Banana Bread

I've been making the same banana bread for years...from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook (you know...the one with the red and white checked cover...).  I like the recipe just fine.  But I'm also wondering if there's something better out there.

I've been wanting to try a recipe from Cook's Illustrated for some time now.  But their recipe calls for plain yogurt, which is not something I ever have on hand.  And, banana bread is not a recipe I plan ahead to make.  It's a recipe that gets made when we don't eat the bananas in a timely manner.  When I'm ready to make banana bread, I need to have all the ingredients on hand at that moment....and I never have plain yogurt in the fridge.  Someday I'll try it, just because it's from Cook's Illustrated and I love their recipes.  But it will never be my go-to recipe.

Tonight I had three over-ripe bananas hanging from the hook.  I sadly closed up the CI cookbook (didn't have that yogurt...) and opened up Paula Deen's cookbook to see what she suggested.  Pretty standard ingredients...all in the pantry.  So I quickly whipped it up and popped it in the oven.  Right now it's baking. 

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Banana Bread

(Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together:

     1 stick butter (1/2 cup), at room temperature

     1 cup sugar

Add to the mix:

     2 eggs

     1/2 tsp salt

     1 tsp vanilla

     1 tsp baking powder

     1 tsp baking soda

     3 ripe bananas

Once those are mixed well, add:

     1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted*

Grease a 9 x 5" loaf pan.  Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes.**

* Yeah, didn't sift the flour...
**It took 65 minutes in my oven

Results:   It was moist and flavorful....pretty darn good.  I still prefer the BH&G recipe, and will sometime have to try the Cook's Illustrated one.  I also saw Betty Crocker has one with buttermilk that folks on the internet rave about.

Banana Bread

(Better Homes & Gardens, 1989/10th edition)

In a large mixing bowl combine:

     1 cup all purpose flour
     2/3 cup sugar
     2 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    1/4 tsp salt

Add to the bowl and mix:
     1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 medium)
     1/3 cup shortening, margarine, or butter
     2 TB milk

Add to the bowl and mix:
     3/4 cup flour
     2 eggs

Stir in:
     1/4 cup chopped nuts

Pour batter into a greased 8 x 4 x 2" loaf pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove from pan and cool thoroughly on a wire rack.  Makes one loaf (16 slices).

So, what's your favorite recipe for banana bread??

Kung Pao Chicken

Early in our marriage, Brian and I bought a Sunset cookbook called, "Chinese Cook Book". It was published in 1979, so was already an "older" publication by the time we bought it (early 90s). We tried several recipes from it before settling on a favorite, Kung Pao Chicken, which we've been making ever since. You can tell from the book, that we made this recipe quite often. (Please tell me I'm not the only cook with food stains all over the books/recipe pages!)

Kung Pao Chicken is one of our oldest "Family Favorite" staples, and I can't believe it's taken me so long to share it on the blog. It's been mentioned in some past posts, but not with pictures.

Over the years we've made some minor changes to it. The ingredients in the "small bowl" below are doubled from the original recipe. The original recipe simply didn't make enough sauce. We also add stir fry veggies to it (usually peppers, as we keep those chopped and frozen year round). You can adjust the spiciness by the number of hot peppers used, as well as the variety of hot pepper.

Kung Pao Chicken
(Adapted from Sunset Chinese Cook Book)

Small Bowl:
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
2 TB sherry
2 TB soy sauce
1 TB white wine vinegar
3 TB water

Medium Bowl:
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1 TB cornstarch
1 TB sherry
1 TB canola oil

Chop: 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Place them in the medium bowl and let sit until ready.

Have ready in 3 small bowls:
4-6 chile peppers
½ C peanuts

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp crushed garlic

2 whole green onions, chopped
Chopped stir fry veggies (peppers, carrots, peas, baby corn, etc.)

Heat wok*. Add 1 TB canola oil.
Add peppers & peanuts. Remove promptly.
Add 2 TB oil.
Add garlic & ginger. Stir.
Add chicken mixture until opaque.
Add peppers, peanuts, green onions, & any other stir fry veggies.
Add small bowl of sauce.
Cook until mixture thickens.

