Donut Army

I am a fan of macaroni and cheese. In fact, I have an entire section in my recipe library dedicated solely to this casserole. And while I can enjoy a panko-crusted bowl of mac-n-cheese featuring Gruyere and Blue Cheese just like the next person, I most enjoy versions made with grated cheddar and a few vegetables. I read about this in a recent issue of Edible Austin magazine. I loved the tomato-based, stew-like idea behind this macaroni, but the original version called for a lot of beef in it. I wanted to make a version without meat. The end result is more brothy than cheesy, and that's just fine by me. Lupita's Macaroni Based on a recipe from Edible Austin   Olive oil 1 12-oz package elbow macaroni 3 T garlic, minced 3 T shallots, minced 1 1/2 T cumin seeds 3 T chili powder 1 1/2 quart stock, plus more as needed 2 T tomato paste salt and pepper 1 c peas, cooked 2 c cheddar cheese, grated 1 c tomato, diced 1/2 c cilantro, chop...

This particular lasagna dish is a great version for deep winter -- heavy on pasta and cheese, but also bringing in Swiss chard. This version was a bit too heavy on ricotta cheese. I recommend playing with some proportions on this one, maybe even cutting the ricotta with cottage cheese. Lasagna with Chard, Tomato Sauce and Ricotta  based on New York Times 1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves stripped and chopped 1/2 lb no-boil lasagna noodles 2 T olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 14.5 oz cans of chopped tomatoes, with juice pinch of cinnamon-sugar sprinkles of dried basil, oregano and thyme 1/2 c ricotta cheese (or as much as you would like) 1/3 - 1/2 c Parmesan, grated Steam the chard in its own water for 3-5 minutes, until wilted. Drain and set aside.   In a pot, heat oil. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, sugar, basil sprig and salt. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15-25 minutes, until thick, depending on the amount of juice in the pan. Remove ba...

  Vegetable Quinoa Bake The Global Vegetarian 1 T canola oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 8-10 button mushrooms, sliced 1 green bell pepper (or red), seeded and diced 1 jalapeno , seeded and minced 1 zucchini, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 c water 1 1/2 c quinoa, rinsed and drained 2 c butternut squash, peeled and diced 1 c carrot, peeled and diced 1 c kale, spinch or escarole, chopped 1 1/2 T parsley, dried 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper Preheat oven to 400. In large saucepan, heat oil. Add onion, mushroom, pepper, jalapeno zucchini and garlic and saute 5-7 minutes. Stir in water, quinoa, squash, carrots, kale and seasonings and bring to a boil. Transfer mixture to a 9x13" casserole dish and cover. Bake 30-40 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from oven. Fluff with fork. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Summary thoughts: I found this dish to be overall a bit bland at first. In the future, I m...