Mac and Cheese with Bacon

by Kelly Campana

1 box Elbow Noodles

8oz Gouda cubed

8oz Shredded Kraft Classic Melts (or Mild Cheddar)

3/4 lb Provolone cubed

1 stick butter

1 clove of garlic minced

1 lb bacon

1 cup whipping cream

Fry bacon, let cool, then cut in cubes

In pan over medium heat melt stick of butter.

Add cubes of cheese slowly.

Stir often to reduce chance of scorching.

Add whipping cream as needed to create smooth consistency.

Add chopped bacon and noodles.

Serve.

Master Chef V: Video Recap

Dinner and Dessert Empanadas

by Scott Wurzel

Empanada Dough

9.5 oz Unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp Baking powder

3/4 tsp Kosher salt

2.5 oz Shortening

3/4 c Milk

1 egg beaten with 2 tsp water

Savory Filling

Sliced ham

Grated Medium Cheddar

Sweet Filling

4 oz Blueberries

1/4 c Sugar, plus 4 tbl

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1/2 c Mascarpone cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F

To prepare the dough (using the Biscuit Method):

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl.  Add shortening to the flour mixture in small chunks.  Mix shortening into flour using hands until the mixture is crumbly. Still using your hands, make a well and pour in the milk. Mix the milk in until the dough comes together.  

Move dough to a well floured surface, kneed 10-20 times, and roll out to 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut rounds out using a biscuit or cookie cutter. Once the rounds are cut, roll each out as thin as possible.  Place rolled out dough on parchment paper, in layers if necessary, and place in refrigerator for about 1 hour for the fats to firm.

For the Sweet Filling:

In a small sauce pan, combine Blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and Vanilla extract.  Turn heat to medium low and allow to simmer until liquids are produced and thickened.

In a separate container, mix the remaining sugar with Mascarpone.

Constructing the Empanadas:

For savory filling place a pinch of cheese and a small slice of ham on one half of the dough.  For the sweet empanadas, put a small amount of blueberry and mascarpone mixture on one half of the dough.  Once filling is in place, rub some of the egg mixture on the edge of the dough and fold over like a taco.  Crimp the edges with a fork.

Place empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Place in oven for 20 minutes or until crust is golden and flakey.

West Virginia Pepperoni Rolls

by Krystal Wolfe

1 Package Frozen Yeast Rolls 

12 oz Sticks Pepperoni 

1 lb Mozzarella Cheese 

1. Follow instructions on yeast rolls for rise

2. Cut peperoni into approximately 3 inch sticks (triangles or rectangles)

3. Slice cheese into approximately 1/2 inch slices

4. After rise is completed construct the pepperoni roll (see instructions below)

6. Bake according to instructions on package

7. Let cool

8. Eat

Pepperoni Roll Construction

1. Flatten one of the rolls (two if small)

2. Place pieces of cheese and pepperoni near one end of the roll in the following order: Cheese, Pepperoni, Cheese

3. Take the end of the dough closes to the pepperoni and cheese

4. Roll the end over the pepperoni and cheese.  Kind of like a burrito

5. Place pieces of cheese and pepperoni near the other end in the following order: Cheese, Pepperoni, Cheese, Pepperoni, Cheese

6. Roll the end over in the same manner as before.  There should create two chambers of cheese and pepperoni

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

by Erica Cooksey

For the chicken:

Approximately 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup flour

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp sweet paprika

1/4 tsp hot paprika (or 1/4 tsp cayenne if not making it for kids!)

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 Tbs seasoned salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

3/4 cup cornflake crumbs

4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/3 cup hot sauce such as Crystal (or hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco if not making it for kids)

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

Canola cooking spray

For the macaroni and cheese:

Approximately 1 lb macaroni pasta, such as Barilla Plus

1 Tbs canola oil

4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 oz shredded Muenster cheese

2 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

4 oz shredded mild cheddar

4 oz shredded sharp cheddar

8 oz Velveeta®, diced

1 pint half-and-half

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Seasoned salt, to taste (about 1/4 tsp)

1. Bring a pot of water to boil, and add salt and the canola oil. Cook according to package directions and drain.

2. Meanwhile, make the buffalo chicken. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the chicken into strips (I got three strips out of each cutlet, using hormone-free chicken). Combine the flour, paprikas, garlic, onion powder, and salt in one dish, beat the egg in a second dish, and combine the panko and cornflake crumbs in a third. Roll each chicken strip first in the seasoned flour, then the egg, then the crumbs. Place on a very well-greased baking sheet, and spray the tops with canola oil. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning halfway through, or until cooked.

3. While chicken is cooking, melt 4 Tbs butter. Add the hot sauce and Worcestershire.

4. Melt 4 Tbs butter and combine with the macaroni. Add the shredded cheeses, half-and-half, Velveeta, salt, and eggs. Toss half of the chicken strips with the butter/hot sauce mixture, cut into chunks, and toss those with the macaroni. Turn the macaroni mixture into a greased casserole dish and drizzle some of the hot sauce over the top. Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes.

5. Toss the remaining chicken with remaining buffalo sauce, cut into chunks, and arrange over the top.

Denise's Meatloaf

by Denise Parker

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1/2 C italian bread crumbs

1 egg

1 shredded carrot

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1 pkg onion soup mix

3 TBS ketchup

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and then form a loaf in a 9x13 pan.

Bake for 50 mins or until internal temp reaches 160.

Turkey, Cranberry, & Brie Quesadillas

by Glen Parker

For the Quesadillas

1 lb. fully cooked turkey breast meat, chopped fine

2 cups brie, rind removed

6 8-inch flour tortillas

1 cup sweetened, dried cranberries chopped fine

1/4 cup chopped chives

For the Topping

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped chives

1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Spread 1/2 cup brie over each tortilla and then sprinkle 1/2 cup

turkey, 1/4 cup cranberries, and 1 tablespoons chives over the brie.

Place second tortilla over top of turkey-cranberry mixture.

Cook quesadilla in large, lightly greased frying pan over medium high

heat 2-3 minutes per side until cheese is melted.

Cut each quesadilla into 4-8 wedges and serve immediately with chive

sour cream topping.

Master Chef V: Tradition Trumps Mac n' Cheese

After an afternoon of full adults and stuffed kids, Krystal wins with an West Virginia traditional treat: the Pepperoni Roll.  Perhaps one of the most versatile and delicious foodstuffs from the Appalachians proves relevant to the Tampa palate.

Celebrate The End of an Era

From: dunderbaks.com

Mr. Dunderbaks, Biergarten & Marketplace since 1974 is moving to a new and bigger location with over 50 beers on draft.

USF's only German American Beer bar and restaurant will be moving on Monday January 26th 2009 to the Oak Ramble Shopping center at 14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. In celebration of our move, we will be serving free drafts from 7:00pm to 9:00pm, or until the taps run dry. So please be sure to come by for a final farewell to the long time home of Mr. Dunderbaks.The new location will be opening within the first two weeks of February and we hope so see all of the familiar faces as well as new ones.