Party Trick: Horseradish-Super Sharp Cheddar Cheese Ball

The weekend is here, and I'm sure you've got several happening shindigs to grace with your presence. If there is one thing I know for absolute certain, it's to never, EVER come to a party empty-handed. There's always something to bring. Your host or hostess will definitely appreciate it, and you'll totally win extra points. It shows that you appreciate both the invitation, and the people who've invited you into their home. And it doesn't always have to be food. Bring wine, bring flowers, bring napkins, BRING ICE. Bring something useful, and your host will never forget it. There has never been such thing as too many party supplies. Sooner or later, everything gets used. Boy do I love a good party. I don't go to nearly enough of them, and I hardly get invited to fancy dress get-togethers, so when I do, I try to go all out. But when thinking of the perfect arrival gift to my Nashvillian bestie Hailey's house, I had a few things that I needed to consider: One, I'd be in my grandparents' kitchen which meant a limited amount of kitchen tools and appliances, and two, a limited amount of refrigerator real estate. (My Grandmothers are seasoned veterans in the kitchen and there is always something to eat.) Then it hit me: a cheese ball. I'd recently been introduced to the, and best of all, it checked off three very important things on my dish to pass checklist: It took me about 45 minutes to make this cheese ball, and most of that time can be shaved down if you have a food processor. I didn't, so I had to use my trusty pastry blender (a well-deserved Christmas gift to myself. I've got happier wrists now). Your cheesy mix must rest for two hours snugly wrapped in cling wrap, having been delicately shaped into a sphere. Six to eight minutes of your resting time should be spent roasting your walnuts and pecans. The rest of the time it takes to make your cocktail party masterpiece can be used to...paint your nails, pick out a killer outfit, or, in my case, bug your grandmother incessantly to break out the family pictures so that you can pretend to reminisce about an era that you took no part in. And once the two hours are up (though I actually left it in the fridge for four hours or so), just give your walnuts and pecans a rough chop, carefully roll your cheese ball around, and wrap it back up in cling film if you plan on transporting it. Et voila! Your totally easy, yet utterly sophisticated party snack is ready for its closeup. And don't you dare forget the fancy crackers that go along with it! You're sure to amaze, and make some new friends in the process. Who knew a ball of cheese could be such a conversation starter? I ain't mad at it.   Horseradish-Sharp Cheddar Cheese Ball 

• 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
• 8 oz grated super sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons horseradish sauce
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup pecans

Blend cream cheese, cheddar, and horseradish using a food processor or pastry blender until smooth, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place cheese mixture on a piece of cling wrap, then use cling wrap to shape mixture into a ball. Chill until firm for at least two hours.

While the newly formed ball is chilling,  preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and place your walnuts and pecans on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. Bake for 6-8 minutes, tossing occasionally. Keep them in the oven until they've darkened a bit, and give off a fragrant aroma. Let cool, then give them a rough chop.

Thirty minutes before serving, roll your ball in the roughly chopped walnut and pecan mixture, and enjoy.

Source: Adapted slightly from Bon Appetit

Party on.

Grown-Up Mac and Cheese

People of Earth: I am here to tell you that there is life beyond Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. That being said, sometimes it's just more comforting (and less time consuming) to throw a pot of classic Kraft on the stove with whole milk and a little extra cheddar, but for the sake of this post, we're going to go to the next level.

What sets this mac and cheese apart in one thing: Béchamel Sauce. Just four ingredients: flour, butter, milk, and salt. And it absolutely makes all the difference in the world. What it does, is add a bit of depth to the cheesiness. It's smooth, creamy, and, mixed with the cheese, the shining light in this classic dish. But keep in mind: you have to do a bit of multi-tasking to make this sauce. While the butter is melting, you have to watch the milk which should bubble, but not boil. And the very second that the butter is melted, you have to add the flour and whisk with all your might. Pay attention while you make it, and the reward will be huge.

Look how rich and creamy that is! The only thing keeping me from diving face first into this pot was my fear of severe burns. That's the only thing.

The wonderful thing about having a recipe for basic mac and cheese is that you can add in your favorite ingredients. For this, I decided on tons of spinach and turkey bacon. The only way you'll get me to eat my vegetables is with cheese (Is that the Midwesterner in me? I'm not sure.), so bring on the spinach...so long as there's a cup of cheddar chasing it into the pot.

To me, an essential part of your basic mac and cheese is that satisfying crunch. Toasted panko is perfect for this. About 1/2 sprinkled on top is just enough to add a little extra texture. Try it. You'll like it.

Last but not least, don't forget to pop this perfection in the oven for ten minutes. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Is it time for dinner yet?

