#19 Lord of the Blue Box Volume 2!

Shownotes for #19 Lord of the Blue Box: Volume Two!

The music for the opening and ending of the show is Fast Food Rampage by the The Touch Ups, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

Stuff you need to know for this show's recipe:

All the recipes here are an hour or less. Total preparation time for is less than 30 minutes.

Talk Back! We are a Snacking Community. Go to the End of these Shownotes and click on comments. Leave your thoughts and experiences. Or email me at [e-mail].

The podsafe music used in the show:

This week's song is "Learn to Fly by Josh Woodward from Findley, OH. Josh is a real Internet star with over 80 songs on his website that he freely encourages people to download and share. The link to his website in on the show notes page.  He is also a popular live performer around Findley, which is south of Toledo for those of you unfamiliar with the place. Check out his song, "Learn to Fly."

Here is the lead recipe I describe in the show:

You won't find any of these recipes on the back of the box. In all of them, you begin by cooking the macaroni in boiling water for the amount of time indicated on the box. You then combine it with the flavored milk, butter and cheese packet as directed. In some cases, I have change the proportions, so pay attention to the recipe.

Veggie MacNCheese (V) (Master Recipe)

1 package macaroni and cheese mix
1 to 1 1/2 cups leftover broccoli florets (alternative veggies you might not have thought of, fresh vs. frozen)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make macaroni and cheese according to package directions. Add broccoli and stir to combine. Transfer to a medium-size casserole dish and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Sausage Mac N Cheese (C)

1 package macaroni and cheese mix
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound homemade-style spicy pork sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
4 teaspoons minced garlic

1 cup grated melting cheese (chedder, jack, mozzorella, etc.)
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a large casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain well.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, stirring, until browned and the fat is rendered. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. It is very important to use as little fat as possible. If not, the final mix will taste greasy. Add the onions, bell peppers, and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of cheese with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Hot Dog MacNCheese (C)

1 box of Macaroni and cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 package beef or pork hot dogs, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup beer, 1/3 of a bottle – whatever you have on hand, chicken broth can be substituted
Salt
Pepper
1 rounded tablespoon spicy mustard
2 rounded tablespoons ketchup

Prepare the macaroni and cheese according to the box.

Heat a large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, then add hot dogs and brown on both sides, 4 minutes total. Remove the dogs with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and the butter. When butter melts, cook onions 4 to 5 minutes, then add flour and cook another minute. Add beer and cook off till syrupy, about 1 minute. Then season the sauce with salt and pepper and stir in the mustard and ketchup. Adjust mustard, ketchup, and salt and pepper, to your taste. Combine pasta and hot dogs with sauce and coat evenly.

Green Chili MacNCheese (V)

I box macaroni and cheese
1 tablespoon corn oil
1/4 cup diced poblano chile
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
1/2 cup roasted, peeled and pureed poblano chile


Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste. Heat the corn oil in a heavy pan over high heat and saute the diced poblano chile, red bell pepper, red onion, and garlic until just tender. Add the corn kernels and saute quickly. Add the poblano puree, the milk and the cheese packet, and the macaroni. Stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Season to taste and serve.

Here are some additional recipes from the show :

If you want to make Macaroni and Cheese from scratch that has the same qualities of the boxed variety, here's a healthier and tastier way to do it. You can then use this as the base for any of the recipes I give you here.

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 1/4 cups (packed) grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 10 ounces)
8 ounces small elbow macaroni, freshly cooked

Topping:
4 tbs (1/2 stick) butter
3/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from 8 ounces trimmed sourdough bread

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Combine cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon dry mustard in heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk over medium-high heat until sauce thickens and boils, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add cheese and whisk until smooth. Mix in macaroni. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs and stir until crumbs are crisp and golden, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle crumb mixture over macaroni and cheese. Bake until warmed through and bubbling at edges, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Here is the shopping list for next week:

Next week I'm going to show you haw to turn a bunch of asparagus into a quick, cheap, healthy snack. Most people are turned off to asparagus because they are eating old stuff that is over cooked. This is a shame because fresh asparagus cooked quickly is one of life's great pleasures. You need at least one bunch of really fresh asparagus. You can tell if its fresh by looking at the bud end. The buds should be full and firm. There should be no wrinkling on the around the stalk below the buds. The stalks should be sitting with the cut ends in water. Look at all the stalks in the bunch. Sometimes the older ones are in the inside. When you can buy asparagus from a roadside farm stand, do it. The taste of fresh cut asparagus is amazing.
You'll also need the following: a four eggs, fresh Parmesan cheese, butter, fresh lemon, a large shallot or two smaller ones), Dijon mustard, a little bit of heavy cream, 8 slices of boiled ham, and 1/2 lb of fontina cheese (the cheapest kind will do).

Here is a list equipment you will need for next week:

 a pot large enough to hold the asparagus, a frying pan, an oven proof baking dish