World’s Best Mac and Cheese

And I wish I could claim it! If you’ve ever had Flemings Chipotle Mac and Cheese I know you will agree. If you’ve never had it and want to try it for yourself, here’s the recipe (as shown on www.Food.com):

Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta (cavatappi or curly)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup onion, 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper (ground)
• 3/4 lb smoked cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 lb cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon dried chipotle powder (chipotle chili powder)
• 3/4 cup panko

Directions

•  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot, bring 1 gallon of water to boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt and pasta and cook for 8 – 9 minutes
•  Drain pasta and cool under cold running water. Pasta should be slightly firm. Toss drained pasta in oil and reserve.
•  Melt butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 4 – 5 minute.
•  Add flour and cook 1 – 2 minute but do not brown.
• Add cream, half and half, kosher salt and white pepper.
•  Bring pot to a simmer. Cook until sauce is thick, about 5 – 6 minute Blend cheese into sauce and add cooked pasta.
• Pour pasta and sauce into a 9 x 12″ baking dish. Reserve.
• In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add oil and chipotle chili powder. Heat for 30 seconds, until pan starts to smoke. Remove from stove and stir in bread crumbs.
• Sprinkle bread crumbs over the pasta and bake for 15 – 20 minute until golden. Cool slightly before serving.

Anis Bistro, Atlanta

A charming spot off Pharr Rd and Grandview, located in a small house, they offer free valet parking – the guy had our car waiting when we were ready to leave!  Now that’s service!

My dinner companion and I arrived before our friends and were seated on the patio.  A request for a wine recommendation allowed us the opportunity to try a sparkling Pinot Noir from Spain (Cava) – lovely!  We requested a cheese plate that was quite good though a bit light in quantity so we followed that with Pom Frites, a wonderfully salty huge basket that was shared by all.  To view the menu, visit their site (one item, braised veal cheeks is no longer offered but still on the menu).  http://www.anisbistro.com/

I had one of the evening’s specials, duck breast served with chard, yellow squash and a blueberry au jus – cooked perfectly!  Ask for wine recommendations – a wonderful job of pairing food and wine.  Breads and desserts were wonderful, we will return!

Cherry Jubilee Cake

This is a vintage recipe (another word for old) that my sweet Grandmother used to make for us – - -and one of my sister’s favorites!  Easy, great with coffee and quite pretty – enjoy!       Magoo

Cherry Jubilee Cake

1 Duncan Hines White Cake Mix

1 cp Pear Nectar

½ cup Crisco oil

4 whole eggs

½ cup of sugar

½ tsp of cherry flavoring or 1 tsp of juice of Marciano cherries

6 drops of red food coloring

3 Tb juice of Marciano cherries

In a large bowl, blend all ingredients except eggs.  Beat at medium speed for one minute, add eggs one at a time. Beat at medium speed for one minute after each addition. Spread batter in a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until cake tests done with toothpick.

Cool right side up for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. Mix one cup of powdered sugar. 6 Marciano cherries finely chopped and 2 tablespoons of juice from cherries. Pour over cake while still warm to make a glaze.

(adapted from Ada B. Towe’s recipe, 4/2011 – She likely got it from a Duncan Hines box)

Watch for Opening of Double Zero

The great folks who own and operate Sugo’s in Roswell, GA and The Iberian Pig in Decatur, GA are opening a southern Italian restaurant right in Sandy Springs at I285 and Roswell Rd, just outside the perimeter – target date is May 10th!  I plan on being there – in particular, I hear the pastry chef there is unbelievable!

More info to come.

Julie and Julia

I am watching Julie and Julia for about the 12th time and simply love it!  I made boeuf bourguignon yesterday and it was fantastic; flavorful, aromatic and satisfying.  Now I want to try braised cucumbers – have you ever looked at the recipe?  It is quite simple so I will be trying it later today.  I was wondering what else is a good braised recipe – I’ve had braised ribs that are fall off the bone tender and delicious.

Can you truly learn to cook by just following recipes and practicing?  I have hundreds of cookbooks and find if you read them from cover to cover, so many techniques are discussed yet there is nothing like an actual demonstration (ie, video).   I love watching the original Julia Child TV series.  She is so relaxed and comforting.  And what about those pearls?