Grown-Up Mac and Cheese with Spinach and Turkey Bacon

Ingredients:

Béchamel Sauce:

•  3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt

Bread Crumb Topping:

• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs)

Mac and Cheese:

• 1/2 pound dried elbow pasta
• 2 cups Mac Sauce
• 1 1/2 cups grated aged white cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 4 strips of turkey bacon, chopped
• 3 cups baby spinach (But the amount of greens is really up to you!)

Béchamel Sauce Directions:

Heat the milk in a pot over medium heat until it just starts to bubble, but is not boiling, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.  (Tip: while the milk is heating, get your flour ready!)

Heat the butter over medium heat in a separate, heavy-bottomed pot. When the butter has just melted, add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Slowly pour the warm milk, about 1 cup at a time, into the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. It will get very thick when you first add the milk, and thinner as you slowly pour in the entire 3 cups.

Once all the milk has been added, set the pot back over medium-high heat, and continue to whisk constantly. In the next 2 to 3 minutes the sauce should come together and become silky and thick. Use the spoon test to make sure it’s ready. To do this, dip a metal spoon into the sauce-if the sauce coats the spoon and doesn’t slide off like milk, you’ll know it’s ready. You should be able to run your finger along the spoon and have the impression remain. Add the salt.

The Mac Sauce is ready to use immediately and does not need to cool.

Toasting the Bread Crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

Place the bread crumbs on a baking sheet and set in the oven for 5 minutes, or until the crumbs have turned a golden brown. Set aside.

 Preparing the Macaroni and Cheese:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

Cook the pasta according to box instructions. Drain, rinse the pasta with cold water, then drain again.

While your pasta is cooking, now’s a good time to cook your bacon and spinach. What I like to do is: start cooking the bacon first. Once almost cooked through, I add the spinach to the pan. Tip: wring out your spinach as best as you can after rinsing, and before adding to the pan of bacon. It’ll sizzle.

Add the sauce and both cheeses to a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cook over medium heat. Stir until the cheese is barely melted, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the cooked pasta, stir, and continue cooking while stirring continuously until the pasta is hot and steaming, another 5 minutes. Add in the bacon and spinach, and stir. After fully incorporated, remove from heat.

Spoon the mac and cheese into an oven-safe dish, making sure it’s evenly spread. Sprinkle the panko crumbs on top.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until it starts bubbling on the edges.

Remove from oven, and dig in. You earned it!

Dish serves 4.

SOURCE: Very loosely adapted from the Mac + Cheese Cookbook: 50 Simple Recipes from Homeroom, America's Favorite Mac and Cheese Restaurant 

Is there such a thing as too much cheese? Answer: No, absolutely not.

Loving Linguine

My family has never been into pasta. I, on the other hand, have always been into pasta. Pasta and I have a long, beautiful history filled with different kinds of sauces, a ton of cheese (I am from the Midwest after all), and every kind of dipping bread imaginable on the side. But as much as I've always loved it, I've only just started making it for myself. And I must admit: preparing a good bowl of pasta takes time, and a lot of perfecting.I'm not totally there yet, but at least I've learned that once you've got the water boiling, you TURN DOWN THE STOVE. (I learned that the hard way, and how fast it takes for water to boil up, and then OVER a pot.) Last night, after two hours (when I thought it would only take maybe one, tops) I enjoyed my third attempt at a complicated pasta dish. The first two were both Pasta Carbonara. The first try I had help, the second, I accomplished all on my own. Both successes, and last night, I can proudly say, was another great and delicious...SUCCESS.

The audience I had the pleasure of cooking for (i.e. my parents) requested meat with their linguine; something that wasn't included in the recipe. So I bought a few pieces of chicken breast, cubed them, seasoned them, then sauteed them on the stove for 15 minutes total. Meat covered.

Then onto the main dish...

THIS, ladies and gentleman, is the most fragrant bowl of pasta to date. Lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, FRESHLY GRATED parmesan cheese, a dash or two of heavy whipping cream, and a few fresh sprigs of basil. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top, grate some more cheese (HONESTLY, IS THERE EVER ENOUGH CHEESE? The answer is "no."), and you've got yourself a yummy pasta dish!

Not a tummy was empty last night, and I WILL be making this again.

What You'll Need:

• 1 pound spaghetti or linguine
• Salt
• 3 lemons
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil , plus additional for serving
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus additional for serving
• Ground black pepper
• Small handful fresh basil or arugula (what I used, deliciously, in a pinch) leaves, shredded

Find the recipe here!

HAPPY COOKING!