Yummy in the Tummy Crabby Mac and Cheese

Nerdy-Boy loves chum - giveaways.  He loves being the first of the first 500 people at the ballgame so he can get a cheesey ballcap or a refrigerator magnet with the team schedule on it.  During campaign season, I expend a good deal of effort trying to convince candidates that they should not spend money on magnets, nail files or those little rubber discs that help you loosen a lid.   Ironically, the man I swore to love, honor and cherish is THAT guy - the guy that thinks that anything that is given away, is the world's greatest treasure. It is an ongoing battle in our home. He thinks it accentuates the decor.   Trust me, a plastic seat cushion with the Harrisburg Senators and a now-defunct bank logo really do nothing for our dining room chairs.

What does this have to do with Yummy-in-the-Tummy Crabby Mac and Cheee?  I'm getting there. At the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Nerdy-Boy, in the midst of his 7-day chum-gathering bender (while I happened to be working 30+ hours a day), actually found something I thought was clever.  A commemorative edition of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese - with donkey shaped macaronis.  Not something I would display on the mantle, but, a few months later when Nerdy-Boy had a craving for Mac and Cheese and suggested we should cook the commemorative edition, I knew I had to find an alternative.  This is the result.

What I like best about this recipe for mac and cheese is that you can substitute the cheeses and other proteins.  You can add herbs or vegetables to suit your taste.  The Crabby Mac and Cheese is Nerdy-Boy's favorite, but, I've made it with all Italian cheeses and pancetta with lots of garlic, oregano and basil.  I've made it with ham cubes and peas, Sunday-potlock-style.  The only thing I highly recommend is that you serve this dish with a side of cardiologist.

Crabby Mac and Cheese
1 lb elbow macaroni - cooked
1 quart of whole milk (warmed)
5 Tbsps butter
5 Tbsps flour
5 oz of sharp cheddar cheese - cubed
5 oz of monterrey jack cheese - cubed
5 oz of mozzarella cheese - cubed
5 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
16 oz of crabmeat (I use pastuerized lump or backfin crab)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesean

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray large baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large heavy pan melt the butter.  Add the flour and stir until you have formed a roux.  Add the warmed milk (make sure it is warm - I warm mine in the microwave for 30-45 seconds) - about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly.  Bring to a slight boil and let the sauce thicken.  Remove from heat and add cheese - one kind at a time.  Stir until melted through.  Add in crabmeat and garlic.  Stir in cooked macaroni.  Poor into baking pan and bake in oven for 45 minutes. 

Mix together bread crumbs and parmesean.  Remove from macaroni and cheese from oven and top with bread crumbs and parmesean mixture.  Return to oven for 10 minutes.  Let set for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Sage Pumpkin Penne for a Cause

My friend Lyn is an amazing woman - in so many ways. She does pretty much everything well - entertaining is no exception. Sure she lives in an indescribable, amazing home - The Spirit of Avalon - but that's not what makes her parties special. Lyn is one of the best hostesses I know and in every dish she presents to her guests, you can taste just how much she wants you to enjoy yourself.

Avalon hosts a number of events each year - fundraisers for worthy causes and Democratic organizations and candidates - even Al Gore AND Joe Biden. A few weeks back, I helped her with an event for Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa). Most notably, Avalon was the site of our wedding 5 1/2 years ago.

I wish I lived in KC just so I could be her sous chef. I was flattered when she asked me to help her come up with an additional dish for an event she is hosting later in the month. Friends in KC - check it out and if you can support The Innocence Project - please do.

http://www.themip.org/index.php/front-page-event-list/details/5-fall-fundraiser

This week I'm trying out a couple of recipes for her - including this unusual and quite tasty Sage Pumpkin Penne. I love recipes that call for herbs I have in my garden. In this one, I used two - sage and chives. The pumpkin and sage are so great together - it's like they were meant to be. I used Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage, but, this recipe could easily be made without it for a fabulous vegetarian dish.

And it proves one of my theories about Nerdy-Boy - I can pretty much put anything over pasta and he will eat it. I did not tell him it was pumpkin until he asked for seconds.

Up Next - An eggplant, tomato, goat cheese thing I tried out for Lyn!

Sage Pumpkin Penne
1 box cooked penne (I always use whole wheat pasta)
2 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage (bulk)
2 shallots - sliced
5 cloves garlic - chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
12 leaves of sage - chopped
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
1 cup Parmesan
salt/pepper to taste
chives to garnish

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Brown the sausage and transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Cook the shallots and garlic until just tender - 3-4 minutes.

Add the wine and return the sausage to the skillet. Let the wine cook down for a few minutes.

Add the chicken stock and the pumpkin puree. Stir well.

Add the cream. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Stir in sage. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook on low until sauce thickens just a bit - 15-20 mins.

Toss with penne. Top with chives and Parmesan.