Recipes

KNR, p. 202 “The Kerrians’ Famous Mac & Cheese”

 

The temperatures are cooling off and comfort food takes center stage at our house. We fend off the chill with body warming soup and hearty sandwiches, but every once in a while, we like mac & cheese for lunch or dinner.

I like to taste test the new versions with different goodies added to the mix, but there is a basic recipe that Sheila uses (and even I can make) that is fail-safe. We sometimes prepare it ahead and serve it as a side dish if we’re expecting a crowd.

A couple of thoughts: It looks like a lot of instructions, but you’re boiling noodles, grating cheese, making a sauce, and putting it together in layers – like lasagna. No bodies were found while making the latest batch. Promise.  🙂

Here’s our famous Mac & Cheese recipe:

 

The Kerrians' Famous Mac & Cheese

Sheila Kerrian
tasty comfort food
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 2 quart baking dish
  • 3 quart pot

Ingredients
  

Noodles

  • 1 8 oz box small elbow noodles
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon butter or margarine for boiling water, to keep noodles from clumping
  • 1 teaspoon butter for tossing noodles

White Sauce

  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 5 Tablespoons flour
  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper

Additional Ingredients

  • 12 oz sharp cheddar, grated
  • 2 cups croutons, seasoned  (we use the garlic & herb variety)
  • 1 cup bacon, crisp, crumbled   *optional
  • 1 whole tomato *optional

Instructions
 

Noodles

  • Bring 1 and 1/2 quarts water to boil in a 3 quart pot, add 2 teaspoons sea salt and stir.
  • Add dry noodles and 1 teaspoon margarine to boiling salted water and stir.
  • Boil noodles until fork tender, stirring frequently (about 20 mins).
  • (While noodles are boiling, prepare the White Sauce.)
  • Thoroughly drain the noodles, toss with 1 teaspoon butter, and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 375.

White Sauce

  • In one quart pot, melt 4 Tablespoons butter on medium heat, being careful not to burn it.
  • Add 1 Tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and stir until well blended.
  • Add 4 more Tablespoons flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring each until well-blended and the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot.
  • Remove from heat. Add 1 cup milk (1/4  cup at a time) stirring until smooth, without clumps.
  • Return to heat and gradually add 3 more cups milk, while stirring. As the sauce thickens, stir to keep it from sticking to the pot and/or clumping. It is ready when it is the consistency of creamy gravy.
  • Add pinch of black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside. It will thicken a bit more while sitting.

Cheese and Assembly

  • Grate all of the cheese and set aside.
  • Use a 2-quart baking dish. You will be assembling the mac & cheese in layers (like lasagna).
  • Spread 1/4 cup of sauce on bottom of baking dish.
  • Spread 1/3 of the noodles in the bottom.
  • Spread 1/3 of the remaining white sauce on the noodles.
  • Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese on top of the sauce.
  • Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the croutons on top of the cheese.
  • Repeat the layers twice more, but with the top layer, crumble the remaining croutons and spread evenly on top.
  • Bake at 375 until heated through and cheese is bubbly, about 20 minutes, no lid.
  • Serve with salad.

Notes

Options: Create a well in the center of a whole tomato and serve mac & cheese in it.
Sprinkle crumbled bacon on top of mac & cheese as a garnish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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KNR, p. 179 “Kerrian’s Gluten-Free Pancakes”

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Sheila and I really enjoy eating pancakes on the weekends, and even sometimes during the week for dinner. But then, who doesn’t like breakfast for dinner? One of our friends has started a gluten-free diet and asked Sheila if she had a gluten-free version of our pancakes. We didn’t at the time, but Sheila played around with the basic eggs, flour, milk, and butter recipe and came up with this one. We tried pea flour, but that batch wound up tasting like hummus.

There was lots of taste testing and I think the final version is pretty good served with butter and syrup. They are thin, not puffy.

An interesting discovery was that these can become a bread substitute by adding rosemary or other herbs to the mix. They don’t really stand up to a hefty sandwich, but work nicely as a substitute for rolls with dinner.

Print
 

Kerrian's Favorite Gluten-Free Pancakes

Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 1/2 cup white rice flour
  • 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 cups cold water
  • 1/4 cup almond oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure Mexican vanilla
  • 1 egg (can also be just the egg white)
  • 1 Tablespoon 1 softened margarine for coating frying pan – butter will burn

Instructions
 

  • Mix all dry ingredients together.
  • Slowly add water while whisking to keep the mixture from clumping.
  • Add almond oil and whisk until thoroughly mixed.
  • Add vanilla and whisk until blended.
  • Add egg and whisk until mixed.
  • Heat frying pan on medium, add margarine and spread to cover bottom of pan. As soon as margarine starts to bubble, begin to make pancakes.
  • Flip when pancake edges begin to dry and surface bubbles. Done when lightly browned on both sides, about a minute or two each side, depending on the heat of your stove top.
  • Remove to plate and serve immediately.

Notes

Recipe tips:
Making the herb-seasoned variety? Add a teaspoon of dried rosemary or other herbs to the dry ingredients. Prep and cooking is the same.
This gluten-free batter should be stirred just before cooking each batch, since the rice flour tends to sink to the bottom of the bowl.
Can be reheated in toaster.
Can be frozen, but separate each pancake with foil before putting in freezer containers.
If left in pile on covered plate in refrigerator, can be kept for four days.

 

Enjoy!  🙂

*Photo by Patti Phillips

 

 

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KNR, p. 224 “Parmesan Basil Veggies”

 

The doc says I need to eat more vegetables. Sheila has been telling me that for years, but when the doc tossed his two bits into the checkup conversation at his office, I sighed and promised to eat all the broccoli on my plate. He frowned and told me that more than broccoli had to be on the menu. The guy does not have a sense of humor. I’m a grownup and figured I could pick and choose my eats, but evidently not anymore. He says it’s good for my heart though, so I’m all in.

 

I have to admit that Sheila has come up with some tasty ways to meet the goals – like the zucchini quiche and the tomato cucumber feta salad. Some veggies can be served steamed and/or with butter – like yellow squash or green beans. Broccoli, on the other hand IMO, needs some help. Here’s Sheila’s solution and with lots of taste testing, gets a ‘thumbs up’ from me.

 

Print
"Parmesan Basil Veggies"
Author: 
Recipe type: vegetables
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 2 broccoli crowns, cut into small bite-sized pieces – about 2 cups
  • 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small bite-sized pieces – about 1 cup
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch chunks, about 2 cups
  • 2 cups finely chopped carrots - 1/4 inch chunks
  • 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped dried basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 1.5 cups mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
  1. Place broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and basil leaves into extra-large bowl.
  2. Toss together until evenly mixed.
  3. In separate bowl, mix together vinegar, mayonnaise, and sour cream until thoroughly blended.
  4. Pour mayo mix over the vegetables and stir until the vegetables are well coated.
  5. Chill in refrigerator for an hour before serving.
  6. Garnish with carrot bits.


Enjoy!

 

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