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Wendy’s Adds Mac & Cheese to Its Menu

Apr 29

Posted by brendan in News | No Comments

The burger chain Wendy’s is insistent on changing its image, they insist that they are going to become a high-end fast food restaurant in order to distinguish themselves from the multitude of options available to the American consumer.

This isn’t hard to believe if you look at what they’ve done in Japan with their $16 Foie Gras Burger. For their American audience, let’s just say they don’t think we’re quite ready for that. Instead, Wendy’s has rolled out three new side dishes.

According to Burger Business, this is what you will be offered…..

Wendy’s announced the addition of two new limited-time sides—macaroni & cheese and baked sweet potatoes—confirming earlier expectations Chili Cheese Fries also arrive as a new permanent side option. Each of the three is priced at $2.49.

The mac & cheese is cavatappi pasta combined with a sauce made with Vermont Cheddar and American cheeses, milk and cream. Extra Cheddar is served on top. The sweet potatoes are sourced from North Carolina and Mississippi farms and are served with a “Buttery Cinnamon Spread” on the side.

 

 

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Talula’s Table Mushroom Mac & Cheese

Apr 29

Posted by brendan in News, Recipes | No Comments

Talula’s Table is many things. Philadelphia’s best cheese shop (2009), a small market that is a foodie’s dream complete with prepared foods, and an  online purveyor of artisan foodstuffs.

However, it’s possible that they are most famous for their Farmtable Dinners that are near impossible to attend. I’ve been to one and I can’t say enough. The way it works is simple…

Reservations for the Farmtable Dinner are accepted exactly one year in advance, to the numerical date. Each morning the market opens at 7am and the first caller each day reserves the table for that date for the following year. Reservations are for the entire table only – as the host you must bring a total of eight to twelve guests.

The menu is super-seasonal, changing every four to six weeks. Talula’s is a licensed BYO and wine pairings are suggested with each menu. The current price is $100 per guest excluding tax, gratuity, and incidental supplements. As this is a fixed menu, food allergies can be accommodated with a nominal supplemental charge to source and prepare alternate courses, if necessary.

For our purposes, and perhaps best of all, I’ve found their Mac & Cheese recipe……

Ingredients:

For garlic bread crumbs (makes more than needed for recipe):

12-ounce loaf of (sourdough or baguette) day-old bread, sliced.

½ cup garlic oil

For mushrooms:

3 cups fresh mixed mushrooms (oysters, maitakes, shiitakes, beech, king oysters)

3 tablespoons olive oil, for roasting mushrooms

For macaroni:

5 cups milk

½ large yellow onion, chopped, about 1 cup

2 garlic cloves, smashed with the flat side of a knife, skin left on

4 parsley sprigs

4 fresh oregano or marjoram sprigs

3 fresh thyme sprigs

3 bay leaves

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons softened butter (for buttering dish)

½ pound penne or lily pasta

½ pound aged white cheddar and Gruyere mix cheese (Cabot, Grafton, Roth Kase), grated (about 2 cups)

2 ounces good-quality Parmesan, grated (about 2/3 cup)

1 cup garlic bread crumbs

Instructions:

1. Make the garlic bread crumbs: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cut day-old sourdough or baguette into thin slices and place on a baking sheet. Brush bread with garlic-infused oil, generously or lightly, as you like. Bake until golden and very crisp, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Break up the bread with your hands and pulse in a food processor, leaving the texture a little coarse.

2. Roast the mushrooms: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss mushrooms in olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and roast in oven for about 8 minutes. Remove and reserve.

3. For the sauce and assembly: Combine the milk, onions, garlic, and herb sprigs and leaves in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Set aside to steep for 15 minutes. Pour through a strainer and return to the pan.

4. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk in the flour to make the roux, and cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.Slowly whisk 2 cups of the seasoned milk into the roux to make a paste. Add the remaining milk, 1 cup at a time, until all the milk has been incorporated. Continue to cook, still whisking, over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. The sauce will be just slightly thickened. Season with the Dijon, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper.

5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter the sides and bottom of a 2-quart baking dish.

6. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt lightly. Drop in the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes (it should be slightly undercooked to allow for baking time.) Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over and toss in the cheeses (reserve a handful of Parmesan). Fold in mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Pour the mixture into the baking dish, making sure to include all of the sauce. Sprinkle with enough of the garlic bread crumbs and remaining Parmesan to cover dish with about a quarter-inch layer, then bake until golden and bubbling, about 40 minutes.

