I am back after a long hiatus during which time I learned how to spell "hiatus"! I am trying to keep myself busy and have decided to start cooking school. I plan to keep y'all up to date with the yummy things I am burning at school, so sit down, shut up, and pay attention!
I won't start school until late January, so I will fill the time with all the holiday goodies I can wrap my gut around. To start off, I would like to introduce you to my Christmas Mac & Cheese. (Disclaimer: If you don't celebrate Christmas just call it Michelle's Totally Awesome Mac & Cheese. I won't mind the name change.) I recently had a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese and was so grossed out that I decided to make my own. I find that I am spoiling my palate by learning to cook, but life just seems so much more fulfilling with good food in my belly.
The Christmas part comes from the red and green vegetables and the appetizer nature of the dish. I designed this recipe for two appetizers since I live in a small household, but you could easily double it for the first course of a family dinner or make a whole casserole dish full of it for a large party. I wouldn't recommend making this the main dish because it is very rich.
Are you ready, young Jedi? OK, let the kitchen force guide you...
Ingredients
1/2 lb farfalle pasta (any small pasta could be used here, such as the traditional elbow macaroni)
2 tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp minced garlic (I used store bought minced garlic with peppers which will be less potent than fresh garlic, so you may want to use more or less, depending on your garlic preference)
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup cream (Use milk if you want less fat, but I mean, really,at this point does it matter?)
1/4 cup of each cheese: Mozzarella, Gruyère, Swiss, Blue (I prefer Gorgonzola to Blue)
A handful of your favorite cheese and/or panko bread crumbs for topping
1 tsp cumin
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 to 1 cup of frozen chopped spinach (Don't like spinach? Try fresh basil, braised kale, steamed broccoli, sauted green beans...the options are endless! Basil and Spinach tend to cook quickly, so add them last. The other vegetables take longer, so add them with the pepper.)
red pepper flakes and/or pepper to taste (This recipe shouldn't need extra salt because of the butter and cheese, but taste as you go and add as you need.)
How to make your guests go "yum!"
Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package and set aside. Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the garlic and sauté for a couple minutes. Add the wine and bell pepper and simmer for about 4 minutes. Add the cream, and Gruyère, Swiss, and Blue cheeses. Also add the cumin and any other spices you like, like the red pepper flakes. Simmer and stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until the spinach is completely incorporated. Make sure you taste it before you plate it! Turn on the broiler in your oven. Divide your pasta between 2 16 oz ramekins or other similar sized oven safe dish. Don't mash the pasta down. If you have extra pasta, that's OK (extra pasta + melted butter + Parmesan cheese = white trash pasta = awesome!). Divide the sauce between the two ramekins of pasta. Don't worry about being pretty or mixing it, just pour it right over the top of the pasta. Sprinkle a handful of your favorite cheese and/or panko bread crumbs on top and put under the broiler for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve immediately. Serves 2.
You really can't screw this up, so be adventurous and make it your own! Happy Holidays everyone!
Cheers,
Cupcake the Nerd
Monday, December 20, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Passport 7-17-10
We were driving slowly into the heart of the ghetto. B was at the wheel avoiding the potholes and filthy, undernourished kids running across the street. I was in the passenger seat, cocking my sawed off shotgun while staring down the kids who were menacingly pulling up their shirts to reveal handguns stuffed in their pants. One more turn and there it was! The huge La Honda sign was a beacon of safety. B sped towards the huge gilt edged warehouse and screeched to a halt between the Grecian planters surrounding the door. "I'll cover you...run!", I yelled as B jumped out of the car and started to madly pump the door handle. "Goddammit, it won't open", he said as I took up position next to him and leveled my gun at some of the kids who cautiously advancing, like a lion stalking it's prey. Suddenly the door opened inward. I whipped my gun around and narrowly missed blowing the top off a well dressed woman at the door. All she said was, "I saw you trying to open the door. Come on in!" And we ran in to enjoy the safety and solace of a good glass of wine. Just another day on the Santa Cruz Mountain Wineries Passport Weekend Trip.
