Category: Sides
Roast Honey-Chipotle Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Black Beans… for One
| October 9, 2011 | Filled under Chicken and Poultry, Cooking For One, Fall, Light, Mexican and Southwestern, One Pan, Sides |
A few weeks ago I didn’t feel like cooking dinner so I unearthed a bag of Alexia chipotle roast sweet potatoes and a veggie corn dog from the depths of the freezer and called it a night. (I know.)
It was good, but considering both elements of the meal were already prepared it was awfully fussy. The potatoes required me to stand over the stove for longer than I would have liked to and by the time they were done, my corn dog was cold. It also made me feel lazy – especially considering this meal of sweet potatoes, black beans, and roast chicken with a honey-chipotle glaze requires less energy, tastes fresher, and is cheaper to make. You don’t even have to stand over the stove while it cooks. Read More
Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese
| September 18, 2011 | Filled under Indulge, Pasta and Noodles, Quick Weeknight Meals, Shawn's Favorites, Sides, Vegetarian or Vegan |
This jalapeno popper macaroni and cheese is probably the best thing that’s ever come out of my kitchen.
There’s not much more to say about it than that. I mean, I could go on about how how rich and creamy and cheesy it is. How the thick sauce that clings to each piece of pasta tastes like someone just squeezed the guts out of your favorite bar poppers and called it “sauce.” How I kept running back to the kitchen as I waited for the pasta to finish cooking because I couldn’t stop sneaking tastes. Read More
Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves 4
This rich macaroni and cheese captures all the flavor of the jalapeno poppers at your favorite bar or pizzeria — right down to the crispy topping — but without the guilt. This dish has a kick; to prevent it from being too spicy, be sure to remove all of the seeds as well as the white veins from the inside of your jalapenos. I like to use a blend of cheddar and pepper jack, but you can use all cheddar if you prefer.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dry Radiatore or other small, ridged pasta (elbow or shell shapes also work well)
- 1 slice Bacon, diced (optional)
- 1/4 cup diced Red Onion
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 8 Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- 1 cup Vegetable Stock
- 4 ounces Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces Reduced Fat Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
Preparation
- Preheat broiler. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions on the package. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Add the bacon, if using, to a wide bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook until crisp — about 7 minutes. Remove the bacon, leaving behind any drippings, and drain on a paper towel.
- Add the onion and garlic to the bacon grease and cook until softened — about 3 minutes. (If not using bacon, cook the onions and garlic in 1 Tablespoon of olive oil instead.) Add the jalapenos and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then add the vegetable stock. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Slowly stir in the Cheddar and Pepper Jack cheeses, adding a little at a time and letting it melt completely before adding more. Stir in the cream cheese. Mix in the crumbled bacon, if using.
- Combine the cooked pasta and cheese in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle a thin layer of bread crumbs over the top. Broil 3-5 minutes, or until bread crumb topping is crispy and golden brown.
Sorry for the cruddy photos. Apparently it’s Fall all of a sudden, and dark out by the time dinner is ready. I guess it’s time to suck it up and replace the photography light that I broke at the end of Spring. Under normal circumstances, I would have saved this post until I could reshoot the photos, but it’s just too good to keep to myself.
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