My grandmother always wore handmade aprons when she cooked – aprons she made, of course.  She made all her own clothes and a lot of ours as well.  My grandmother just had her 97th birthday and doesn’t remember much about cooking or much of anything else now, but I have wonderful memories of her in the kitchen, baking homemade biscuits.  She made my favorite cake for my birthday and a chocolate pie for special occasions.  She made wonderful memories in her kitchen; and so will I.

Brunswick Stew

My sister and I are challenged to take our mom’s Brunswick stew recipe and ‘healthy it up’! (without losing the great taste of course!)  My sister, Robbi was looking for a recipe that did not use ketchup and has not found one as yet.  Does anyone have a great, healthy Brunswick stew recipe they are willing to share?

Sugo’s in ClockTower, Roswell

Okay, this isn’t as objective as it could be – but this happens to be my favorite place.  The owners and staff greet you as a long lost friend, the food is amazing and the wine list is solid and reasonable.  I suggest you try a number of their small plates – Meatball al Sugo is a sausage meatball stuffed with roasted tomatoes and dates, served with tomato basil sauce and caramelized onions and I love the bacon wrapped dates (who wouldn’t?).  There is a new small plate that I have not tried yet but when I saw it (and smelled it)  as it walked by, I knew it would be wonderful.  It’s some type of veal plate and I don’t think it is on the menu as yet so ask for it!

If you want something more substantial, they always have great seafood dishes prepared in new and interesting ways – check out the halibut prepared Greek style served with roasted radishes, organic spinach, caramelized parsnips, wild mushrooms, and crispy long stem artichokes.  The lamb shank falls apart with tenderness and is served with parsnip puree, red pepper coulis, seasonal vegetable, and grilled hunters sausage – a filling and flavorful dish.

My absolute favorite is the pork tenderloin.  The pork is stuffed with walnut pesto, Italian sausage, dates, pecorino Romano cheese, and caramelized onions. The roasted red pepper coulis, wild mushroom duxelle stuffed tomato, along with a balsamic reduction round out this incredible dish – eat half and take the rest home so you can have room for desert!  I’ve had the cheesecake and the gelato, both fab!  And of course, the classic cocktails are so interesting – read the chalkboard at the bar to see what is new.

Also, watch for a new restaurant being opened by the Castelucci’s on Roswell Road immediately outside of I285 – target date is mid to late April and I am told it is southern Italian.  I will be one of the first there – join me!

Muss & Turner’s, Vinings, GA

We had a wonderfully satisfying lunch at M&T’s (Muss & Turners) in Vinings, GA on Sunday.  I had the open faced tuna salad sandwich made with lemon aioli, kalamata olives, and sun dried tomatoes on whole wheat bread.  It was topped with melted provolone cheese and the bread was delicious, not soggy and not dry and hard, perfect actually!

I had a glass of Torrontes, La Puerta, 2008.  It is an Argentine wine and I know next to nothing about Argentine whites.  Oh, goody, a learning opportunity!

My lunch partner had a simple arugula salad topped with hard boiled eggs, smoked salmon, capers and red onions tossed with champagne vinaigrette – simply lovely!  Some bagel chips were included on the side.  She had the same wine I had and we both agreed it was one of the best whites we had tasted, along with being very reasonably priced.

M&Ts has never been a disappointment – always creative meals and a nice variety of wines and beer to choose from.  The energy there is great so if you want to have a quiet, intimate conversation, you may have some difficulty unless you are lucky enough to get seated outside.

Don’t leave without taking a dessert with you or several desserts with you.  We grabbed three different treats to take with us along with a couple of unique chocolate bars (those remain on my kitchen island for now).

If all of this does not make you want to hop in your car and take off for M&Ts immediately, you must have just eaten a huge meal!  And if you need further reason to visit at some point in the near future, check out their website and peruse the menus and the other thing that is really cool about this place – the people.

http://www.mussandturners.com/child/about/about03.htm

Food = Love

My daughter says the only thing our family ever really talks about is food – and why not?  Food = Love for us.

Did you cook my favorite dish?  (Now I know you love me) Did you clean your plate? (Now I know you love me + I am a good mom/dad/whatever) Would you share that recipe with me? (Now I really know you love me!)

And what do we do when we want to have fun? – cook, eat, talk about cooking, talk about eating, yada, yada. And when we travel, what do we most look forward to? – the meals.  And when we visit someone else, what do we talk about after? – what they served.  And when we are bored, what do we do? Eat, of course.  Oh yes, and cook.

So this blog is about food.

But really, this blog is about love – since Food = Love.

I hope you enjoy it.