*I used to use a wok, but usually use a large skillet instead. Cook's Illustrated pointed out that heat is more evenly distributed in a skillet than in a wok.

I Love Cook's Illustrated!

I come from a family that cooks. We usually had home cooked meals made from scratch; not a lot of boxed, pre-made foods. In my own family, it's still that way. We like to share recipes and give cookbooks as gifts. Somehow, I went for most of my adult life (so far) without knowing about Cook's Illustrated. How could that be?? They're not new...the magazine has been around for 16 years, and America's Test Kitchen (by the same folks as CI) has had a cooking show on PBS since 2001.

It wasn't until a few years ago when I saw my first issue of Cook's Illustrated at my friend's home. That began my love for this magazine and its recipes. I bought a one year subscription, but yearned for more. I found a bunch of back issues on ebay. Don't count on getting an incredible bargain....these magazines seem to be in demand and therefore the bidding can be competitive! I was quite happy to purchase about half of their back issues through ebay. I thoroughly enjoyed reading through them all, and was on a quest to buy them all.

During that quest I found out about the on-line subscription to Cook's Illustrated. For an annual fee of $34.95 you have access to the past 16 years of recipes, along with all the great illustrtations and product/food reviews. It's a bargain, especially if all (or most) of this is new to you. They even give you a 14 day free preview to see if it's worth it (of course, you must remember to cancel within that time or you will be charged for the full year).

How to make the most of a one year subscription? I started going through each issue, looking for recipes that might appeal to our family. As I looked at the on-line version, I had a word processing document open at the same time. I simply copied and then pasted each recipe into my document. You're probably thinking this was very time consuming. I'm not going to lie...it was! When I was done with a copy/paste session, I made sure to mark which issue I was up to. That way when I resumed the process I knew where to start. Eventually I made it all the way through the current issue.

My next step was to print and organize them. Some of you might be fine without the printing. It was a laborious chore. But, when I cook I want the recipe right in front of me. When I'm searching for a recipe, I prefer to thumb through recipes, rather than read off of the computer.

I set up my paper in landscape view with two columns. This allowed me to cut them into 5 1/2" x 8 1/2 " pages, and eventually put them in small binders. But we're jumping ahead here...

As I printed them, I kept them in big orderly stacks. Next came the cutting. I used a scrapbooking trimmer to do a precise cut. Once each small group of 6-8 papers was cut (or whatever your trimmer will do) I did not stack those. They had to remain in two organized stacks because the left side of the paper was p. 1, the right side was page 2, then back to the next left side (page 3) and so on.

Organizing the binders was the next step. After careful consideration I ended up with five binders, or books. Below is how they are divided and subdivided:

Book #1

• About Food
• Drinks
• Snacks
• Fruit
• Italian
• Pasta (Stuffed/Filled)
• Pasta
• Pizza
• Greek
• Indian
• Soup
• Sandwiches

Book #2

• Asian
• Stir Fry
• Sauces, Dips, Marinades
• Seafood
• Side Dish
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Vegetables

Book #3

• Chicken (Sauteed)
• Chicken (Oven)
• Chicken (Grilled)
• Beef (Steak)
• Beef (Ribs)
• Beef (Burgers)
• Beef (Roasts)
• Beef (Misc.)
• Pork

Book #4

• Breakfast
• Breads (Savory)
• Breads (Sweet)
• Muffins
• Pastries (Savory)
• Pastries (Sweet)
• Appetizers

Book #5

• Dessert
• Cake
• Cheesecake
• Pudding/Mousse
• Cobblers/Crumbles
• Pie
• Cookies
• Bars
• Fudge/Toffee/Candy
• Frozen Dessert

Some of the recipes could have easily gone into more than one category. I simply had to make the best choice for each one. Someday I may add a page at the front of the section that says, "See also...." and then list similar recipes.

