Cheese Sauce

Tips for making Cheese Sauce

Here are some tips I used to learn to make perfect cheese sauce, which always leads to perfect Mac n Cheese.

1. Starch, such as all-purpose flour, cornstarch, or potato flour will keep the cheese from curdling. If you use all purpose flour, add it to the mixture before the cheese; it needs to be cooked for a few minutes to remove the starchy taste.
2. The less you heat the cheese the better. When making soup, sauce or fondue, add the cheese last; then heat it only enough to melt the cheese. Often you can remove the pan from the burner and the residual heat will be enough to melt the cheese.
3. Shred, crumble or finely dice the cheese before melting it. Smaller pieces melt faster. (easier to do with cold cheese)
4. Allow the shredded cheese to come to room temperature before melting it and it will melt faster.
5. Reduced fat cheeses have different melting characteristics than regular cheeses. They take longer to melt and are not as smooth and creamy in texture. You will need a low temperature flame to melt reduced fat cheeses and they must be shredded or finely diced first.
6. And now for a tip I learned at the Melting Pot. A small amount of an acidic liquid will keep the cheese from getting stringy. You can use white wine or lemon juice. Just sprinkle a tablespoon of your acidic liquid over one cup of shredded cheese before melting it. Or use white wine as part of the sauce base.
Mac n Cheese is a crowd favorite and it is as impressive as a home baked cake. I am still perfecting my cheese combinations so I do not have a recipe yet. Why not post your favorite Mac n Cheese recipe for me to try. By the way, this dish serves well with a medium to light bodied red wine or a very crispy white selection.
Chateau-Ste-Michelle-Eroica-Riesling-2008 from www.wines.com is the wine we served with our Mac n Cheese dinner most recently. This white wine is the bottle to bring the hostess this season when you attend holiday parties. Wine Spectator gave this wine 94 points. In fact in each of the four reviews this wine did not score below 91 points.
Happy Holidays.

30 Minute Meals Mac & Cheese

30 Minute Meals - Macaroni and Cheese
This dish is so overlooked as a perfect meal. Much more popular than you would think, not easy to prepare without a good recipe but a real crowd pleaser, great Mac & Cheese
is a dish you want to know how to prepare! Here is my version, bon appetite.
This recipe feeds 6-8 adults, takes 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to finish. You will need a stove and an oven to make this dish and an oven proof casserole dish to finish.
Shopping list:
1. 1.5 pounds of elbow macaroni
2. 4 cups of grated cheese. I use a blend of three cheeses, Romano, Parmesan and Mozzarella. Mozzarella must account for at least 2 cups of the mixture so you get that creamy texture that makes Mac & Cheese so fine.
3. ½ cup of all purpose flour
4. 3 cups of chicken broth. ( I use Knoor)
5. Kosher salt and course ground black pepper.
6. 1 cup of plain bread crumbs
7. 2 tablespoons of melted butter
These are steps:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the melted butter and breadcrumbs together and set aside.
3. Boil enough water to cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 6-7 minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl combine the cheeses and flour. Mix thoroughly.
5. Heat the chicken broth almost to a boil and slowly and continuously stir in the cheese mixture until it is a smooth cheese sauce. This will take 5 minutes of constant stirring.
6. Drain the pasta.
7. Place the pasta and the cheese sauce in the casserole dish and stir to evenly distribute the cheese sauce.
8. Turn on your broiler.
9. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
10. Place under the broiler for 2 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are a golden brown color.
Serve this with Chianti. Chianti is a red table wine produced in Tuscany, Italy. Chianti dates back to the 13the century and was originally a white wine. Today most Chianti is a made from a blend of red grapes. The most popular grape in Chianti is Sangiovese. The Chianti producers of Italy cover a vast area of Tuscany. Chianti is the second most popular wine in Italy and a great bottle can cost as little as $12.00. Currently my favorite Chianti is Ruffino 2009. It is selling for under $11 per bottle. What I love about this bottle of wine is it only needs 20 minutes to breath and then it is perfect to drink.

