coals, skin side down, for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with Honey-Lime Butter. Yield: 4 servings.

.

HONEY-LIME BUTTER

4 tbsp. butter, softened

1 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. honey

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. finely grated lime peel

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

.

1. Beat all ingredients in a small bowl until well blended. Shape butter into a roll about 1-inch in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill. Cut into slices and serve with salmon.

Chicken Pecan Pitas

These are great when you have leftover chicken to use up. Perfect in the summer when you don't want to fuss with a hot kitchen. This versatile recipe is adaptable to different fruits and nuts like mandarin oranges, berries, cashews and/or pistachios as well.

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded in chunks

1 can (8-1/4 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup red and green grapes, halved

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup minced onion

3 tbsp. chopped pecans

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1/8 tsp. paprika

4 whole wheat pitas, cut in half

Large lettuce leaves

1. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, pineapple, grapes, celery, onions and pecans.

2. In another bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, salt, pepper and paprika until creamy. Pour over the chicken mixture and toss gently.

3. Line each pita pocket with a large lettuce leaf. Gently stuff 1/2 cup chicken mixture into each pita pocket half. Yield: 4 whole pitas.

Grilled Apricot Mustard Sausages

This is just soooo good! Perfect when you want a change of pace on the grill. The apricot mustard dip would be awesome with savory chicken sausages, too.

1/2 cup apricot preserves

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

Pinch salt and pepper

1 pound sweet Italian sausages

1. Prepare grill for direct grilling. Combine preserves, mustard and salt and pepper in a small bowl; mix well.

2. Grill sausages over medium-hot coals for 20 minutes, turning once. Baste with preserve mixture and continue grilling 3 minutes more, turning once, or until sausage is lightly browned and cooked through. Serve with remaining preserve mixture for dipping. Makes 4 servings.

Strawberry Filled Crepes

For an extra special breakfast treat, forgo the Cool Whip for real fresh whipped cream. It's hard to resist the strawberry fresh whipped cream combo! (Makes a great dessert, too)!

CREPES

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tbsp. powdered sugar

2 eggs

2/3 cup lowfat milk

1/3 cup water

1/4 tsp. vanilla

STRAWBERRY SAUCE

1/4 cup sugar

1 pint strawberries, sliced

1-1/2 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water

Light Cool Whip

Powdered sugar

1. Make the strawberry sauce first. Place sugar and strawberries in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened and bubbly. Cool to room temperature.

2. For the crepes, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Beat eggs and stir in milk, water and vanilla. Make a well in the sifted ingredients. Pour in the liquid and stir quickly to combine. A few small lumps are fine.

3. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add a small quantity of batter. Tip the skillet and let the batter spread over the bottom. Cook the crepe over moderate heat. When it is brown underneath, reverse it and brown the other side. Repeat process, spraying pan with nonstick cooking spray as needed

4. Serve crepes with strawberry sauce and Cool Whip. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Yield: 1 dozen crepes.

Honeydew Smoothie

Another big winner among the smoothie kick concoctions. Also good with vanilla protein powder added.

1 cup fat free vanilla yogurt

2 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 cups honeydew melon chunks

3/4 cup lowfat milk

2 tsp. sugar or Splenda

1/2 cup crushed ice

1. Add all ingredients to blender; whirl until smooth, stirring as needed. Yield: 2 small servings.

Peanut Butter Peach Smoothie

This may sound like an odd combo, but the flavor is really delicious. I was on a smoothie kick for awhile and this turned out to be one of my favorites!

1 cup lowfat milk

1 cup frozen unsweetened sliced peaches

2 tbsp. sugar or Splenda

1 tbsp. natural creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup crushed ice

1. In a blender, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 small servings

Apple-Nut Slaw

I came up with this combo when I was craving something different from regular cole slaw. This is a combo of Waldorf Salad and Cole Slaw, and it's super yummy!

1 pkg. (1 lb.) three color deli cole slaw

1 small green apple, peeled and coarsely shredded

1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries or cherries

2 tbsp. chopped walnuts

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. celery salt

1. Toss cole slaw, apples, cranberries and walnuts together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl whisk together remaining ingredients; toss with cole slaw mix to combine well. Chill. Yield: 8 servings.

Teriyaki Beef Kabobs

Because of the long marinating time, the teriyaki flavor is abundant through and through. Don't be skeptical of the ketchup in this teriayki recipe. It's definitely a key ingredient in the amazing flavor (and not "ketchupy" at all).

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1-1/2 pounds beef sirloin steak, cut into cubes

1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks or one fresh pineapple, cubed

Assorted fresh vegetables prepared for kabobs (mushrooms, zucchini, sweet pepper, onion)

1. In shallow dish or large plastic bag, combine ketchup, soy sauce, sugar and garlic powder. Add beef and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, or overnight. (Go for the overnight marinating).

2. Alternately thread meat, pineapple and vegetables on skewers. Bring marinade to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Grill kabobs above medium coals, turning often, until meat is done and vegetables are tender. Serve marinade over kabobs. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Summer before fall

So yeah, I stayed up waaaay too late blogging recipes last night. I think it was 2:00 am when my head hit the pillow. Oops! Believe it or not there is a slight method to my madness at this point. Summer is coming to an end soon, and I would like to get as many of my favorite warm weather recipes up now before I make the switch to my favorite seasonal cooking style, fall. I've tossed in a few other favorites thus far, but I will concentrate more on summer and "don't heat up the kitchen" stuff for now. Then, bring on cooler temps and fall which will include soups, stews, casseroles, roasts, baked goods, and so on...

At this particular moment, come to momma you much needed beautiful cuppa joe.