Weekend Kitchen: Mac & Cheese with Pesto, Corn, and Sun Dried Tomatoes

 

I'm a sucker for macaroni and cheese.  If I see it on a restaurant menu, you can be pretty sure that I am going to order it.   I've posted before about my all time favorite macaroni and cheese recipe.  It's hard to resist the combination of pasta and gobs of melted cheese - two of my very favorite things!  I came across this recipe on Pinterest and had to try it.

 

Recipe adapted from Foodie Crush.  Original recipe found HERE.

 

Ingredients:

- 1 pound pasta, shells or similar

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 3 tablespoons flour

- 2 cups milk (I used skim)

- 1/3 cup prepared pesto (Or make your own)

- 4 oz. Fontina cheese

- 4 oz. extra sharp white cheddar

- 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, slivered

- 1 cup sweet corn, cooked and cut from cob

- salt and pepper, to taste

- fresh basil, for garnish

- fresh flat leaf parsley, for garnish

 

Directions:

1.  Bring a pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package instructions.  Drain and set aside.

 

2.  Meanwhile, prepare sauce.  Over medium high heat, melt butter.  Add flour and use a whisk to incorporate.  Continue whisking, one minute longer.  Gradually add milk, stirring each time to incorporate.  Keep whisking until mixture is bubbly and has thickened.  Remove from heat.

 

3.  Stir in pesto until incorporated.  Next, add cheeses and stir until melted.  Add tomatoes and corn and stir.  Add pasta and stir until just coated in sauce.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Dish out pasta and garnish with fresh herbs.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

I really liked this unique version of mac and cheese.  The recipe is a "keeper", for sure.  This version is particularly quick, because it's a stovetop mac and cheese - meaning you don't put it in the oven.  Do you have a favorite mac and cheese recipe?  I'm always looking for more versions to try!



DKU Lakehouse Party on theTiny Prints Blog!

We recently had our first party at the new Lake House.  I'm sharing the decorations, invitations, and food on the Tiny Prints blog.  CLICK HERE to see my post!



Summer in the Mitten: Sleeping Bear Dunes

 

 

Last week, my sister, brother, Dad, and I headed up to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes (or SBD, as we like to call it).  Sleeping Bear Dunes is a National Park located in the Northern portion of the lower peninsula in Michigan.  Sister and I have been to SBD several times, but my brother had never been and made a special request to visit during his Summer vacation.

  We were happy to oblige.  In 2011, Sleeping Bear Dunes was voted the Most Beautiful Place in America by Good Morning America.  My photos don't do it justice, but hopefully they will give you some idea of how beautiful the area is. 

 

{ Sleeping Bear Dunes location in Michigan, indicated by the A }

 

{ a detailed look of the area }

 

 

Our first stop was the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.  You can stop at the visitor center in Empire to pick up a guide and pay for your park entrance { $10 per car for all areas of the park } or just head straight to Pierce Stocking and pay at the entrance.

 



 

We parked the car at one of the first stops and took a short hike.  The nice thing about SBD is that you can do as much or as little hiking/walking as you like.

 



 { Sister and Brother are the two small specks on the hill }

 

 { me with World's Cutest Brother.  He looks thrilled, doesn't he?  What is it with teenage boys and the camera?  he refuses to smile...}

 

 { Dad & Brother }

 

Next, we headed to the Lake Michigan overlook stop on the drive - one of the most beautiful and popular spots.  You don't want to miss it!

 

 

 

 { DKU - me, brother, sister }

 

 

See the area of darker sand in the photo above?  The dark spots are people climbing back up the dune - this is not recommended!  It can take up to two hours to climb up! It's hard to get a sense of how tall the dune is in he photo, but it's 450 feet high with a very steep incline!

 

 

The water is so beautiful up here.  It almost looks like the Caribbean.

 

 

 

 

 

After the scenic drive, we drove North to the city of Glen Arbor.  We wandered around the shops, made a stop to the famous Cherry Republic { Don't miss it - love this fun place } and had a snack at Art's Tavern.  We continued North to Pyramid Point for one more hike.

 



 

After an uphill, buy easy, hike through the woods, you are rewarded with gorgeous views of Lake Michigan. 

 



 

I can't get over the color of the water!

 



 

 { DKU selfie }

 

 

 

 { a half smile...victory! }

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Pyramid Point, we made our way to Traverse City, where we spent the night.  The Traverse City area is another beautiful part of Michigan and is a really fun Summer Town.  I posted about a wine tasting trip I took here.

 

{ One of my Instagram photos of our hotel dock in Traverse City; I used the Waterlogue app to edit into a "watercolor" }

 

I hope you are having a wonderful Summer!  How is it almost August?  I am not ready for Summer to end!



Weekend Kitchen: Marcella Hazen's Tomato Sauce

This recipe will quite possibly be the easiest and most delicious tomato sauce you will ever make.  And it only has three ingredients.  Intrigued?  I was.  I kept running into this recipe all over the web and finally gave it a try.  Smitten Kitchen loved it, The Amateur Gourmet said every home cook needs to know about this recipe, and Orangette posted about it way back in 2007!

The recipe is from Marcella Hazen.  See original recipe here and learn a little bit about Marcella here.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups tomatoes, with their juices (for example, a 28-ounce can of San Marzano or Italian Style whole peeled tomatoes)

- 5 tablespoons butter

- 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half

- Salt, to taste

- Parmesan, freshly grated (optional)

- 1 lb of pasta of your choice

Directions:

1.  Add the tomatoes, their juices, butter, and onion halves to a medium size saucepan.  Add a pinch or two of salt.  Break up the tomatoes with a knife.

2.  Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, mashing any large pieces of tomato with a spoon. Add salt as needed.

3.  Discard onion pieces.  Toss cooked pasta with sauce until pasta is coated.  Serve with freshly grated Parmesan, if desired.  Enjoy!

I told you that was easy!  And the flavor is amazing, especially considering there are only three ingredients.  Comfort food at its finest.  Hazen's cookbooks are now on my wish list - see them here.