Pinot Noir

Find the best deals on top rated wines under $20.
We are looking for suggestions on what dish to prepare with KJ Pinot Noir 2007

Click here to shop for this wine at Wines.com.
 http://www.wine.comv/V6/Kendall-Jackson-Vintners-Reserve-Pinot-Noir-2007/wine/101976/detail.aspx
The price per bottle is just under $20.00 and we plan to pair it with a meat dish, after some careful research into the tasting notes. Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator both gave this wine 86 points. Taken right from the http://www.wine.com site, these are the wine makers notes; "

winemaker's notes:

Black cherry and raspberry fruit with velvety tannins typically found in hillside grapes along the North Coast mingle with flavors of plum and spice from our bench land vineyards along the Central Coast. Oak aging adds hints of vanilla, nuances of toast and a soft, smoky finish.

http://www.wine.comv/V6/Kendall-Jackson-Vintners-Reserve-Pinot-Noir-2007/wine/101976/detail.aspx

I could not find any reviews on this wine.

Quick Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe has been my life saver for years. I have prepared this dish hundreds of times and every time it gets high marks for delicious. This is a simple tomato based pasta sauce with Spicy Italian Pork Sausage and Mild Turkey Sausage.

I am about to embark on perfecting this recipe. You see, Sunday, I prepared this dish for the 100,000th time. Only this time, I made a minor change to my recipe and the sauce finally was the sauce I always wanted it to be.  It was quick, delicious, did not taste overcooked, but it was thick and it clung to the linguine. This recipe is worth sharing.Keep in mind that this was a special birthday meal I was preparing so of course I wanted perfection.
 
A little background....
I had invited Anne Kelly to spend Sunday with me in celebration of her birthday. I had missed seeing her for her birthday. She graciously accepted. I invited her to spend the day Sunday with me. Even though I had work to do, I knew she would not be lonely at my place.  I was busy Saturday night with a wedding reception at Sangria in Hermosa Beach. www.sangriahermosa.com.
When I got home I found Miss Kelly resting comfortably on my couch surrounded by her Redondo Beach Fan Club.

On Sunday on my way back from the Beach House in Hermosa Beach I ran by the grocery store and picked up:

1. 1 large can of crushed tomato
2. 1 bunch of fresh basil (wash before you use)
3. 1 pound of Sweet Turkey Sausage
4. 1 pound of Spicy Pork Sausage
5. 2 medium shallots
6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (this should always be in your cupboard if you cook)
7. 1 pound of pasta (get what you like)
8. Salt & pepper to taste (use only Kosher salt when you cook)

I forgot to get red cooking wine. You can not make great tomato based sauce without red wine.

1. Finely chopped the shallots and saute them in 1/4 cup of olive oil over a low flame.  
2.  Squeeze the meat out of the sausage casing into the pan and break the chunks of sausage into smaller pieces. Let the sausage brown. This takes about 5-7 minutes. 
3. Add in the can of crushed tomato, and 1/2 cup of thin sliced basil leaves. stir and let it get hot. 
4. When the sauce is bubbly add in 1/2 cup of Ruby Port (my new secret ingredient). Let the sauce cook for ten minutes.

1. Cook the pasta by following the directions on the package. 
2. Drain the pasta. 
3. Put it into a shallow bowl and toss it with your spoonfuls of the sauce until the pasta is covered in rich, thick tomato sauce. 
4. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and shredded Parmesan. By the way every cooking kitchen should have Parmesan cheese in the refrigerator and Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the cupboard.

 I would suggest that you serve this dish with a Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico reasonable priced under $15 a bottle. This wine makes the Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide list. I like the pairing of Chianti with this  rich sauce because the fresh fruity quality that the Sangiovese grape adds is just what it needs to balance the spicy sausage flavor with the sweet basil.   This particular Chianti Classico is lighter than most. If you prefer a more concentrated and intense wine try Castelli del Grevepesa.

Best Pork Chops Ever

As you know I have been writing about pork chops lately. Well, rather than keep writing, I decided to cook. I went out to buy chops. As is always my way, I bought what was on sale. I purchased ¾” chops with a bone in. These pieces were too thin to stuff. I love stuffed pork chops and promise to make some soon. Instead I decided to lightly bread the chops, brown them and bake them. This recipe is now entitled the Best Pork Chops Ever.

Start by placing the chops in cold water and salt. Make a 10% brine solution. Refrigerate for 6 hours.

Set out two plates and shallow bowl and set up a standard breading line, flour, eggs and breadcrumbs, in that order. Bread the chops and place them on wax paper.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Coat the pan with EVOO and brown the chops for 3 minutes on each side. Place the browned chops in a roasting of refrigerate and bake later.

