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day o' food & mac n' cheese recipe

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so, yesterday (as you know) was craig's birthday.  needless to say, i had a lot of food things planned.  i drove out to meet him for lunch during his lunch break.  we went to this place by his work that is rumored to have "the best" chicken caesar salad...and it did not disappoint.  besides having a yummy creamy caesar dressing and crisp romaine and buttery croutons, it also was topped with marinated portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions and breaded & baked chicken.  wow!  for dessert (yes, we got dessert with lunch.  it was his bday after all...) we shared a creme brulee.  the lemon zest they added to the custard was the perfect touch.

caesar salad

when i got home, i wrapped presents, set the table and finished making his cake.  well, actually not a "cake" per se, he requested a ganache tart with a peanut butter swirl.  fancy : )  i modified the recipe {here} with a peanut & pretzel crust, then added globs of pb to the ganache filling and topped with chopped peanuts.  completely decadent.

for dinner i whipped up homemade mac n' cheese and marinated chicken roll-ups filled with sauteed veggies.  we uncorked a bottle of bubbly and toasted the birthday boy.  good food.  good time : )

mac n' cheese

16oz medium shells
2 1/2 cups italian cheese blend (mozz, parm, prov)
2 cups sharp cheddar
2 cups milk
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
salt & pepper
dash of red curry optional (about 1 tsp)

topping:
1 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

cook pasta according to the directions on the package.  drain.

heat the milk in a small pot, but do not boil.  melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large pot and add flour.  over low heat, cook for a few minutes.  add the hot milk while whisking & cook for 1-2 min more, until thickened.

off the heat, add the shredded cheeses, 1 tablespoon salt & pepper.  add the cooked pasta and stir well. pour into baking dish.

sprinkle topping over mac n' cheese.  bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.  yummmmmmy!!!


present opened: vintage 1950s cocktail shaker!

it was a wonderful birthday!  (and i think craig enjoyed it too : )

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sinfully delicious: ganache goodness

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tomorrow we're celebrating my mom's birthday.  (her actual birthday was yesterday.)  and i'm in charge of making the birthday "cake".  my mom loves chocolate, so each year i try a new decadently chocolate delight...always in search of the ultimate chocolate indulgence.

real simple inspiration

this year, i was inspired by a "real simple" recipe for a hazelnut ganache tart with sea salt.  but you know me, i can never just follow a recipe...  so i modified it a bit to better suit my mom's chocolate preferences : )

instead of hazelnuts, a medley of almonds and pecans.  instead of a chocolate cookie crust, an orange butter wafer crust instead.  (my mom's favorite is dark chocolate with orange.)

the recipe...that i changed...

ganache goodness...my way : )

1/2 cup almonds + 1/4 cup pecans (3/4 cup total)
1 1/2 cups crushed orange wafer cookies (approximately 30 wafers)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
12 oz semisweet chocolate morsels
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

ingredients
1.heat oven to 350° F. spread the nuts on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven, tossing occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes.

roasted almonds & pecans
2.in a food processor, finely grind ½ cup of the nut mixture. add the crushed cookies and butter and pulse until moistened. press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch removable-bottom fluted tart pan.
3.place crust on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry, 10 to 12 minutes (if the crust puffs up during baking, gently press it down with the back of a spoon). let cool in the pan on a wire rack.

ganache - step one
ganache - step two
4.meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the cream just to a boil. remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate until smooth. pour into the cooled tart shell. refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

waterfall of delight
5.chop the remaining ¼ cup nuts and sprinkle on the tart.

the final result
6.sprinkle with the salt just before serving. for the easiest slicing, use a thin, sharp knife, wiping it clean and running it under hot water between slices.

for the original recipe from "real simple" click {here}

mmm...mmm...good

are you feeling creative?  i think a pretzel & peanut crust would be delicious and then top the ganache filling with chopped roasted peanuts or maybe even add a peanut butter swirl in the ganache.  or maybe a vanilla sugar cookie crust and then top each slice with homemade whipped cream and berries... yummy!

i am sooo looking forward to finally trying my creation tomorrow night.  i have a feeling it's going to be divine.  how can you go wrong with chocolate?

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