I took my two large stacks and started putting the recipes into page protectors. I've found this size made by C-line, Century, and Avery. While the binders (Avery) haven't been hard to find (most office stores carry them), the pages were kind of hit and miss. I initially bought them at our local Staples store. When I returned to buy more, they were out of stock for a long time. I don't even think they were offered in their catalog! Eventually they turned up again. Now, I live in a small-ish town, so if you're in a metropolitan area, they might be easier to find! Or, you may decide to go the route of an 8 1/2 x 11 binder, which will be easy-peasy to find!

As I put the pages into the protectors, I started filing them into their appropriate sections. Eventually I had five easy-to-use custom cookbooks full of recipes I would love to someday make.

As for my collection of CI magazines...I still have them. They're tucked away on a shelf in plastic magazine racks. I do love the magazine. They're charming, delightful, and full of great information. But as a whole I find them hard to search through. They do create an annual index, which is helpful, but it also means I must look through 16 of them to find what I'm looking for. For me, being able to organize them to my liking, with personally selected recipes works best.

Here are some recipes I've featured on my blog that came from Cook's Illustrated:

Lemon Chiffon Cake
The Best Pumpkin Pie
Cheesy Basil-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Sesame Chicken Bites
Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
The Best Pie Crust
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Berry Cobbler
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
Pecan Crusted Chicken  (well, officially from Cook's Country, their sister publication)
Smoky Scalloped Potatoes
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Peach Crumble
Grilled Chicken with Sesame Noodles
Perfect Pecan Pie

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

What I LOVE about this recipe is how easy it is. And, other than the carrots (I usually buy the baby carrots for munching), I always have the ingredients on hand. Once the carrots are finely shredded (and with a food processor, that takes just a couple minutes!) this cake comes together very quickly. It's not a fussy cake.

The presentation is spectacular when you make a three layer cake. However, out of simplicity, we usually just make it in a 9 x 13" pan. A square piece doesn't look as great, but the taste is all there!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
(San Francisco a la Carte)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3- 8" round cake pans.*

Finely grate:
8-9 carrots to make 4 C of grated raw carrot

Thoroughly stir together, and set aside:
2 C flour
2  C sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 TB cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl beat:
4 eggs until frothy

Slowly beat in:
1 C canola oil

Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture, beating until smooth.

Add, and blend:
4 C finely grated raw carrots

Pour into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean. (In my Pampered Chef 9 x 13 stoneware pan, it takes about 45 minutes.)

Cool cakes completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Blend well:
8 oz softened cream cheese
4 TB softened (NOT melted) butter
2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract

Spread some frosting over each layer, also sprinkling with:
chopped pecans

Assemble the layers and decorate the top with whole or chopped pecans.**

*Or 2 round pans, or one 9 x 13 baking dish.

**While I prefer the nuts, my daughter does not, so I made this cake nut-free.

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

When Brian and I got married, we were given a general cookbook put out by McCalls (The New Revised and Updated McCalls Cookbook). It's rather unpretentious, and really doesn't get talked about much. But it has some really great basic recipes. Since it was probably the only cookbook I had when I started making holiday dinners (in my early 20s), most of my standard holiday recipes come from this book. Over the years I've changed it up a bit, but it really is my main source for Thanksgiving & Christmas dinners!

One of these great basics is for apple pie. I've never made an apple pie with any other recipe. This one is just sooooo good! I've tasted many apple pies, and I am forever comparing them to this recipe:

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice:
6 C tart apples (Granny Smith/about 4 apples or 2 lbs)

Combine:
1 C sugar
1 tsp apple pie spice (made from equal parts of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice)
1/4 C flour
dash salt

Add sliced apples, lightly toss.

2 pie crust shells*

Fill one pie crust and add the other on top. Seal edges and slit the top shell.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.












To quickly peel, core, and slice the apples I use this handy gadget from Pampered Chef. I also swear by their stoneware for giving me nice bottom crusts (not soggy!). The pan shown here is the Deep Dish Baker (no longer sold as plain stoneware, but you can get it in cranberry or vanilla).

