Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

...back to my AWESOME week!


Happy Hubs and I celebrated both our one year wedding anniversary and our eight year anniversary! How did we ring it in at midnight you ask? With Taco Bell Dorito Tacos of course!! How else would you celebrate one year of wedded bliss?

And yes we went twice in one week...




Then we celebrated one of our two day festivities at Texas de Brazil where you spend lotsa money to have men in gouchos hand you endless supplies of meat until you burst. Then, since you only ate meat, you are suddenly hungry again two hours later. But, it was worth it. They didn't have my favorite Grape and Gorgonzola Salad at the buffet though...sad face...


The next day we saw Blue Man Group!! Sooooooooooooo much fun!






Then, I made this:

I can proudly say this is not only a "Happy Hubby" recipe. It is also a "Happy Sister-in-Law" recipe too! Yay! It also turned into a Happy-Lunch-the-Next-Couple-of-Days recipe. Which is always a bonus too. They would have preferred it without the peppers. I say, "bring on the peppers!" I'll enjoy them while they push them to the side of the plate.


Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
from aspicyperspective.com


13.25 oz. box Pasta (shells, penne, or rotini)

1 lb. cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 small bell peppers, red and yellow, seeded and diced

1 bunch chopped green onions, divided

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup GOOD blue cheese dressing

1/2 – 3/4 cup Buffalo Hot Wing Sauce

3 cups shredded cheese, divided (I used my 7-year aged cheddar, of course)

3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Boil the pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Drain and transfer to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
3. Add the cooked chicken, chopped bell peppers, 3/4 of the green onions, and 2 1/4 cups of shredded cheese to the baking dish. Mix well.
4. Place the garlic, cream cheese, blue cheese dressing and 1/2 cup hot wing sauce in a food processor. Puree until smooth, taste and add another 1/4 cup hot wing sauce if needed. Pour over the pasta and toss.
5. Mix the remaining 3/4 cup cheese and the Panko together. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta, then sprinkle with the remaining green onions.
6. Bake until golden, approximately 30-40 minutes.

...is there anything better than crunchy-topped baked mac & cheese? I think not...

Cold Sesame Noodles

I am such a lucky lady! Happy Hubs and I had a very good week.

First, Happy Hubs got to spend a long two nights working his abs from constant laughter with one of his best friends, Dane, making this...

The first night, I got to watch classic All That and Kenan & Kel while they did that. Awwwwwwwww, here it goes!!! 

The next night, I got to catch up with an old friend and watch Hook! Very nostalgic week so far.

I can't believe this movie is 21 years old! Maggie Smith looks about 25 years older than she does now! Did you know that there is a scene in this movie where George Lucas and Carrie Fisher are kissing on a bridge? And Jimmy Buffett, Gwyneth Paltrow, Glenn Close, and Phil Collins are also in this movie?! And where has Robin Williams disappeared to?!? I want to watch Flubber...

This week, I also made one of Happy Hubby's favorites. It's one of my favorites too because it only takes about the amount of time to boil pasta. You can usually find Cold Noodle in most Chinese restaurants as an appetizer. I have changed it around based on what is usually in my kitchen but I have included a link to the book I adapted it from which adds stuff like chopped peanuts and Szechuan preserved veggies. We like it better with carrots instead of cucumbers, I don't like warm and soggy cucumbers. Did I mention I serve it hot? It usually doesn't make it to cold, or lukewarm for that matter. But, because it is so good cold, I try to make extra for lunch the next day. The book also has a recipe for Hot Chili Oil to add, but I usually just sprinkle some red pepper on top. And, yes, I do use peanut butter for this recipe. I don't have Asian Sesame Paste in vast quantities like I do peanut butter. I have actually found that many Asian restaurants use peanut butter too. So, HA!

Cold Sesame Noodles

adapted from Quick & Easy Chinese by Nancy McDermott

Sesame Sauce

3 Tablespoons Asian sesame paste or peanut butter

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons hot water

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Noodles

8 ounces fresh Chinese-style egg noodles (or linguine or spaghetti)

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion

1 cup carrot slices (1/4 inch thick)

1. To make the sesame sauce: In a medium bowl large enough to toss the noodles with the sauce, combine the sesame paste, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and salt. Stir to combine everything into a smooth, thick sauce.

2. Boil noodles until al dente.

3.  When the noodles are tender but still firm, drain well and place them in the bowl over the sauce. Toss well to coat the strands evenly. Add a little more hot water if needed to soften the noodles and spread out the sauce.

4. Add the green onion and carrots and toss one last time to mix everything well. Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. Sprinkle on some red pepper flakes for a kick!

Stay tuned for more fun events this week...

Bruschetta Pasta with Crispy Shrimp

Haven't posted in a while. So, expect a few within the next few days. I have been thoroughly enjoying the new fun. CD. Then, lucky me (and lucky fun.) got to see my two favorites together! fun. and Conan!!! (not sure why he has a mustache, but don't mind too much either)

 It has also led me back to their first CD and the Format CD's just because I love Nate's music so much. It also made me crave the classic Beatles Pandora station while I reorganized my kitchen yesterday. BTW, when Pandora throws in newer Paul McCartney music like Wings or his solo stuff, I get very upset. Classic Beatles and John Lennon or bust I say. Now I want to watch Across the Universe...

Speaking of cravings... I had bought a lot of basil earlier in the week for my Basil and Goat Cheese Stuffed Crust Pizza which made me crave a pasta I made in the summer when my Mom had a giant basil plant and extra to spare. Someday when I have a sunny window or a warm climate to live in, I will have a beautiful hhhhhhhhherb garden with extra basil and cilantro. Until then, it's from the store and quickly wilting in my kitchen...sad face... Also, the basil I purchased said "DO NOT REFRIGERATE, keep in a cool (50-55 degree) place." Um... Where would that be? Not my house, not my porch, not my fridge...


This was one of my first go-to recipes when we moved out of our parents house and I really had no idea how or what to shop for besides cereal, Cheetos, and peanut butter and jelly essentials. I have altered the original recipe to make it more of a bruschetta pasta instead of the original. I also hold back on the tomatoes since they end up on the side of my husbands plate (his only flaw). This is my version with added shrimp because hubby really enjoyed a crispy shrimp recipe from www.howsweeteats.com.

Bruschetta Pasta with Crispy Shrimp
adapted from allrecipes.com and www.howsweeteats.com


Pasta

• 12 ounces pasta
• 2-4 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups Italian cheese mix (yes, I used bagged cheese)
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Shrimp

1 pound raw, deveined shrimp (tails removed)

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. In a large bowl combine chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, Italian cheese blend, chopped basil, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover and let stand at room temperature to marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat, cook the pasta until al dente.

3. Make sure shrimp is clean and completely dry. Combine salt, pepper, and garlic powder and sprinkle it over the shrimp. Add the flour to a small bowl, and dredge the shrimp through the flour to get a very light coating on it. Heat a skillet on medium high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the shrimp and brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. 

4. Drain cooked pasta and add pasta to the shrimp. Toss with the sitting bruschetta mixture. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Why isn't bruschetta in spell check?