In the roasting pan add ¾ of cup of Chablis and ¾ of a cup of water. Sprinkle the chops with dried basil. You may want to cut up potatoes and place the pieces in the roasting pan with the chops. This is an easy way to get your vegetable cooked at the same time. Sprinkle the potato pieces with salt, pepper and dried basil. Cover the pan with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Uncover and cook for 5 more minutes.

Be prepared for the best pork chop ever. We paired the Best Pork Chop Ever with a Malbec from Argentina, Mendoza, the best known wine producing region of Argentina.

Argentina is making some interesting wines at the moment. Its main marketing push has been Malbec, a grape whose home is the southwest of France, where it’s the main grape in Cahors and a bit-part player in many Bordeaux blends. Malbec doesn’t have the black currant fruitiness of Cabernet; rather it is a bit darker, and a little more savoury, with spice and earth undertones. It has less of a tendency to go to lushness when grown in warm climates, which is probably a good thing.

Mendoza is the dominant wine region. Perched on the side of the Andes, this is a region that receives very little rainfall, and were it not for the ready supply of Andes melt water, viticulture wouldn’t be possible here. Another important factor is altitude: the vineyards here are high up, and with the highest vineyards in the region the extra UV light that the grapes receives causes the grapes to develop thicker skins, with more tannins (and softer tannins, too), as well as more colour. The cooling effect of altitude means that the grapes preserve acidity even when they are allowed to hang for quite a while before harvest.
I bought this wine, Moncagua at Bevmo! However, if you fall in love with Malbec, like I have you will want to start shopping for wines online. Case prices and variety rule on line and there are some amazing values for the Internet shopper. Check out my favorite online wine shop. Click here!

Shop our selection of wines that made Wine & Spirits Top 100 wines of 2009.


Enjoy!

Turkey a la Marietta

Turkey Thighs

With Thanksgiving almost here, the grocery stores will have turkeys and turkey parts for sale from now until the year’s end. Turkey thighs are one of the tastiest parts of the bird. This recipe for turkey thighs comes from a request made by one of my readers. This recipe can serve two to three people, depending on the size of the thigh pieces.

The preparation for this recipe requires that you plan on marinating the thighs. I suggest that you place the pieces in the marinade before you leave the house for the day. When you return to prepare dinner, remove the thighs from the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cooking them. There is no more preparation on the thighs, you will need about 15 minutes to peel and chop the potatoes.

While they are roasting in the oven, prepare your salad. Serve this meal with a medium to full bodied red wine.
Thirty minutes before the thighs are done, uncork your red wine. Let it breath. This will allow the flavor of the wine to even out and improve.

Turkey is a flavorful meat and can stand up to most medium to full bodied red wines. I turn to www.wine.com for great choices under $20 per bottle. I have two different wines I can recommend to you for this meal. You can probably find these wines at BevMo. If you fall in love with either, the case price at www.wine.com will be the best price available. Both these wines were awarded at least 90 points by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 is my first choice. From the Alexander Valley region of California, this full bodied red is fruit forward, lively style and is ready to drink now. Selling for under $15 per bottle, this is a wine you should buy by the case.

For those of you who want green wines and a little less intensity I recommend Bonterra organically grown Syrah 2006 Vintage. Taken from the wine maker’s notes; maintained through an organic growing process, Syrah vineyards are entering their prime, reflected in the wine’s brilliant color and intense aromas. Bonterra Syrah blends a touch of Rhone varietals like Grenache, Mouvedre and Viognier for a powerful floral note. Concentrated berry flavors come to the fore with notes of vanilla and toasty oak spice from aging in French oak. This wine is also selling on www.wine.com for under $15 per bottle and as we head into the season of turkey dishes, you may want a case of this wine as well. This wine can convert a non red wine person to a red wine drinker. Smooth, earthy and fruity this Syrah earned 90 points from Wine Enthusiast Maga

Ingredients

1. • 2 turkey thighs, about 2 ½ lbs total
2. • 3 cloves chopped garlic
3. • 1 bunch of sage, chopped (2/3 oz leave
4. • 1 potato per person, peeled and chopped into large pieces
5. • Salt and pepper
6. • Sprinkle of white wine vinegar
7. • Sprinkle of olive oil
8. • Broth if needed while cooking

