INA'S GARDEN - Grown Up Macaroni and Cheese

-
In our new Barefoot Contessa group, the choose your own recipe linky theme of "Pasta with Pizazz" was chosen this week by Chaya of Bizzy B. Bakes and Comfy Cook’s Kosher Kitchen. 


We could choose any pasta recipe from the Barefoot Contessa's collection of recipes.  I chose the grown up macaroni and cheese because it is comfort food to me.  I might even jump out there and proclaim that it is my favorite food of all foods!

The one thing that did not delight me about the recipe was that it contained bleu cheese. Neither I nor my DH enjoy bleu cheese. I only used half what the recipe called for.  I did use the gruyere (which I love) and a sharp cheddar. I put some Italian herbs in my bread crumbs instead of the fresh basil.  My DH said it was the best macaroni and cheese he had ever tasted in his life. I thought it might be a bit better if my bread crumbs had been larger. I guess I got a bit carried away with the food processor.  Gadgets make me happy so sometimes I tend to go too far.  My photo of this mac and cheese does not do it justice.  You should try it!  You can find the recipe for the macaroni and cheese here.

Louanne of Louanne's Kitchen has chosen Tabbouleh for our June 2nd recipe.
Also, check out our new blogsite http://gartenofina.blogspot.com/

Leave your linky below if you have a favorite pasta dish of the Barefoot Contessa you want to share with us this week. 


Comments

Anonymous said…
You know, I've seen Ina make this on her show, but I don't remember the bleu cheese aspect. I'm not sure how that would taste against the other cheeses, but yours turned out great looking!
May 19, 2011 at 12:46 AM
April J Harris said…
Your version of Ina's Mac and Cheese looks really delicious and the recipe sounds lovely. I'm really glad that you dealt with the bleu cheese side of things, because I am not fond of it either! It's good to know that you can cut it down and the recipe still turns out great. I think I'm going to have to make this soon!
May 19, 2011 at 4:40 AM
Chats the Comfy Cook said…
I have never had blue cheese with mac and cheese and I am not sure how I would feel about it. Yours certainly looks tempting.
May 19, 2011 at 9:22 AM
Rita said…
Mac and cheese is one of my favourite things and I love trying new recipes; Of course I printed it out. I love blue cheese, but now in Mac and cheese, so I will follow your way.
Rita
May 22, 2011 at 2:00 PM
Julie said…
I love mac and cheese, this looks so delicious!!!
May 31, 2011 at 11:58 AM
Sweet And Crumby said…
This sounds to die for. Thanks for sharing the experience.
June 1, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ina Garten's Deviled Eggs!

-
Image
This is appetizers week in our Ina Garten Fridays group!!  I chose her deviled eggs because we love deviled eggs and I never deviate from my old family recipe so I thought I would branch out and try something different.  I'm so glad I did!  I love these and I am sure my DH will love them tonight for dinner also. With just these ingredients, you can impress your guests or yourself, with some delicious deviled eggs. Ina's recipe says to hardboil six eggs.  (I only did five because that was all I had and mine turned out a little fluffier than they probably should have, but delicious just the same).  If you don't know how to boil eggs, please take a minute to learn.  If your eggs turn out green, you have overcooked them.  To make perfect boiled eggs every time, I put my eggs in cold water and put them on the stove, bring to a boil.  As soon as they begin boiling, I take them off the stove and cover and let them sit for 15 minutes.  At this point, they are perfe
Read more

TWD - Crunchy Toffee Bars

-
Image
Every time I bake with toffee chips, I think of Heath Ledger. You get it, right, Heath Toffee / Heath Ledger. I know I'm weird. But in honor of the Oscars this week, I thought a photo of Heath was appropriate. He was a great actor with a brilliant future ahead of him. Sad. Of course, my real photo choice of the week was going to be my personal favorite Hugh Jackman. Since he was the host of the Oscars, I think it only fitting that we post a photo of him, as well, right? After all, he IS the sexiest man alive. I knew he could act, and look pretty, but dang - he can sing and dance too! Okay girls - get your minds out of the gutter and back to the matter at hand. Truly, get serious! We are here to talk about crunchy toffee bars. Let me just say that I am glad I made these earlier in the weekend because I ended up having to spend some time with a nice young doctor at the ER due to a severe asthma attack! It's heck not being able to breathe folks. It has now turned into acute bronc
Read more

Lenox Almond Biscotti

-
Image
This week Gretchen of Canela & Comino chose Lenox Almond Biscotti for our recipe challenge. Oh Gretchen, thank you thank you, thank you! Biscotti has always been one of my favorite foods (especially around the holidays). Who knew someone of so little culinary experience could actually bake biscotti in their own kitchen? And the greatest thing of all was this was actually one of the easiest things I have baked AND I had all the ingredients I needed right in that pantry of mine. Or so I thought . . . My new shiny red KA mixer was gently purring like a kitten as it mixed my wonderful dough when I discovered - oops, completely out of almond flavoring. Since I was baking in old clothes and no makeup, hair tied back in a ponytail reminiscent of those kindergarten years, there was no way I was headed to the store for almond extract. Not to panic, though, I decided to just use vanilla and hope for the best. I did sprinkle some cinnamon on half of them right before putting into the oven to
Read more