Beer Cheese and Bratwurst Mac & Cheese

 

Ahhh, you smell that?

Fall.

Autumn in the air.

Apples. Pumpkin flavored everything. Caramel deliciousness.

Also, Oktoberfest!

I think many are surprised to know that it actually happens in September, usually ringing in the crisp, cool, autumn weather. (Unless you live in Southern California like me, and the weather feels like a cruel continuation of the worst Summer EVER! It's STILL 80 degrees INSIDE my house as I type this! But hey, any excuse for good beer and sausage, yes?)

Here in the North County part of San Diego, we have lots of amazing restaurants, and one of our favorites a town over from us in San Marcos is Sublime Ale House, which specializes in gourmet mac & cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches. They also have a FABULOUS beer cheese soup, which is where I found inspiration for this recipe.

This right here might be the ultimate comfort food. It's rich and creamy and delicious, and has quickly become my husband Dave's favorite meal.

This weekend his best friend from his military days, Chris, came to visit for a "guy's weekend". They been playing Diablo 3 on their computers (sitting side by side, just like an episode of The Big Bang Theory.), visiting Golden Coast Mead (which alone is worth the trip down from Oregon! Boozy goodness made from honey, supporting wonderful bees in all their glory? Yes, please!), and doing other guy things. Whatever those things might be. Mostly eating, gaming, and drinking though.

Weeks before Chris even got here, Dave put in his request for this Beer Cheese Mac & Cheese. He's a big fan of my other made-from-scratch mac & cheese, but the first time I made this one, it not only replaced the original, but he now considers it his favorite thing I make.

Now, I don't make this very often. Because even though it's heaven-in-your-mouth delicious, it's super NOT healthy. And also, because it's more work than I like to do for a regular weeknight meal. So I save it for special occasions like birthdays and when friends or family are visiting.

And for Oktoberfest weekend of course!!

Beer Cheese and Bratwurst Mac & Cheese

1 package (5 links) Bratwurst, cooked and diced.
1 Stick of Butter
Around 3-4 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour (I don't measure, but it needs to be enough that it forms a glue-like consistency when added to the butter.)
2 tsp. or so Garlic Salt
Pepper to taste
1 12 oz. bottle of lighter beer, such as Budweiser (Darker beers are delicious to drink while making this, but can overpower everything else if used in the recipe. Stick to the cheap-ish stuff. )
1 8 Oz. Package of Cream Cheese, cut into chunks
1 1/2 C. Fat Free Half and Half (you can use regular, but the fat free is just as good, and saves a few calories.)
1 Lb. PLUS 1 C. Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, hand shredded (pre-shredded leaves this a totally different, weird consistency because of the non-clumping stuff "they" add to it.)
1 Lb. Small Shell or Elbow Pasta, cooked until all the way done (not al dente) and drained.
More salt and pepper, if needed.
.

Preheat oven to 425.

Cook and dice the bratwurst. Set aside in a bowl lined with paper towels, to drain.

In a large skillet melt the butter, then add the AP flour and cook until well combined, and the consistency of runny-ish glue. Stir in garlic salt and pepper.

Whisk in the bottle of beer. Keep stirring until well combined, and hot.

Whisk in the cream cheese, until melted and combined.

Whisk in the half and half.

When the mixture starts to thicken a bit, start adding the shredded cheese, small handfuls at a time, until combined well, and the cheese isn't stringy anymore, but a thick sauce.

(Now you could stop here, and you'll have the absolute best beer cheese dip for soft preztels or those amazing pretzel rolls from Costco. Perfect for those who like to watch sports in groups, which I don't. Or for movie nights or TV show marathons with a group of friends, which I do happen to love!)

Add the diced bratwurst, then combine with pasta. Taste test and any more salt and pepper, only if needed.

Pour into a 9x13 baking dish, top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.

Serve with some healthy veggies or a salad to counteract all that cheesiness.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Who doesn't love Mac and Cheese?! Seriously, it's so good.

When I was pregnant with my son, I actually craved the Kraft boxed kind, with it's funky orange powder sauce mix...

When my hormones are somewhat normal, I go for the homemade kind.

This is a recipe I came up with right after my hubs and I got married. It's so simple, an yet it's probably the recipe people ask me for the most.

It's very versatile. You can use regular Cheddar-Jack mix, Pepper Jack for a little kick, or you can go all out and use cheese from the fancy cheese section... it's ALL good!

