Cape Cod Macaroni and Cheese

One of my favorite things to do is re-create recipes, from the different restaurants I go to. There is a charming, family owned restaurant on Cape Cod, MA that makes this macaroni and cheese that is so comforting and delicious… I had to figure out the recipe. Every time I make this, it takes me back to summers on the Cape, waiting for the ferry to Nantucket.

This recipe uses two different types of cheese, which gives it more variety and flavor, than if you were to just use one. Top it off with bacon crumbles to make it even more irresistible. This is definitely not a guilt free recipe, but it’s so worth it!

Ingredients:

4 cups dried large shell pasta

4 tablespoons butter

¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 ½ cups fat-free half and half

2 teaspoons dry mustard,

½ pound smoked Gouda cheese

½ pound sharp cheddar cheese

½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoons ground black pepper

1 pound bacon

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni about six minutes, it should be firm. Drain and rinse with water.
2. Grate all of the cheese and set aside.
3. In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly.
4. Pour in half and half with mustard, whisk until smooth. Cook until very thick. Reduce heat to low.
5. Add in cheese and stir until melted, then add salt, and pepper.
6. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the sauce
7. Poor into a dish and set aside.
8. Fry bacon on stove until crispy. Once completely cooked, set aside and allow to cool. Cut bacon into small pieces and sprinkle on top of pasta.

Spinach Salad with Quinoa and Pomegranates

            This Spinach Salad with Quinoa and Pomegranates will be your new favorite Fall dish. It iso inviting, fresh, colorful and not to mention healthy.  This salad can be served as a side dish or as a light lunch, or add roasted chicken for a main dish meal. I love Quinoa and cook with it often. It is as simple to cook as white rice, and with it's light and fluffy texture it can be eaten on almost any plate, or even on its own.  It has an almost perfect balance of essential amino acids and proteins, which is why it is such an important food. 

Salad:

1/2 cup dried quinoa

1/2 cup chopped and toasted walnuts

1/2 pound baby spinach

1 cup crumbled feta

1 pomegranate, seeded

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Dressing:

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 ½ teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

Directions: 

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions and allow to cool. 
2. Place spinach, walnuts, feta, pomegranate seeds, dried cranberries into a large bowl and toss. Add quinoa and toss to combine. 
3. For dressing, whisk balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey and Dijon mustard together in a bowl. Add to salad and toss. 

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

Everyone’s favorite Monster, on a cupcake! These cute cakes are perfect for a children’s birthday party, but adults will love them too. A simple chocolate cake is topped with vanilla frosting and topped with marshmallow eyes and a chocolate chip cookie.

Ingredients:

12 chocolate cupcakes

Vanilla frosting

Blue dye

12 large marshmallows

24 chocolate chip pieces

Directions:

Bake a dozen cupcakes according to directions and allow to cool. Then cut out a small mouth for Cookie Monster. Place a cookie in the mouth and then pipe blue frosting all over the cupcake. Cut marshmallows in half sideways and place on cupcake for eyes, with sticky side of marshmallow facing out. Attach a chocolate chip for the center of the eyes. 

Confetti Cookies

Growing up, I used to travel for tennis tournaments about every other weekend. In between matches, my mom and I would often try and find a mall, to get out of the heat.  We were either celebrating or drowning my sorrows with retail therapy! More often than not, I would find a Mrs. Fields Cookie stand in the mall and get a bunch of those soft-baked M&M sugar cookies. They have always been one of my favorite cookies and I’ve been trying to find a recipe that is similar to that one. So far, my favorite one is from The Joy of Baking, and I posted it below, so you could all enjoy one of my favorite cookies. 

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup granulated white sugar

2/3 cup (140 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 ½ cup M&M candies

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Place one oven rack in the top third of the oven, and one oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and egg yolk, beating until well combined. Beat in the vanilla extract.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. (If batter is soft, cover and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes or until firm.)
5. Using a 1/4 cup (60 ml), an ice cream scoop, or two spoons, form batter into large balls. Place six balls of dough on each baking sheet. Gently flatten each ball of dough into a 2 1/2 inch (6.5 cm) round. Completely cover the tops of the cookies with the M&M's^. Gently press the candies into the dough. Bake the cookies for about 14 - 17 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. The cookies are done when they are light golden brown in color and just set around the edges. They will still seem a little soft in the center but they will firm up as they cool. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.