No one really knows when mac and cheese was invented, but it seems to be clear that it was an Italian concoction.  According to Wikipedia, the casserole was recorded in cookbooks as early as the 14^th century, and the first modern version was published in a 1769 cookbook by Elizabeth Raffald.  It is believed that Thomas Jefferson brought the dish to the United States, serving it at a dinner in the White House in 1802.  But the real jump to fame came in 1937 when, in the throes of a deep depression, Kraft introduced its boxed variety—it could be prepared in just nine minutes and served four for only 19 cents.  The company sold 8 million boxes in a year!  Even now it remains a staple for college students with little time and even less money to spare.

Chefs have jumped on the comfort food bandwagon, creating masterpieces out of this eternally flexible casserole.  With additions like lobster, crab, or truffles in fine dining establishments to beans, onions, and chilies at local barbecue joints, the possibilities are endless for an outstanding side dish, or even main attraction.  You can even find deep fried macaroni and cheese balls at fairs and some food trucks.  These varieties and more will take your favorite comfort food to the next level.

Best Spicy-Bean Mac n Cheese

Spicy-Bean Mac n Cheese. Photo credit: Jeffrey W

Ingredients:

1 cup onion, diced

1 jalapeno chili, diced

1 tablespoon oil

1 can Rotel tomatoes

1 can pinto beans, drained

8 oz elbow macaroni

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Preparation:

In a large stock pot, cook macaroni according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

Using the same pot, saute onion and jalapeno in oil until tender.  Add tomatoes, pinto beans, pasta, and half the cheese and stir well.  Spoon into a casserole dish, top with remaining cheese, and bake at 400° until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Lobster Mac n Cheese with Chanterelles

Lobster Mac n Cheese with Chanterelles. Photo Credit: Lee Coursey

Ingredients:

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 pound chanterelle mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 oz bacon

1 qt milk

1 stick butter

½ cup all-purpose flour

4 cups gruyere cheese

2 cups sharp cheddar

1 pound cooked lobster meat

1 cup bread crumbs

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

Saute the chantrelles in olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Dice the bacon and cook until crispy.  Drain the fat from the bacon and add milk.  Heat but don’t boil.

In a separate pot, cook flour in 6 tablespoons of butter and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring often.  Add the milk and cook until thickened.  Add the pasta, chantrelles, and lobster and stir well.  Spoon into a casserole dish (or in separate 5-ounce baking dishes for a more elegant appearance.)  Combine breadcrumbs with remaining butter, melted, and spoon over top of macaroni mixture.  Bake at 400° until the sauce is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are browned.

The post The Craft of Macaroni and Cheese appeared first on Houston's Blog.

• 16 diagonal baguette slices (about 1/4” to 1/3”)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup porter
• 1/4 cup milk (use whole milk for a creamier texture)
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar (sharper is better)
• 1 large egg yolk

You will need 8 Rarebit dishes for this recipe.

Welsh Rarebit 12 oz. Photo courtesy of Tuxton

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Spread one side of bread slices with 2 tablespoons butter (total). Broil, butter side up, until golden.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until combined. Add beer and milk and whisk until smooth. Then add mustard, pepper, and cheese. Simmer over low heat until cheese melts into a creamy sauce.
4. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in yolk.
5. Place toast in 8 rarebit dishes and pour cheese sauce over. Place back in broiler until cheese is brown and bubbly.
6. Serve immediately.

The post Rarebit: It’s what’s for dinner! appeared first on Houston's Blog.

• 1/2 cup butter (unsalted if you have it)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups sliced onion
• 4 cans beef broth (10.5 ounce size)
• 2 Tablespoons dry sherry or red wine
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices French bread, toasted firm
• 4 slices provolone
• 2 slices Swiss cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Melt butter with olive oil on medium heat.  Add onions and stir until tender and translucent but not browned
2. Add beef broth, sherry or wine, and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper.  Simmer 45 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into French onion soup crocks and place one slice of bread on top of each bowl.  Add one slice Provolone cheese per bowl, 1/2 slice Swiss cheese, and 1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese.
4. Place bowls on a cookie sheet and broil on high until cheese bubbles and lightly browns.

The post French Onion Soup appeared first on Houston's Blog.

First things first: Lasagna is singular, lasagna is the plural.  But the dish that we consume is typically referred to in the singular, perhaps originating from the Greek “lasanon,” which, amusingly, meant “chamber pot.”

The British, though, claim that the word comes from the word “loseyns,” referring to large flat sheets of pasta separated by a cheese sauce.  No tomatoes in the earliest British version, as tomatoes were not known in Britain until some 200 years later, after Columbus brought them to Europe in 1492.

Conversely, the Italians claim that there are records of lasagna that date back to around 1320, created and penned by Maria Borgogno in Genoa, with the etymology deriving from the Greek “lasagnum” (closely related to “lasanon” and used to refer to a cooking pot—rather than chamber pot!)

Did you know that lasagna is the favorite dish of the cartoon character Garfield?  That crazy cat will do anything for the delectable taste of tomato sauce, cheese, and pasta!  And did you know that you can avoid a reaction with acidic tomato sauce by using a glass or ceramic dish to bake your casserole instead of metal?  And—crazy as it sounds—there is a way to make lasagna IN YOUR DISHWASHER (go ahead and Google it, you know you want to!)  Or you can make lasagna with uncooked noodles, cutting down drastically on the prep time.

Whether you say “lasagna” or “lasagne,” whether you credit the dish to the British or to the Italians, whether you use tomatoes or other ingredients in your casserole, or whether you cook your lasagna in the oven or the dishwasher, there is no denying this single fact:  Lasagna rocks!!

Ingredients:

•  1 pound lean ground beef and/or ground sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can mushrooms, drained (4.5 ounce)
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce (28 ounce)
• 1 container cottage cheese (16 ounce)
• 1 container part-skim ricotta cheese (16 ounce)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup)
• 2 eggs
• Mozzarella cheese (8 ounce)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet, cook and stir ground beef until brown. Add mushrooms and onions; saute until onions are transparent. Stir in pasta sauce, and heat through.
3. In a medium size bowl, combine cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and eggs.
4. Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 13×9 inch pan. Layer with uncooked lasagna noodles, cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, and meat sauce. Continue layering until all ingredients are used, reserving 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover pan with aluminum foil.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Uncover, and top with remaining half cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings

The post National Lasagna Day appeared first on Houston's Blog.