A Decadent Mac and Cheese

And this is no blue box dinner! Jessie-Sierra Ross, who wrote the new cookbook, Seasons Around the Table, came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her take on Macaroni and Cheese, please! She says there's no processed cheese sauce, here, just good old fashioned gruyere and orange cheddar. It's creamy, it's decadent and it's delicious. See, Mac and Cheese just isn't for the kids! At least if you do it the right way!

serves 6-8  

2 cups of large shell pasta 

6 ounces of orange cheddar cheese, shredded

4 ounces of gruyere cheese,

2 ounces aged parmesan, finely shredded

1 cup of milk

1/2 cup unsweetened corn flakes

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

pinch ground cayenne pepper

generous pinch kosher salt  

Preheat your oven to 375F, and butter a medium sized baking dish. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil and cook the pasta 2 minutes under what the box directions advise (12 minutes for the large shells in my case). Once cooked, drain and put aside.  

While the pasta water is heating, place a medium sized pot with two inches of water to boil over high heat. Wash and trim the cauliflower into small florets.

Once the medium pot of water has come to a boil, drop the cauliflower in and cook until tender (not mushy!), about 8-10 minutes. Drain and put aside. 

Shred your cheeses and reserve.  

In a large dutch oven or saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter on medium high heat, until frothy. Add the flour and stir with a whisk or wooden spoon constantly.

Cook until the paste turns an almost nut-brown. This is your roux. (if you don’t get the right color, the flour will taste uncooked!)  

Once the roux is cooked, immediately add in the milk. Continue stirring and cook for 3-5 minutes. The mix will thicken slightly. Add in the spices.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cheeses.

Continue to stir until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. 

Combine the cooked pasta with the cheese sauce.

Pour the macaroni and cheese into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the corn flakes over the top evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly. I like to finish it under the broiler for a minute or two, to give it a bit more color and crunch on top. Be careful not to burn the corn flakes.

The Southern Classic, Just in Time for the Holidays!

And that Southern Classic happens to be Mac and Cheese, Pimento Mac and Cheese to be exact. Morgan Bolling, who wrote the new cookbook, When Southern Women Cook, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen, to talk about her recipe, which was inspired by Southern Chef Ashley Christianson. Chef Ashley, who runs several restaurants, offers a version that's super-rich and creamy, with an almost custard-like texture. Morgan's version is a little more conventional, but still super cheesy and delicious. One of the great things about this dish, it's really easy to make ahead. So start on it now, and have it ready for holiday parties!

Attention Keto Users: You Can Eat What You Like

 

There's a lot of myths about the Keto diet plan. Many say you can't eat various things, or you'd have to give up a lot of your favorites. One cookbook author stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to say that's simply not true. Lolita Carrico wrote Keto Carbs: Cookbook for Beginners. And that's exactly who she wanted to target with this offering; beginners just getting started on the Keto plan. Lolita told Tonia those who are new to Keto need support as they begin to get int the lifestyle, and that's what this book offers, along with around 100 recipes that are really very easy. Lolita says there's no more than 10-15 ingredients maximum in each recipe, with most of the items likely being things you can already find in your kitchen cabinet. She takes on versions of traditionally high carb dishes, like macaroni and cheese, for example, and creates delicious editions that you can feel good about eating. She also publicizes alternative sweeteners like Allulose and Monk fruit

• 2 lobster tails fully cooked, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium cauliflower heads broken up into florets
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 oz cream cheese cut into small cubes
• 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese or substitute shredded mozzarella
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt I prefer himalayan sea salt
• 2 tbsp crushed pork rinds for topping
• 2 tbsp butter

• Preheat oven to 375
• Lightly butter a 9-inch glass baking dish
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil
• Cook cauliflower florets in the boiling water until just barely tender - about 5 minutes. Drain well and gently squeeze excess water with a paper towel. Transfer to baking dish and add lobster pieces. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer over low heat. Add in the cream cheese and mustard, and whisk until smooth.
• Stir in the shredded cheeses, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cheddar. Stir until smooth.
• Remove from heat and stir in seasonings.
• Pour cheese mixture over the cauliflower and lobster in the baking dish and gently fold to coat.
• Top with reserved shredded cheddar and crushed pork rinds.
• Bake for 15 minutes and then broil for 2 minutes to brown the top.