At nearly 900 calories (based on 8 servings), and given the preparation time this is a once a year project that is worth the time, money, and effort.

 

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No Fun Mac & Cheese

Apr 29

Posted by brendan in Recipes | No Comments

OK, people do have dietary restrictions. I get it. I also don’t begrudge people their healthy lifestyles, as long as I’m not made to feel guilty or berated for MY eating habits and choices. And since we encourage your emails and comments I’m willing to share this vegan, gluten-free, soy free, yeast free recipe with you. This was sent to us by one of our readers following a post on vegan “cheeses” , and since she took the time to share and was fairly convincing in her email as to its taste…….here you are.

I love to make macaroni and cheese vegan style, but I kept having people requesting a yeast free recipe. There has been some question on nutritional yeast flakes, therefore I was experimenting with different alternatives.

My friend Toni Allen who is an admin of group Raw and Delicious on Facebook, mentioned that noni juice makes an excellent substitution for nutritional yeast flakes in recipes. This recipe is by far the best tasting alternative without the use of nutritional yeast flakes. It is not only yeast free, but also soy free and gluten free.

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews

¼ cup noni juice

½ cup water

½ red bell pepper

2 Tbsp chopped onion

1 clove garlic

1 ½ tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 8 ounce box of elbow pasta (I used quinoa elbows)

Instructions:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Cook elbow pasta according to package directions in boiling water and drain, set aside. In a blender process the sauce recipe until smooth. Add sauce to pasta and stir to combine. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes.

More pictures here.

 

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Decadent Mac in Des Moines

Apr 29

Posted by brendan in News, Reviews | No Comments

The resurgence of Mac & Cheese has provide a glimpse into the culinary breach and the grown up nature of the United States food scene. Gourmet Mac & Cheese is where two paths have crossed, and where they meet is a wonderful place. Culinary meccas like New York and San Francisco have moved back towards comfort, while Midwest states have shown a growth almost unimaginable if you lived there, like I did, in the 80′s.

The Cheese Shop in Des Moines, IA is the quintessential example. The mere mention or offer of a few of these ingredients that are offered as options to their grilled cheese  would have brought confused looks or worse just 20 years ago…. I mean, this is Iowa.

Milton Creamery Quark, Prairie Breeze and Frisian Farms gouda. Guests can add various toppings to the sandwich, including La Quercia prosciutto, salami, pepper jam and arugula pesto.

I’ve heard from friends who can’t write that their Mac & Cheese is incredible, but since I’ve not had the pleasure of tasting it I’ll defer to today’s write up in the Des Moines Register…….

We also tried the mac & cheese, baked in a 500-degree oven in an individually-sized cast iron skillet. The elbow noodles were thick and cooked al dente, with a blend of Frisian Farms gouda and all the “lucky cheese bits” the staff collects from packaging cheeses during the day. The result of the blend of cheeses is a complex array of flavors, from mild to smokey to very slightly spicy. The baking process creates a crispy crust on the bottom, and a dusting of bread crumbs creates a crunchy topping. The result is a decadently dense mac & cheese with unique textures from the crunchy and crispy crusts.

 

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Mac The Side, Part I: Fried Catfish

Apr 29

Posted by brendan in Articles, Cooking Tips, Recipes | No Comments

We love Mac only restaurants, mac recipes stuffed with imaginative ingredients, and while we endeavor to feature Mac & Cheese on this site, there are times when M&C is the perfect compliment to your plate rather than the feature.

It’s time we discuss these “mains” that work so symbiotically with Mac & Cheese alongside them.

About 6 months ago in San Francisco I was reminded of one of the most classic pairings. Fried Catfish. The crispiness of a cornmeal crust begs for a simple,  creamy, and well made stove-top mac. A side of greens completes a classic Southern plate. Alternatively, the addition of greens (kale, mustard, collard, etc.)  to the Mac itself, works wonders as well. As contrary and futile as it might sound, we are going to begin a series of posts on healthy inclusions to our Macs in the near future. Keep your eyes peeled.