*Until this year I have relied on Pilsbury's refrigerated pie crust. It's pretty darn good, and most people think it tastes/looks homemade. In a pinch, it's better than any other store-bought crust. But, you really can't beat a homemade pie crust.

This year, I attempted my first homemade pie crust with the apple pie. The recipe came from a new favorite: Cook's Illustrated.

The Best Pie Dough
Double Crust 10-inch Regular or 9-inch Deep-Dish

When rolling out the dough, roll to a thickness of about 1/8-inch thick (about the thickness of two quarters).

For a double-crust 10-inch regular pie
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
13 tablespoons unsalted butter , cold, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
7 tablespoons vegetable shortening , chilled
4 - 5 tablespoons ice water

1. Mix flour, salt and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with some flour. cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if dough will not come together. Shape dough into two balls with your hands, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten into 4-inch-wide disks. Dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.

Time and temperature: I started the pie out at 425 degrees. Once the crust was nicely browned, I turned down the oven to 350 degrees. The result was delicious! I didn't have to use the pesky torn foil pieces around the edge of my pie (you know...to keep the edges from burning). Next time I might brush a little water or egg over the raw upper crust and sprinkle on a dusting of cinnamon and sugar.

A handy trick: I had trouble lifting the bottom crust up and placing it in the pie pan. It kept breaking apart. So, I rolled it out on a Tupperware pastry sheet I own, set the pie pan (upside down) centered on the crust, and with the help of my husband, carefully flipped the pan/crust/pastry sheet. The crust landed nice and neat right in the pie pan!

My crust might not look like anything fancy (it was only my second home-made crust!), but it sure tasted good!! And when it comes right down to it, taste is what matters most!

Denti d' Elefante with Bell Peppers and Swiss Chard

Sounds fancy, doesn't it?

I just finished sorting through all my digital pictures, getting them all into organized, labeled files on the computer (backed them up too!). In doing so, I found some food pics I had forgotten about.

The first is for Denti d' Elefante with Bell Peppers and Swiss Chard, more commonly known in our household as Pasta with Red Bell Peppers and Swiss Chard. It comes from my favorite pasta cookbook, The Classic Pasta Cookbook by Giuliano Hazan (son of famed Italian chef Marcella Hazan). The book is now out of print, but if you can find it, I highly recommend buying it. The recipes are wonderful, and in true Dorling Kindersley style, full of pictures, and step by step instructions.

Denti d' Elefante with Bell Peppers and Swiss Chard

In a large pot, bring water & 1 TB of salt to a boil. Cook al dente (soft, but still firm...not mushy)
1 lb. denti d'elefante (tube pasta)

Heat in large skillet over medium high heat:
3 TB extra virgin olive oil

Add, and cook until lightly browned:
4 cloves garlic, crushed

Remove the garlic and add until lightly browned:
2 red bell peppers, chopped into 3/4" squares

Reduce the heat to medium, and add:
1/2 lb Swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
2 TB water

Season lightly with:
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Cook until the vegetables are tender.

Add:
2 TB butter

When the pasta is ready, drain it, and add it to the skillet.
Add and toss to mix:
2 TB balsamic vinegar
1/3 C freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Serve immediately.

Chicken Parmigiana w/Linguini

So, this week was my turn to cook for our meal exchange group. For the first time in a long time I really didn't know what I would be making. The beginning of November kind of caught me by surprise! Thinking* my favorite hand-trimmed chicken breasts were on sale at Albertsons this week, I chose to make Chicken Parmigiana.

I love the recipe I have from San Francisco Encore. It's pretty straightforward, and just plain ol' yummy!

Over the years I've made it in different pans with different cooking tools, and I think I've finally found the perfect combo for breading/sauteeing chicken pieces: the 7 qt. Calphalon One Sauteuse (not the non-stick one) pan, and a stiff beveled turner from Pampered Chef. This particular turner wedges its way under the pieces, and the pan (seasoned with a little butter & oil) browns the chicken nicely, but also allows for a release that keeps the breading ON the chicken! Getting this step down is truly the key in making this dish.