Method
• Cut deep slits into turkey thighs and rub sage and garlic mixture into cuts and onto surface. Marinate in refrigerator for 5 or 6 hours. Remove thighs from refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put thighs skin side down in roasting pan. Put pan, uncovered, into oven for about 30 minutes. Then turn thighs over, add potatoes, sprinkle all with salt, pepper, white wine vinegar, olive oil, and broth and continue roasting until thighs are done and potatoes are tender, adding broth if needed, about 30 more minutes. Stir the potatoes once or twice during roasting. Remove from oven, let thighs and potatoes sit covered and untouched for about 20 minutes before serving.

Pork Chops For Dinner

Frequently the best buys in the grocery are in something called a MAX PACK. What that means is you buy a larger quantity and the price per pound is reduced. Most often the MAX PACK is a special price offered on protein choices. I love this because it allows the "Marie Callendar" in me to come out. I create my own frozen entree by preparing the entire MAX PACK which is enough for tonight and I the extra I freeze already prepared servings for another night, knowing full well that my main course will be delicious and welcomed in the future. Also great fro entertaining at home. When you invite friends over for a dinner party a MAX PACK can be your best option for amazing meals at amazing prices. I like to pair this main dish with a salad, roasted potatoes made with caramelized onions and diced sweet red peppers and green beans.

Today it is Pork Chops with Apricots and Prosciutto. I love this recipe because I love using dried fruits with meat. If you have a chance to visit the Farmers Market in the fall you will find that dried fruits are plentiful, fresh, organic and delicious. Plus adding fruit helps you focus on your wine selection.

For this recipe I recommend any medium bodied red wine. My first choice is Bordeaux. If you are not familiar with Bordeaux now is your chance to discover some great wines made from Old World Traditions. These red wines offer intense flavor for a modest price and they are impressively food friendly, too. For Pork Chops with Apricots and Prosciutto try 2003 Chateau Bel-Air Lussac St.Emilion. This wine can be found in most wine shops including BevMo for the low price of $18 per bottle. On a wine list in a restaurant expect to pay in excess of $60 for this bottle.

You will need 15 minutes to prepare, cooking time is 25-30 minutes and this recipes serves six.

1. 6 pork loin shops, cut 1” thick with the bone in
2. ½ teaspoon of salt (use Kosher)
3. ¼ teaspoon of black pepper (rough grind)
4. 6 slices of prosciutto or deli baked ham
5. 6 dried apricots
6. 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
7. 1 cup of a dry white wine
8. ½ cup of water

1.  Trim the excess fat from the chops. Using a sharp knife, slit a pocket into the meaty part of the chop, cutting towards the bone. Season chops with salt and pepper. Stuff each chop with a slice of ham and an apricot.
2. In a large skill heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the chops and cook them on each side for 3-5 minutes so that they are lightly browned. Add the wine and the water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan, cook for 25 minutes or until the chops are white throughout.

Lasagna Rollups

Prep Time 30 minutes Cook time 30 minutes

This recipe calls for frozen spinach. First thing in the morning , take the spinach out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator so it will defrost. You can also defrost spinach in the microwave. The spinach must be completely defrosted so that you can squeeze all the water out.

This recipe makes 10 servings. You will be able to freeze the extra or take it for lunch. Lasagna is easy to microwave. This is also a great party dish and great when paired with a tray of meatballs in marinara and a Caesar salad.

The ingredients you will need for this Italian classic;

1. 16 ounces of uncooked lasagna noodle
2.  16 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese
3.  16 ounces of ricotta cheese
4.  16 ounces of firm tofu
5.  2 cups of grated Parmesan cheese
6. 28 ounces of Marinara

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles for 5 to 6 minutes. Set a timer. The pasta must be just slightly underdone. Drain the lasagna and lay out the noodles on a flat surface.

 2. Squeeze all the water out of the frozen spinach.

 3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together grated cheese, ricotta cheese, tofu, frozen spinach, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese.

 4. Lay out a noodle. Spread a layer of the cheese mixture on the noodle, then add a thin layer of sauce. Roll the noodle up, and place seam side down in a 13x9 pan. Repeat for other noodles. Top with remaining sauce and Parmesan cheese.

 5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes

Served this with a Sangiovese or a Chianti and a tossed green salad