Look at the plate above. This is the signature dish at Auntie April’s Fried Chicken & Waffles in the Bayview neighborhood of SF. With spicy catfish and mac on the menu, fried chicken and waffles never crossed my mind, and looking around most were also savoring this perfectly cooked catfish and mac. San Francisco’s worst kept secret #18.

Auntie April looked at me like a fool when I inquired after her recipe. I don’t blame her. My friends and I like to think we have very good palates so this is our best guess, and while not as good as April’s it will more than breathe life into your favorite classic Mac recipe.

It’s tempting to use a beer batter, but a seasoned, dry, cornmeal crust is the way to go.

Ingredients:

  • 1 to 1 1/4 pounds catfish fillets
  • 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeno pepper
  • 2 small cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • fresh salsa or remoulade sauce, optional

Preparation:

Rinse and pat the fillets lightly, leaving them a little moist. Combine cornmeal, jalapeno, garlic, and seasoning in shallow bowl. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each fillet into the cornmeal mixture, then place in hot oil, turning carefully with spatula when fish is browned on the underside. Fry until other side is browned and fish just begins to flake when pierced with a fork.

A deep fryer may even be preferred if heated to 350 F and fish is cooked from 3 to 3.5 minutes.

 

 

 

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Macdaddy’s to Open Two New Locations This Spring

Apr 28

Posted by brendan in News | No Comments

Macdaddy’s Macaroni & Cheese Bar was founded in 2009 by Robert T. Dunn. After spending several years in the fine dining industry owning and operating restaurants, he formed Macdaddy’s with the intention of building a QSR that serves over 25 varieties of gourmet macaroni & cheese to all those mac & cheese lovers out there.

In early 2012, Macdaddy’s officially partnered with Worldwide Property Management Group and is currently building four company owned stores. In addition, Macdaddy’s sold the rights to a ten store buildout currently underway in the state of Texas.

The first location of Macdaddy’s opened in Monroe, CT. May 2012, will see their Fairfield location open; while June will usher in their third Connecticut store in Milford.

From their menu:

We have over 25 gourmet mac and cheese selections plus weekly specials for you to choose from! Our macs come in three sizes, the snack (serves one), the mac (serves one to two) and the macdaddy (serves 3-4).

Whole Wheat and Glutten Free macaroni elbows are available upon request at an additional charge.

Some macs are topped with Panko Bread Crumbs (BC) and can be ordered without, if requested.

 

mac daddy

GROUND BEEF, SPECIAL SAUCE, CHOPPED LETTUCE, CHEDDAR, TOPPED WITH PICKLES, DICED ONION AND SESAME SEEDS. (BC)

mac usa

TRADITIONAL MAC AND CHEESE WITH CHEDDAR. (BC)

mac doggy

TRADITIONAL MAC AND CHEESE WITH CHEDDAR & SLICED ALL BEEF FRANKS. (BC)

 

mac philly cheese steak

RIBEYE STEAK, ONION, MUSHROOMS AND WHIZ. (BC)

mac cuban

ROASTED PULL PORK, BLACK FORREST HAM AND PEPPERJACK, TOPPED DILL PICKLE AND SPICY MUSTARD .( BC)

mac attack

HOUSEMADE CHILI AND CHEDDAR. (BC)

mac meatball

HOUSE MADE MARINARA SAUCE, MEATBALLS AND MELTED MOZZARELLA

mac pulled pork

12 HOUR ROASTED PULLPORK AND BLUE CHEESE, TOPPED WITH SWEET BABY RAYS BARBEQUE SAUCE. (BC)

mac monte cristo

BLACK FORREST HAM AND SMOKED GOUDA. (BC)

mac yard bird

ROASTED CHICKEN, PEPPERJACK, SPINACH, ARTICHOKES AND SUNDRIED TOMATOES. (BC)

mac donna marie

CHEDDAR AND PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE, TOPPED WITH STEWED TOMATOES. (BC)

mac alla vodka

LITE TOMATO CREAM, PROSCUITTO, PARMESAN AND TOMATO INFUSED VODKA

mac jordan

HOUSE MADE MARINARA SAUCE, MOZZARELLA, MUSHROOMS AND SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE

mac mushroom

CRIMINI AND SHITAKE MUSHROOMS, PORCINI EMULSION AND MANCHEGO, DRIZZLED WITH TRUFFLE OIL

mac pizza

OUR VERSION OF A TRADITIONAL FAVORITE MADE WITH HOUSE MADE MARINARA SAUCE, PEPPERONI AND MELTED MOZZARELLA

mac popeye

SPINACH, GARLIC & GOAT CHEESE. (BC)

