Tuesday, September 21, 2010

chocolate shake?

i can't remember where i found this, but it is awesome!

1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 cup fat free evaporated milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups ice cubs

blend.

Monday, September 20, 2010

annie's favorite pasta

this is from sarah moulton's cookbook, sara's secrets for weeknight meals. it is fast and easy and one of our favorite dinners.

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
8 oz frozen breakfast sausage, slice 1/4 inch thick (do not defrost sausages before cutting them)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp rinsed, dried, and chopped fresh sage or 1/4 tsp rubbed
1 tsp rinsed and dried fresh thyme or 1/3 tsp dried
two 14 1/2 oz cans chopped tomatoes
1 pound rotelle (cartwheel) or other shaped pasta
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 oz parmigiano-reggiano cheese, finely grated

bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot; reduce the heat to medium, add the sausage, and saute, stirring occasionally, until it is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. (don't discard the fat released by the sausage.) add the garlic, sage, and thyme; cook 1 minute. add the tomatoes, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes.
during the last 10 minutes, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 10-12 minutes. add the cream to the sauce and simmer just until the sauce has thickened slightly. add salt and pepper to taste. drain the pasta, reserving 2/3 cup of the cooking liquid. stir the pasta cooking liquid into the sauce and toss with the drained pasta. top each portion with some of the parmigiano-reggiano.

Friday, September 17, 2010

homemade mac and cheese

this is the recipe we love. from recipes.com

1 8oz pkg macaroni pasta
2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 cups milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2-3 tbs all-purpose flour
2 tbs butter or margarine
1/2 cup bread crumbs
paprika

cook macaroni according to the package directions. drain.
in a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. stir in enough flour to make a roux. add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly.
stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and he sauce is a little thick. put macaroni in a large casserole dish and pour sauce over macaroni. stir well.
melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. add breadcrumbs and brown. spread over macaroni and cheese to cover. sprinkle with a little paprika.
bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. serve.

we omit the breadcrumb portion and just go for the saucy stuff!