Recipe Review from 4/15/13

We ended the week with more snow.

The grill off our front steps...I guess we won't be grilling anytime soon.

4' snow drift that goes around 3 sides of the house.  Dog houses are completely buried.

No, Ben did not shove Andy into the snowbank...

Trout Chowder  (Angry Trout Cafe via Mpls Star Trib, July 2012)  Vegetarian
This was very easy to assemble.  If you have a fishmonger, you could even have them remove the bones, skin the fish and chop it into bite sized pieces.  Which brings me to the question, who actually has a fishmonger?  Anyway,  a bit of chopping, a bit of sauteing, a brief boil and then a simmer.  Add the roux to thicken and wah-la! Soup!  Very good soup too.  This made enough for 6 lunches.

4 c. vegetable stock
2 1/2 c. diced yukon gold or red potatoes (I used yukon)
1 c. diced carrots
4 tbsp butter, divided
1/4 c. chopped red onion (I used regular yellow)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 1/2 c. celery rib,diced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried dill
salt and white pepper to taste
8 oz Lake Trout, scales and bones removed and cut into bite sized pieces
3 tbsp flour
3/4 c. half n half
1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring vegetable stock to a boil.  Add potatoes and carrots, reduce heat to a low simmer until tender.  In a pan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Saute onion, garlic, and celery until tender, then add to stock.  Add bay leaf, dill, salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add trout and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Stir gently to avoid breaking up fragile chunks of fish.

In a pan over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tbsp butter.  Add flour and whisk about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and gradually add 1/2 n 1/2, whisking constantly until smooth. Add roux mixture to soup, stirring gently.  Increase heat to medium-high and cook until soup is just about to boil.  Remove from head, season, garnish with parsley and serve.



Stove-top Mac and Cheese  (Ckng Lght Apr 2013)   Vegetarian
Easy, incredibly quick, and tasted like a Southern Style mac-n-cheese, which to this Northern Girl is very creamy and a bit bland.  I have absolutely no complaints about this recipe.  Great, simple comfort food for a chilly evening.

• 8 ounces large elbow macaroni 
• 2 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
• Dash of ground red pepper
• 3 ounces light processed cheese, shredded (such as Velveeta Light; about 3/4 cup)
• 2.5 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2/3 cup) 
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. While pasta cooks, combine milk, flour, and peppers in a large saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook for 4 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat. Add cheeses and salt; stir until smooth. Add pasta, and stir to coat. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over top; broil 2 minutes or until browned.

Adam Hickman, Cooking Light
APRIL 2013