mac french onion

GRUYERE, CARMELIZED ONIONS,AND APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON. (BC)

mac alla ajillo

SHRIMP, GARLIC, DRY SHERRY, LEMON AND ASIAGO CHEESE

mac lobster roll

FRESH MAINE LOBSTER, PARMESEAN AND LEMON BUTTER, TOPPED WITH HOUSE MADE COLE SLAW

mac vegetarian

ASPARAGUS, SUNDRIED TOMATOES, ARTICHOKES, DRIZZLED WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION. (BC)

mac brisket

24 HOUR ROASTED BEEF BRISKET, SWEET CORN, SMOKEY DIJON BBQ AND CHEDDAR, TOPPED WITH HOUSE MADE COLESLAW

mac gumbo

CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE GUMBO WITH PEPPERJACK. (BC)

mac mexican

CHEDDAR, SALSA, SEASONED GROUND BEEF, BLACKBEANS, SOUR CREAM AND JALEPENOS

mac sloppy joe

CHEDDAR, GROUND BEEF, ONIONS, PEPPERS AND SWEETENED TOMATO SAUCE. (BC)

mac buffalo

TENDER FRIED CHICKEN BREAST, HOUSE MADE BUFFALO SAUCE, CHEDDAR AND MELTED BLUE CHEESE, GARNISHED WITH CELERY
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Admitedly Wrong, Fantastically Tasty

Apr 28

Posted by brendan in Recipes | No Comments

I recently purchase a large deep freezer off a failing restaurant for a ridiculously low price. What made this price even more ridiculous was the six pounds of bacon I found when setting to defrosting/thawing the misused freezer and it wealth of frozen treasures.

But what to do with six pounds of bacon? I then remembered a recipe where I could comfortably use nearly two pounds immediately in an effort to kill myself before forty. Mac & Cheese Pie with a Bacon Crust. Seriously.

Two thanks are in order for this salty absurdity. First, The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and their annual Mac & Cheese contest that pits food bloggers against each other over 30 days. And more importantly, the folks at Dude Foods, who are responsible for this entry and clearly don’t care for the long-term health of their readership.

Mac & Cheese Pie With a Bacon Crust

Ingredients:
1 3/4 pounds bacon
8 ounces uncooked cellentani (corkscrew-shaped) macaroni
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded sharp Wisconsin Colby Jack Cheese
1/2 cup (about 1 ounce) grated Wisconsin Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch fresh basil, chopped

Directions:
Take 1 pound of bacon and tightly weave it into a square, alternating over and under with
the strips of bacon, that is roughly the size of your pie tin. Flip the bacon weave into your pie
tin and press down, conforming the bacon to the shape of the tin.

Place another pie tin on top of the bacon and press down firmly. This will help your
bacon pie crust keep its shape while cooking

Create another bacon weave using the remaining 3/4 pound of bacon. This will be the
lattice top for the pie, so with this one you’ll want to leave some space in between the slices of bacon.

Place the bacon pie crust and lattice top on separate baking sheets and cook at 400°F
for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni according to the package directions,
drain it and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat and stir in the flour. Add milk to the
mix slowly while stirring constantly. Stir in the cheeses and cook over low heat until the
cheese is melted and the sauce is slightly thick.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown.

When the bacon is done cooking remove the second pie tin from the top of the crust and let it
cool for a few minutes. (Pat the bacon gently with paper towel to absorb any excess grease.)
Spoon the macaroni mixture into your bacon pie crust and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the
macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with nutmeg and basil leaves.

Cover your pie with the bacon lattice top and cook at 400°F for 15 minutes. Once your pie is
done cooking let it cool and then dig in and enjoy!

 

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Forkless Mac & Cheese Bites

Apr 28

Posted by brendan in Recipes | No Comments

Great for parties, a quick snack, or just to prove that Mac & Cheese can take many forms. I’ve adapted this a bit from a recipe I found in Food & Wine magazine……enjoy.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb. macaroni or other small pasta
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 cup packed shredded cheddar
  • 1 cup packed shredded mozzarella
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons marscarpone
  • Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to instructions until al dente (1-2 minutes less than the time indicated on the box).

