Lobster Mac n' Cheese!

This past week I was not feeling too well, but with the weather finally improving and the lure of summer coming, I was craving some lobster!

Being a New Englander, I am a seafood fanatic, and I love indulging in Lobster! Of course, the prices for lobster are still a bit high for now, but I just could not wait any longer.  Rather than just eating the lobster (which I usually do with a nice cold beer), I decided to incorporate into a dish that I have not made for a long time - macaroni and cheese.

Macaroni and cheese is just such a great comfort food and when you combine it with fresh seafood, it adds a bit of sophistication! The perfect combo to make any girl feel better! Although it may sound more "fancy shmancy," this dish is really simple to make!

Lobster Mac n' Cheese

Ingredients:
-1 pound penne pasta (I used whole wheat)
-1 pound fresh lobster, chopped up (you can buy it like this from the fish counter)
-1/2 pound baby shrimp (optional - you can add more if you have less lobster or if it is not fresh in your market)
-4 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons for drizzling
-1 onion, chopped
-1 clove of garlic, minced
-1/4 cup white wine
-1/4 cup flour
-2 cups heavy cream
-2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
-2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
-1/4 cup bread crumbs (or panko bread crumbs)
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Freshly chopped parsley for sprinkling
-White truffle oil (a few drops if you have it)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a little salt and the penne.  Cook for about 8 minutes, or until al dente.  Drain the pasta, but reserve one cup of the pasta water.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter.  Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the flour and cook for an additional two minutes.  The onions will clump together a bit with the flour, but that is okay.  Whisk in the wine and let it reduce by almost half.  Once the wine has reduced, whisk in the heavy cream and nutmeg and cook for about 5 - 10 more minutes, or until the mixture thickens.

Once the cream mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in a couple drops of truffle oil if using.  Pour the mixture over the penne.  Fold in the cheeses and seafood.  If the mixture is too thick for your liking, you can add a little of the reserved pasta water to help loosen it up.

Transfer all of the pasta into a casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and parsley.  Melt the reserved two tablespoons of butter and drizzle it over the top of the bread crumbs.  Place the casserole dish in the oven and cook for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until the top starts to become a golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.

Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 - 15 minutes.  Then, take a spoon, dig in and enjoy!




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Caprese Salad

This week for FN Dish's Sensational Sides, our side dish had to be something that could be assembled without any cooking and/or baking.  Since the weather has FINALLY been getting warmer and my basil plant has actually been growing (yay!), I decided to put my fresh basil to use and make a simple, yet delectable, Caprese Salad!

Caprese salad is just so light and so refreshing that it is hard to resist! The fresh basil with the thick slices of mozzarella and tomato... mmmmm. Oh, and the olive oil and balsamic drizzle just add that extra touch of greatness!

Caprese Salad

Ingredients:
-3 to 4 whole ripe tomatoes, sliced thickly
-12 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced thickly
-Bunch of basil leaves
-Olive oil
-Balsamic Vinegar (or reduction)
-Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:
On a plate, alternate layering the mozzarella and tomato slices.  Then, tuck basil leaves in between each layer to add color and flavor.

Drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  You can also make a balsamic reduction, which requires heating about 2 cups of balsamic vinegar for approximately 15-20 minutes until it reduces and begins to thicken.  This is optional and entirely up to you though.  Since this was a no-bake challenge, I just drizzled the balsamic right over the top!

Add a little sprinkle of salt and pepper if you wish, and dig in and enjoy!

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Mixed Fish Poke Tower
Feed Me Phoebe: Smoked Tofu Summer Rolls
The Lemon Bowl: Asian Cabbage Slaw With Mint and Scallions
The Cultural Dish: Caprese Salad
Cooking With Elise: Good for You Guacamole
Dishin & Dishes: Chicken Salad With Dried Cherries and Walnuts
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Cilantro, Ginger and Garlic Dip
Red or Green?: Avocado and Three Chile Salsa
Weelicious: Avocado Honey Dip
Devour: No-Cook Kale Salad Recipes
Made By Michelle: Swiss Chard Pesto
The Sensitive Epicure: No-Cook Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Domesticate Me: Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower
FN Dish: Go Raw With Shaved Salads


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Lemon Risotto (Revisited)

This week for FN Dish's Sensational Sides series, we had to use any form of rice, grains, barley, etc in our side dish.  Since spring is in the air, and lemons always remind me of warmer weather, I decided to use this as an opportunity to make my lemon risotto.