Uh, no, that didn't actually happen, but I bet a lot more people would go along if it was always this exciting. We did actually drive through the ghetto of Redwood City to get to La Honda, a huge, beautiful warehouse. Dominico was also at La Honda because they were having a private event in their own tasting room which is about 10 minutes away. We then drove a tiny highway along with about half of the bay area over to Half Moon Bay to go to a cute little winery called La Nebbia. Finally, we made our way to the grand Thomas Fogarty and then home. The weather was beautiful, the company was excellent (Jeff and Vicky joined us), and the wine was pretty good. Here are my thoughts:
1. La Honda in Redwood City. Overall not impressed with these wines, but the place and the people were nice. They had a taco truck out back. I didn't have any, but Jeff said they were ok. The Pinot "Sequence" and the Cab Syrah "Exponent" were pretty good and fairly inexpensive, but we didn't like them enough to buy them. We did however buy a $10 crescent shaped wine holder that's pretty cool.
2. Dominico. I've been here before and I have liked their wines. Today was no different. The people were very knowledgeable and friendly. The Aglianico ('05) smelled great and was a little spicy. We bought a bottle for $30.
3. La Nebbia in Half Moon Bay. This is a cute little winery out in the boonies of HMB. They have a bottchie ball court and a glass blowing shed. There was even a guy giving glass blowing lessons. Overall, the wines were good, but the dessert wines were too sweet. I liked their sparkling wine (light and fruity) and it was affordable at $13.95. Also good was the Merlot ('05 from Russian River), but it was a little expensive ($29.95). I liked it so much I bought it anyway. They also had the port in the chocolate cup for an extra $2, but I didn't partake because they had already poured us 9 wines.
4. Thomas Fogarty in Woodside. This is a huge compound with a great view. They have excellent wines and great pourers, but their wines are way too expensive. Their '06 Chardonnay was really good (tasted like lemon butter). We didn't get it because it costs a whopping $36.00. The '05 Fat Buck Ridge Santa Cruz Mtns. Estate Syrah was meaty and rich ($48.00). This wine was fantastic! We ended up getting the Barbara and the Gewürtztraminer because they were really good and a little more affordable than most of the wines. This is an interesting winery. It was started by a doctor who invented so kind of heart surgery stint or something like that, so he had a lot of money and started a winery on some prime real estate. Now they are a popular wedding spot in addition to the tasting room and warehouse.
It was a good day.
Happy Tasting!,
Your Wine Nerd
Uh, no, that didn't actually happen, but I bet a lot more people would go along if it was always this exciting. We did actually drive through the ghetto of Redwood City to get to La Honda, a huge, beautiful warehouse. Dominico was also at La Honda because they were having a private event in their own tasting room which is about 10 minutes away. We then drove a tiny highway along with about half of the bay area over to Half Moon Bay to go to a cute little winery called La Nebbia. Finally, we made our way to the grand Thomas Fogarty and then home. The weather was beautiful, the company was excellent (Jeff and Vicky joined us), and the wine was pretty good. Here are my thoughts:
1. La Honda in Redwood City. Overall not impressed with these wines, but the place and the people were nice. They had a taco truck out back. I didn't have any, but Jeff said they were ok. The Pinot "Sequence" and the Cab Syrah "Exponent" were pretty good and fairly inexpensive, but we didn't like them enough to buy them. We did however buy a $10 crescent shaped wine holder that's pretty cool.
2. Dominico. I've been here before and I have liked their wines. Today was no different. The people were very knowledgeable and friendly. The Aglianico ('05) smelled great and was a little spicy. We bought a bottle for $30.
3. La Nebbia in Half Moon Bay. This is a cute little winery out in the boonies of HMB. They have a bottchie ball court and a glass blowing shed. There was even a guy giving glass blowing lessons. Overall, the wines were good, but the dessert wines were too sweet. I liked their sparkling wine (light and fruity) and it was affordable at $13.95. Also good was the Merlot ('05 from Russian River), but it was a little expensive ($29.95). I liked it so much I bought it anyway. They also had the port in the chocolate cup for an extra $2, but I didn't partake because they had already poured us 9 wines.
4. Thomas Fogarty in Woodside. This is a huge compound with a great view. They have excellent wines and great pourers, but their wines are way too expensive. Their '06 Chardonnay was really good (tasted like lemon butter). We didn't get it because it costs a whopping $36.00. The '05 Fat Buck Ridge Santa Cruz Mtns. Estate Syrah was meaty and rich ($48.00). This wine was fantastic! We ended up getting the Barbara and the Gewürtztraminer because they were really good and a little more affordable than most of the wines. This is an interesting winery. It was started by a doctor who invented so kind of heart surgery stint or something like that, so he had a lot of money and started a winery on some prime real estate. Now they are a popular wedding spot in addition to the tasting room and warehouse.
It was a good day.
Happy Tasting!,
Your Wine Nerd
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