Seasoning the pan with butter & oil....this was a tip I picked up from my Cook's Illustrated magazines. The oil helps with the stickiness, and the butter allows for better browning. Good to know!!

Now that you know how to cook the dish, here is the recipe:

Chicken Parmigiana (San Francisco Encore)

Preheat the oven to 325º.

Pound to a thickness of 1/4":
6 half boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I slice these so they are half the thickness, and then do a little pounding.)

Combine in a shallow bowl:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Mix in a separate bowl:
½ C dry plain bread crumbs
½ C Parmesan cheese

Dip the chicken into the eggs and then into the bread crumbs.

Heat oil (and butter...my addition!) in a heavy skillet. Quickly brown the chicken on both sides. Remove to a shallow baking dish.

Our off any oil remaining in the pan. Add and saute briefly:
1 clove garlic, minced

Stir into the pan, and bring to a boil:
2 C tomato sauce**
1/4 tsp dried basil
salt to taste
pepper to taste


Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in:
1 TB butter

Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
Sprinkle over the chicken:
½ C Parmesan cheese

Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Uncover, and arrange over the chicken:
8 oz. mozzarella cheese slices

Return to the oven and continue baking until the cheese melts.

To serve it to the three other families, I placed the chicken pieces on a bed of cooked linguini. It was a much better presentation than just putting the chicken right in the pan. Next time I'd add a little more sauce for the linguini.

My daughter (a vegetarian for 18 mos. now) used to call this Pizza Chicken and would devour it! Now, to make it for, I will bread and sautee some pieces of extra firm tofu. Works just fine!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one!!


*Uh, no...they weren't on sale. I discovered this on cooking day, and by that time there was no going back. Dang it!!

**We used to make this dish regularly, but for some reason hadn't made it for many years. When I started canning a few years ago, I made waaaaaaay too much tomato sauce! So I purposely looked for recipes that needed tomato sauce. Since that time, I've been making this dish for company, to bring to families, and for our own dinners.

Pinwheel Flank Steak

I have a tried and true marinade for flank steak, so I've been in a rut with this cut of meat. Trying to cook out of the box (literally!), I tried this new recipe from Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer.

Though the cookbook doesn't come with pictures, three things drew me to it: 1) great reviews on Amazon, 2) the recipes list single & multiple ingredient lists, and 3) the dinners looked tasty! This is the first recipe I've tried from the book. (It's hard when my "To Try" cookbook of clippings & computer print outs has at least a hundred recipes in it!!)

I made this recipe in triplicate, because I was fairly certain we'd like it (we did).

Pinwheel Flank Steak (single recipe)

Pound to a 1/2" thickness*:
1 beef flank steak, about 1 1/2 pounds

Combine marinade:
2 C red burgandy wine (I used a big ol' bottle of Gallo)
1/2 C finely chopped green onions
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Pour the marinade over flank steaks, and marinate for 3-4 hours.

Fry until almost done, but not crisp**:
1/2 lb. bacon


Combine the rest of the filling:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 C minced fresh parsley
1/4 C finely chopped onion***

Remove the meat from the marinade, and score the steak on both sides.**** Spread the filling over the meat, and add the strips of bacon lengthwise on the steak. Roll up the steak, starting with the shorter end. Tie with a cotton string at 1/2" intervals.***** Place the steak in a freezer bag, along with a little of the marinade.****** Remove as much air as possible from the bag.


To cook:

Partially thaw the steak. Cut into 1 1/2" slices, and lay flat until completely thawed. Use toothpicks to hold it together if necessary. Grill over medium heat (5-7 minutes per side) or until desired doneness.

*Yeah, that didn't happen. I pounded with all my rheumatoid arthritic might. It was about 3/4" thick, and worked just fine.

**I like my bacon crispy and done. So I cooked it completely, and crumbled it into the mixture. It worked fine. Next time, I would still cook it completely, but I would keep it in whole strips.