I have this lemon risotto recipe before, but I find that it is always good to occasionally go back to your old recipes and revisit them in order to see if there are any new ways to prep and/or tweak that recipe.

Lemon Risotto in a Lemon Cup (scoop out the insides of the lemon, cut off the top, and fill with risotto for a cute serving idea)

Ingredients:
-2 cups chicken broth
-1/2 cup water
-1 medium shallot, chopped (or small onion)
-3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
-1 cup Arborio rice
-1 cup dry white wine
-1 lemon zested and juiced
-1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional, but the cheese help to give a more rich and creamy taste)
-2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
-Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth and water to a simmer and leave on low heat.

In another medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.  Add the shallot and saute for about 3 minutes.  Pour the rice into the pan and mix in with the shallot until coated.  Then, add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost fully reduced.  Once the wine has reduced, add about a 1/2 cup of the broth.  Simmer and stir until almost reduced (a few minutes).  Continue adding about a 1/2 cup of the broth at a time, allowing to the broth reduce before adding more.  Once all of the broth has been used, remove from heat and mix in the last tablespoon of butter, Parmesan cheese, mascarpone cheese, lemon zest and juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  The rice mixture should be creamy but al dente.

Serve warm as a side dish to accompany any spring or summer dinner.  Enjoy!

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Chinese Shrimp Fried Rice
Devour: Farro Salad With Greek Yogurt
Dishin & Dishes: Kale, Quinoa and Black Bean Salad
The Cultural Dish: Lemon Risotto
The Sensitive Epicure: Stir-Fried Quinoa With Chinese Vegetables
Virtually Homemade: Spring Couscous Salad With a Citrus Vinaigrette
Made By Michelle: Really Good Granola
Cooking With Elise: Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Weelicious: Mushroom Barley
Thursday Night Dinner: Quinoa Salad With Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Mint
Feed Me Phoebe: Millet Salad With Roasted Fennel and Tomatoes  
FN Dish: Good Grains Make for Balanced Meals

 

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Two Variations

This week for FN Dish's Sensational Sides, we were asked to make a side dish that needed to be roasted.  Since I like to roast all of my vegetables, like my Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus, I decided to change it up a bit this week, and roast some sweet potatoes.  The only problem was, I could not decide how I wanted to flavor them!  Therefore, I just made two batches and both were so delicious in their own way! Since I cannot pick a favorite, I'll let you decide which one you prefer.

Ingredients

Version 1: Rosemary Roasted Sweet Potatoes
-2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
-1/2 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary
-1 teaspoon diced garlic
-1 tablespoon butter (optional)
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Olive oil for drizzling

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

On a baking sheet and/or pan, toss the sweet potatoes with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, rosemary, and garlic. Place in the oven and roast for about 25 minutes, or until fork tender.

Remove from the oven and stir in the butter, if using, until melted. 

 

Variation 2: Cinnamon and Walnut Roasted Sweet Potatoes
-2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-1 tablespoon butter, melted
-1 handful of walnuts (optional)
-Honey for drizzling (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

On a baking sheet and/or pan, toss the sweet potatoes with the melted butter and cinnamon.  Place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until fork tender.

Remove from the oven and stir in the walnuts and just a little bit of honey (if using).

I hope you enjoy both of these tasty variations!

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Roasted Cauliflower, Carrots and Chickpeas With Halloumi Cheese
Dishin & Dishes: Roasted Asparagus and Avocado Toast
Cooking With Elise: Roasted Strawberries and a Mixed Green Salad
The Cultural Dish: Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Two Variations
Weelicious: Roast Chicken With Caramelized Lemons, Cherry Tomatoes and Olives
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Leeks With Polenta and Pork Tenderloin
Red or Green?: Spicy Roasted Radishes and Asparagus With Balsamic Vinegar
Virtually Homemade: Grilled Rosemary Garlic Potatoes
The Sensitive Epicure: Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Asparagus With Rosemary
Feed Me Phoebe: Artichokes With White Wine and Thyme
Devour: Oven Roasted Vegetable Recipes
FN Dish: An Ode to the Oven, Roasted Side Dish Recipes Pin It