Sometimes, when I'm lazy (OK... that's pretty much all the time...) I just get one of those rotisserie chickens from Costco and add the meat to this, as well as some frozen veggies (I add them to the pasta while it's boiling) and then dinner is done, and I don't have to worry about preparing anything else.

Laziness or genius... you decide!

Homemade Mac and Cheese

16 oz macaroni (shells or elbow) cooked

1- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided (You can sub and cheese you like here...)

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2  8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

4 Tbsp butter melted

1/2 - 3/4 cup milk or fat free half and half (To make it easier to stir and keep the moisture in)

Dash of salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs or crushed potato chips


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the butter and the cream cheese together in a microwave, and stir until pretty much combined.

In a large mixing bowl combine cooked macaroni, ricotta, garlic and onion powders, 2 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese and butter mixture, milk., salt and pepper (you can add he chicken here too, if your going for a casserole type of dish). Pour into a 9x13 baking pan or casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until topping is browned and crispy. Serve with your favorite veggies and enjoy!

Keepin' It Simple (Caprese Pasta)

Tonight's dinner was about as simple as simple can be. It only took about as much time as it takes for water to boil and pasta to cook, and it was good!

After being a bum most of the day, I realized at about 5:45pm that I hadn't done any of the dishes from the day before... it happens. Frequently even. So when I started cooking at 6:25 I figured we'd be eating at 7:30. But nope, this recipe was prepped, cooked and eaten well before 7:30 rolled around.

It's food like this that *almost* makes me think I could handle being a vegetarian... but then I think about bacon. Which would be good in this. What isn't bacon good in?!

I love keeping it simple. Sometimes, that's just the best!

Caprese Pasta
1 Pkg. Angel Hair Pasta
6 Tbsp. Butter
4-5 Cloves Garlic, pressed
5 Roma Tomatoes, diced
10-12 Large Fresh Basil Leaves (Stacked on top of each other, rolled like a cigar, and thinly sliced cross-wise)
A couple handfuls of Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Mozzarella (I used the mini balls)
Salt and Pepper, and a drizzle of Olive Oil

Cook the pasta... While it's cooking, dice/chop, the tomatoes and basil, and melt butter in a skillet and add the garlic to cook it (but watch it, as garlic browns very quick).

Drain the pasta (never rinse it!) and put it back in it pot. Add the salt and pepper, tomatoes, and basil. Then pour the butter garlic mixture over it, and add your Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil, mix,  and add the mozzarella last, so it stays in it's cute little ball shapes without melting too much...

And that's it. See... simple.

Penne with Chicken and Mushrooms in Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Well, as promised in my first post, here's the recipe I said I would post. It's kind of my own variation of the Pampered Chef's Harvest Pasta Skillet (a vegetarian one-pot recipe which is super yummy too!) So without further ado...

 Penne with Chicken and Mushrooms in Pumpkin Cream Sauce

16 oz penne pasta
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp. olive oil (I used the kind that's infused with rosemary, but whatever you have is fine)
1-2 Tbsp. butter
5 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp or so 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's (Or whatever salt-free seasoning you've got)
1 15 oz. can solid packed pumpkin
2ish cups chicken broth
1 cup (maybe a tad more) of fat free half & half
1-2 Tbsp. Moroccan Rub from Pampered Chef *
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (divided)
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
Salt & Pepper
1/4 cup shelled, chopped pistachios

Ok, so first you cook the pasta, pretty much according to directions, except don't let it cook all the way. Maybe only cook it half way.
While that's cooking, you saute the mushrooms and garlic in the oil and butter with the no-salt seasoning stuff in a large pan.
In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin, broth, 1/2 & 1/2 and Moroccan Rub (*a mix of sweet and savory spices, cinnamon, cumin, ginger and lemon. You can just use more of the non-salty seasoning if you want...) until well combined (no more chunks of pumpkin puree). Add the pumpkin/broth mixture to the pan with the mushrooms and garlic. Add 1/4 cup or so of grated Parmesan cheese and the cooked chicken. It'll be really thin... that's how you want it for now.
Now add the 1/2 way done pasta to the sauce, and mix well so its all coated. Let the pasta finish cooking uncovered in the sauce (the sauce will be absorbed by the pasta and will thicken...) when it's done, top with the remaining 1/4 cup or so of Parmesan and the chopped pistachios... Now eat. :) This makes at least 6 servings.