Cookin' with Carol recipes on NBC5 - January 2006
Gourmet
Macaroni and Cheese
Serves
8
A
common comfort food gets gourmet-style treatment with a fabulous, velvety,
three-cheese béchamel sauce.
2
tablespoons butter
1/4
cup finely chopped onion
2
tablespoons flour
1
cup milk
1/4
teaspoon salt
1/8
teaspoon white pepper
1/8
teaspoon grated nutmeg
1
cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2
cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/4
cup grated Asiago cheese
4
cups macaroni, cooked and drained
1
tablespoon chopped parsley
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add flour and stir with a spoon (or roux whisk) and cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to cook the flour. Remove pan from heat. In a separate medium saucepan, scald milk (heat it until it is just below the boiling point). Return the saucepan with the onion/roux to the stove on medium-low heat. Pour in scalded milk gradually, whisking constantly as you add. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until sauce is thickened. Strain sauce through fine-mesh strainer, if desired, and pour back into the saucepan (discarding the solids). Add salt, white pepper, and nutmeg, and stir to combine. Taste and correct the seasonings at this point. Add all cheeses and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted. Place half of the cooked macaroni in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Pour half of the cheese sauce over the macaroni. Repeat with the remaining macaroni and cheese sauce. Cover baking dish and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes, or until mixture is heated through. You can remove the cover during the last 10 minutes of cooking time for a crust-like top, if desired. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
(Air Date: January 7, 2006)
Honey
Whole-Wheat Bread
Makes
1 loaf; 16 slices/servings
Making
bread from scratch is a fun, delicious project to share with your family. This
easy, step-by-step recipe will lead you to success.
1
cup warm water (105°-115°F)
2
1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
1/2
teaspoon sugar
1
1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1
1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2
tablespoons honey
1/2
teaspoon salt
1
1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Measure
warm water into a large bowl, sprinkle yeast on top, add sugar, and stir with a
fork. Let stand for 5 minutes. In another bowl, combine all-purpose and
whole-wheat flours, mixing well. Add 2 cups of the combined flours to the
water/yeast mixture. Also add honey, salt, and olive oil. Using a heavy stirring
spoon, stir until dough is smooth. Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead
in enough of the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8
to 10 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl (shortening or vegetable
oil) and turn to coat surface. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch
dough down. Roll dough into a rectangle about 10 inches by 5 inches. Starting
from the long edge, roll dough, seal ends by pressing, and tuck ends under.
Place in a lightly greased 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise for
30 minutes. Bake at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove bread from pan and allow
to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before slicing. Makes 1 loaf.
Notes:
The first instruction is known as “proofing the yeast”. This is done to ensure the yeast is alive (it can become “foamy” and should smell slightly fermented) so that the bread will rise properly. If the yeast does not “proof” after 5 minutes, check the expiration date on the yeast package (has it expired?), check the water temperature (under 105°F the yeast won't activate; over 115°F kills the yeast), and if everything seems correct, add a bit more sugar to see if there is a reaction. If so, proceed with recipe. If not, try proofing more yeast. Better safe than sorry---this way you don't waste any flour.
(Air Date: January 14, 2006)
Marinated
Baked Prawns
Serves
4 as a main dish; 8 as an appetizer
Shrimp
are referred to as prawns in
2
tablespoons soy sauce
2
tablespoons dry sherry
1
tablespoon olive oil
1
teaspoon sugar
1/2
teaspoon sesame oil
1/4
teaspoon five spice powder, optional
1/8
teaspoon crushed red pepper
2
cloves garlic, minced
1
teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1
pound shrimp, in shell
1
teaspoon coarse-grain salt
Combine
all ingredients, except salt, in a glass, stainless steel bowl, or plastic bag.
Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes, or up to 1 hour in the
refrigerator. Drain shrimp from marinade and place in a shallow baking pan.
Sprinkle salt evenly over shrimp. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, or until shrimp
is cooked through.
Notes:
Chinese
five spice powder is a mixture of equal portions of cinnamon, cloves, fennel
seed, star anise and
(Air Date: January 21, 2006)
Stir-Fried
Vegetables and Noodles
Serves
6
The ingredients in this quick and delicious stir-fry meal have symbolic meaning to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Prepare the noodles unbroken and eat the vegetables slowly to represent “longevity”. According to the Chinese calendar, this is the Year of the Dog.
1
teaspoon vegetable oil
2
cups chopped vegetables
4
cups cooked Chinese noodles
2
tablespoons hoisin sauce
2
tablespoons soy sauce
2
tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2
teaspoon sesame oil
1/2
teaspoon chili garlic sauce (optional)
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat pan. Add vegetables and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender-crisp. Add remaining ingredients and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Serve warm.
Notes:
Use any favorite vegetables in this recipe: carrots, bell peppers, onions, celery, bok choy, broccoli, water chestnuts, snow peas or sugar snap peas, baby corn, etc.
(Air Date: January 28, 2006)