Tag Archives: baked

Baked Mac & Cheese

Posted on by
Reply

Elbow macaroni in a rich, creamy mornay sauce (bechamel and cheese). May be topped with shredded cheese, fried onions, or crunchy Ritz cracker crumbles.

Recommend using blocks of cheese shredded by hand for a creamier product. If possible, source a smoked cheese for additional complexity.

Makes one 9×13″ pan

Ingredients

Mac & Cheese

  • 1 lb. elbow macaroni
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups milk
  • ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce or 1 tbsp BBQ dry rub
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, ground black pepper
  • 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups shredded Gruyere
  • (Optional) 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping
  • (Optional) ½ cup shredded Gruyere for topping

Crispy topping

  • 2 sleeves Ritz crackers
  • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Shred cheeses and toss to combine, holding in the refrigerator.

Add 1 pound uncooked elbow pasta and 2 tablespoons salt to 2 quarts of boiling water. Stir the pasta several times after adding to prevent sticking. Took pasta to al dente, approximately 2 minutes less than the cooking time on the package. When the pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup of the water, then drain pasta and set aside.

In a large sauce pan or Dutch oven, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat until foaming. Add flour and whisk into a smooth roux. Cook roux until slightly toasted smelling but not yet browned, 3-5 minutes. Slowly stream in milk whisking constantly to combine well. Do not pour too fast or the roux will seize and become lumpy.

When all of the milk is incorporated add remaining cream, pasta water, salt, herbs and spices. Stir until combined. Simmer over medium low until thickened and reduced, about 5-10 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before adding cheese in handfuls, stirring in each handful until smooth. Repeat until all the cheese is combined into a smooth sauce, reserving 1½ cups if using for topping. If the cheese does not combine, return sauce to low heat and stir until smooth, being careful not to overheat sauce or it will break.

Add pasta to the cheese sauce and toss to combine. Transfer to a 9×13″ pan or 12″ cast iron skillet. Top with more shredded cheese, crispy fried onions or crushed crackers (below).

Bake uncovered 30 minutes in a 325°F oven until pasta is thoroughly cooked and toppings are lightly toasted.

For the cracker topping, crush two sleeves of Ritz crackers and combine with salt in a bowl. Pour 4 tablespoons melted butter over top and toss to combine thoroughly. Spread evenly over mac & cheese before baking.

Neapolitan pizza dough #1

Posted on by
Reply

Derived ratios from several recipes:

  • 600g Type “00” flour
  • 400mL water
  • 12g salt
  • 8.5g (1 sachet) yeast

This wants a long rest and a long rise. Prepare days in advance. Make four 12″ crusts.

Combine ingredients and mix by hand until incorporated. Allow to rise up 10-10 hours. Turn out and divide evenly by 4. Seal in quart size containers and refrigerate 2-4 days until risen.

Warm to room temp at least 2 hours prior to working.

See also, Garlic Knots recipe.

Adapted from Basic Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe

Basic Focaccia

Posted on by

Ingredients

  • 3¼ to 3½ cups bread flour
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 sachet bread yeast
  • Scant 1½ cups warm water, divided
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Proof yeast in 1 cup warm water.

Combine flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Add the yeast with its water and allow mixer to knead the bread until it is a soft dough.  Coat with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to rise 24 hours.

Pan method

Preheat oven to 450°F .

Prepare a rimmed, half tray cookie sheet with 3 tbsp olive oil. Turn out dough and spread to the edges of the pan.  Allow to rest 1 hour.  Dimple top with finger tips, then brush with olive oil and kosher salt.  Bake 15-20 minutes, until top is lightly browned and edges are golden.

Stone method

Preheat oven and stone to 450°F.

Prepare a peel liberally with corn meal.  Turn out dough onto peel and spread to the edges.  Allow to rest for 1 hour.  Dimple top with finger tips, then brush with olive oil and kosher sale.  Transfer to stone, and bake 15-20 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the bottom is golden.

Credit: Unknown provenance

Dixie sweet cornbread

Posted on by

Makes an airy, moist cake.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons of bacon fat, butter, shortening, oil or a combination for greasing the pan
  • 1-1/2 cups of all purpose white or yellow cornmeal
  • 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup of buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup of sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 (15 ounce) can of creamed corn
  • 2 large eggs, beaten

For a savory cornbread, optionally add:

Preheat a 10” cast iron skillet to 450°F while preparing the ingredients. Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together. Combine wet ingredients in a second bowl and whisk together. If melting butter, reserve
in a separate bowl until combined.

When the cast iron is heated, pour wet ingredients over dry and stir with a silicone spatula until just combined. Grease the hot skillet with lard or vegetable oil and pour in batter. Bake 20-25 minutes at 450°F, or until a toothpick draws clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack.

Adapted from http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2012/10/buttermilk-sour-cream-cornbread.html

Bisquik substitute

Posted on by

Bisquik is a premix of flour, leavening, salt and fat. Substitute it 1:1 in recipes with a blend in this ratio:

  • 6 cups bread flour
  • 3 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening, cubed

Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture is the consistency of bread crumbs.

Cold lard may be used in place of shortening if using same day.

Red Lobster Cheesy Biscuits

Posted on by

Original recipe from TSR: https://topsecretrecipes.com/red-lobster-cheddar-bay-biscuits-copycat-recipe.html?category_id=10

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups Bisquik baking mix
  • 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
  • 1 heaping cup grated Cheddar cheese
  • 3/4 cup cold whole milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter with a food processor until mixture is consistency of bread crumbs. Do not overwork. Add cheese and toss to distribute evenly. Add milk and stir until just combined, do not overwork. Drop ¼ cup dollops onto ungreased baking sheet and bake 15 to 17 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Brush on Top

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Tweaks

  • Use unsalted butter
  • Add up to 1 scant tablespoon of Old Bay to the dry ingredients

Baked beans

Posted on by

​Ingredients

  •     1 lb of dry Navy Beans, soak overnight
  •     1 lb of Ground Beef, 80/20, cooked and drained
  •     ½ lb of Bacon, diced, lightly cooked
  •     1 cup Onion, diced
  •     1 cup Bell Peppers, diced (optional)
  •     2 cup Beef Broth
  •     1 ½ cups Brown Sugar
  •     1 15oz can Tomato Sauce
  •     ½ cup Grandmas Molasses
  •     2 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  •     1 Tablespoon Texas Pete Hot Sauce
  •     1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  •     1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
  •     ¼ cup Yellow Mustard
  •     ¼ cup Ketchup
  •     ½ teaspoon Salt
  •     ½ teaspoon Black Pepper

 Baking 

Sort beans an soak 8 hours, overnight. Crisp bacon and sauté onion in rendered fat. Place beans, onions and other ingredients and bake covered at 300°F for 3 hours. Add salt & pepper to taste and bake one hour uncovered at 250°F.

Pressure cooker

Prepare ingredients as above. Place ingredients in pressure cooker and raise heat to 15psi. Hold pressure 30 to 40 minutes, use natural pressure release 20 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Variations

Some recipe variations call for mustard seed & ground mustard, tomato paste in place of ketchup or tomato sauce, or did not use ground beef.  Also mentions of vinegar, smoked paprika and Cayenne pepper.