Mini Mac and Cheese bites

source: www.oldhousetonewhome.net
Posted by Lisa

 In an effort to make some new fun things for the family, I saw these and gave them

a try.  All in all I like them.  There is a bit of fussy work involved,  but if you

want a different type of appetizer or "fun food" for the kids, these are

the ticket.  The boys gave them a "thumbs up".

 Makes 48 mini muffin sized bites

• 12 oz. elbow macaroni
• 5 oz. of garlic and herb cheese (boursin, alouette, or even herbed cream cheese works, any soft spreadable herbed cheese)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• pinch salt and pepper
• for the crust:
• 2 cups crushed Ritz Crackers
• 6 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray 2 mini muffin tins with cooking spray.

Begin by melting the 6 tbsp. of butter and then mixing in the crushed Ritz and the 1/2 cup cheddar.

 Press about 1 tsp. of crumb mixture into the bottom of the mini muffin tin. Press down until firmly packed. Crust should come up a little on the sides.

Prepare macaroni noodles. Cook in boiling water until a few minutes shy of al dente. When done, strain and then put into a large bowl.

 Add the herbed cheese, cheddar, milk, eggs, cold butter, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until cheese is starting to melt and no large clumps remain. 

Spoon about 1-2 tsp. of mixture into each well over the prepared crust. 

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit at least 10 minutes.

 If you try to remove them before that, they will crumble as you take them out. After 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges and then gently remove each one. Serve warm.

Egg plant Parmegiana

Submitted by Lisa

Recipe courtesy Alex Guarnaschelli  from Food Network

I really enjoy using the fresh vegetables out of the garden.  I had never made this recipe before and decided it was time to tackle the egg plant!  It is really good!  Who knew?  The thing with this recipe is, you need a little time to prepare it. I was canning tomatoes today so I had time to do the little steps this required since I was in the kitchen anyway.  (the browned cheese on top is a must)

Egg plant Parmegiana

Directions

Ingredients

The Sauce:

·         1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

·         3 medium yellow onions, peeled, halved, and cut into thin slices ( I used 1 onion and 2 leeks from my garden)

·         6 cloves garlic, peeled and grated

·         Kosher salt

·         1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes 

·         1 tablespoon granulated sugar

·         3 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano whole plum tomatoes ( I used peeled/seeded fresh tomatoes from the garden)

·          

The Eggplant:

·         2 medium eggplants, washed and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds (about 2 1/2 pounds)

·         1/2 cup all purpose flour

·         Freshly ground black pepper

·         5 large eggs

·         3 tablespoons whole milk (didn't use any, forgot!)

·         4 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs (I used ritz crackers, chopped in food processor with the herbs)

·         1 tablespoon dried oregano

·         1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

·          Vegetable oil, for frying, as needed, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups

·         1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices

·         1/2 cup grated Parmesan

·         1 pound provolone cheese, grated (didn't have any, so didn't use any)

·          2 handfuls fresh basil, leaves only, torn

For the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, the tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook for another few minutes if the tomatoes still taste like they need a little more time to break down. Set aside to cool.

For the eggplant (this step is optional, leave it out if you have limited time): Arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt on both sides of each slice and allow it to sit for about 1 hour. Salting it draws out the liquid and bitter flavor. After an hour, rinse with cold water and dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel.

Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the oregano and fresh thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. Arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.

In a large skillet, pour enough oil to accumulate about 1/2-inch in the bottom. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly (alternatively, test with a thermometer and wait until the oil registers between 380 degrees F and 400 degrees F). Use a pair of kitchen tongs to add a single layer of the eggplant to the pan. Cook them until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel so the eggplant can drain as the others cook. Season lightly with salt. Take care to reheat the oil back up to temperature before adding another batch of slices to the pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To assemble: In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spoon about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the parmesan and provolone cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish once assembled. Place the dish in the top part of the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. For extra browning, put the dish under the broiler for a minute or two just before serving to get an extra brown cheesy top. I always nibble on a bit of that before sharing it with my friends!