***My onion was from my freezer stash. See those white clumps?? Those are the frozen onion pieces.

****OOPS! Forgot to do this step.

*****Don't get too hung up on how you make your ties. It will work out.

******You have to realize this is from a freezer cooking cookbook. If you want to eat it the same day, I recommend putting it in the freezer for about 30 minutes or so, as it will be more solid for easier slicing.

My notes: My favorite way to prepare flank steak remains with my tried and true marinade from San Francisco Encore. However, this was a nice change of pace. It has a nice presentation, and I'd definitely make it again. I'd add a bit more garlic, but I tend to add a bit more garlic to nearly everything.

The cookbook also lists a Fresh Mango Salsa to serve with the pinwheel steaks. I did not make the sauce, but will list the recipe:

Fresh Mango Salsa

In a non-metal bowl, combine:
1 large ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/3 C finely diced red onion
3 Roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 1/2 t finely minced garlic
1 1/2 T fresh squeezed lime juice
1 T finely grated lime zest
1 small jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
1/4-1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t sugar (or to taste)

Cover tightly, and chill from 30 minutes - 4 hours.

Just before serving, add:
2 T fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

The picture on the cover of my new "Cover and Bake" cookbook was calling out to me. After deciding that I would make it for our meal exchange in October, I decided that I actually needed to TRY it before feeding it to four families!

No worries...recipes from Cook's Illustrated haven't failed me yet. And this time was no exception. I chose "Baked Macaroni and Cheese" from this cookbook, despite having about a dozen of their Mac 'n Cheese recipes to choose from (2 from this book, and many others from past issues).


Baked Macaroni and Cheese (Cover & Bake)

<-------The ingredients.

The recipe (which I doubled, and split into three pans; one for last night, and two to freeze):


Cook until al dente: 1 pound elbow macaroni

While that is heating up/cooking, add to a large (6 qt. +) pot, and heat (on medium) until melted:
6 TB unsalted butter

Add to the butter:
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Cook for about 30 seconds, and add:
6 TB (3/8 C) flour

Stir constantly until golden.

Slowly whisk in, and bring to a simmer:
1 3/4 C low-sodium chicken broth
3 1/2 C whole milk

Cook until large bubbles are on the surface (about 5-8 minutes). Remove pot from heat.

Mix in:
16 oz colby cheese, shredded
8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the drained pasta to the cheesy sauce, and stir until well-mixed.

Pour into a 9 x 13" baking pan and sprinkle with:
4 slices of sandwich bread, which have been crumbled in a food processor

Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until golden on top, and bubbling on the edges.

To freeze: Prepare the recipe as stated above, but do not add the bread crumbs. Make sure to line the baking dish with heavy duty foil before adding the macaroni and cheese. Cover the dish and freeze overnight. When completely frozen, turn the dish upside down to remove the food/foil lining. Vacuum seal or wrap in Saran Wrap/foil and place in the freezer. Upon taking the food out of the freezer, unwrap and remove any plastic wrap. Place the foil lined food back in its original pan, and thoroughly defrost. Bring it to room temperature before placing in the oven. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs at this point.

Family/neighbor reviews: Katie said I could definitely make this again....her highest compliment. My friend, Tara, who is part of my meal exchange group, was a bit leery when I told her I was thinking of making mac 'n cheese next month. She swore no one in her family would eat it. She was so skeptical, I made sure to add, "It won't be from a box; it'll be home-made!" Still not sure, I brought a small bowl of it to her last night. Let's just say it was eaten quickly, and I was given full approval to make it for the meal exchange!

Cookbooks

In the mail today was a package: three cookbooks from Cook's Illustrated. From time to time they email me about bargains. This time I took them up on it. Several of their older (3-5 years) publications were available for 1/2 price, AND they were throwing in a book (Restaurant Favorites) for free. Shipping was only $3.95, so I went shopping.

Cover & Bake, and American Classics were the two I ordered. Both had great reviews on Amazon. I'm looking forward to making one of the mac 'n cheeses for next month's Meal Exchange. I think October is a great month for a comfort food/casserole.