Spray two 24-mini cupcake pans with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan; tap out the excess.

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in the flour over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until boiling, 3-5 minutes. Add cheddar and mozzarella cheeses and whisk until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove pot from heat and whisk in egg yolk and paprika. Gently stir in mascarpone until fully incorporated. Fold in the macaroni.

Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of the macaroni into the prepared pan, packing them gently. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan on top.

Bake in the upper and middle thirds of the oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden and sizzling. Let cool for 5 minutes. Using a small spoon, carefully loosen the mini macs, transfer to a platter and serve.

 

 

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Green Chili Mac & Cheese

Apr 28

Posted by brendan in Recipes | No Comments

Even as a golfer I’m not a huge fan of Scotsdale, AZ. There is no question that it is one of the premier places in the world to pack the clubs and visit a different world class golf course each day. At the same time, if you’re not wearing SPF factor 85, you will in all likelihood be asked to prove your citizenship simply for having a tan.

This changed a bit for me when I ran across The Roaring Fork and their liberal use of green chilies. I should also mention that this year marks the tenth anniversary of The Phoenix New Times giving them the award for Best Mac & Cheese.

I’m happy to say that it hasn’t changed a bit…..And you needn’t go to Scotsdale, AZ. I’ve got the recipe right here and unlike a number of recipes we’ve included here this is a luxurious stove top preparation that calls for no baking.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. of elbow macaroni raw
¾ cup of small diced onions¾ cup of poblano peppers
¾ cup of red peppers
1 oz. cooking oil
1 ¼ cup of heavy cream
½ tablespoon of Kosher Salt
½ tablespoon of Black Pepper
3 cups of shredded pepper jack cheese
1 ¼ cup of poblano puree
( 3/4 cup poblano peppers pureed in blender to make 1 ¼ cups liquid by adding water)

Instructions:

Cook macaroni in plenty of salted water until its tender and drain

Sauté onions and peppers in oil for 4-5 minutes

Season with salt and pepper

Add cream and reduce for five minutes

Add Poblano puree and reduce for 4-5 minutes

Add macaroni and turn off the heat

Fold in the cheese and check seasoning. Serve

 

 

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The Best Vegan “Cheeses” for Mac & “Cheese”

Apr 20

Posted by brendan in Articles, Cooking Tips | No Comments

I don’t support a vegan lifestyle. I can’t fathom it, don’t care for it, and have so little respect for white people with dreadlocks and soap allergies. While I realize this doesn’t come close to covering all vegans, it does take care of about 90% of the forever self-righteous ones that I’ve met.

That said, there have been some significant strides towards making vegan “cheeses” palatable in the last few years. And since I hate the “New Celiacs” far more than the average vegan, I’m willing to take a few minutes to look at a few of the better offerings.

TOFUTTI – They do decent work. Their American Soy-Cheese Slices melt quite quickly and almost silky. The Mozzarella slices do their job as well.

GALAXY NATURAL FOODS – They produce a wide range of usable block cheeses as well as Parmesan sprinkles that don’t offend. Make no mistake, none of these are going to provide me with cathartic moment where I confuse these for real cheese and exclaim, “Bullshit that’s not soy!!”

PARMA!!! – Produces four varieties of sprinkle “Parm” (Original, Chipotle Cayenne, and Garlicky Green), it’s nutritional yeast but if hidden in panko could make a decent Mac & Cheese topping.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART – I do, indeed, follow my heart. I then follow that with a left hand lead and a right cross if you don’t require a second left first. After that I’m hoping I’ve knocked out enough of your teeth that you needn’t take calcium supplements for a week, just grind them up. If your teeth get spared somehow, you’ll certainly need to, at a minimum, get at least two chakras realigned. I won’t suffer these fools, their product, or their customers gladly.

DAIYA – By far your best bet for making Mac & Cheese. Apparently they’re “sweeping through the vegan scene”, whatever the hell that means. Didn’t a taboo diet item also “sweep through the vegan scene” under the name Phish?

Leave the Mac & Cheese to people who eat cheese. If you refuse, well I’ll see you in hell for very different reasons.

 

 

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