From the category archives:

Vegetarian Dishes

Eating Well on a Budget? For Reals?

by Joi on March 14, 2010

One of the books I’d most recommend to anyone right now is The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well on a Budget by Lucy Beale and Jessica Partridge. At a time when we’re all challenging ourselves to stay on a budget AND eat healthy, this is the book we absolutely needed the most. If you’re like me, you’d just about decided that eating as healthy as you wanted to was out of your budget. I was pretty much at that point when this outstanding book came along.

After arming myself with the knowledge and tips from these authors, I know that it isn’t just possible to eat well on a budget, it’s deliciously possible.

First, a few all-important facts:

You and your family won’t gain weight if you each eat about 2,000 calories a day per adult.
You don’t need to purchase more food than your target number of calories for the week.
You won’t be wasting food or letting it rot in the refrigerator. If it rots because no one eats it, be wary if you consider purchasing that food in the future.

Throughout the book, the authors provide a lot of what I call “Roadblocks” – thoughts and circumstances that lead us to choose poorly while at the supermarket or restaurant. They offer ways around, or through, these roadblocks. There are also great tips on saving money, staying on a budget, eating healthier foods, and making each calorie count.

There are also a lot of wonderful recipes… we’ll get to them in a minute!

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well on a Budget has 21 chapters in all and is over 300 pages in length. I suppose you’d expect authors who are so budget conscious to give their readers even more than they paid for. I’m very grateful and you will be as well.

A Few of the Chapters From Eating Well on a Budget

The Best Nutrition at the Best Price

The Budget

Food and Menu Planning

Eating Out on a Budget

The Shopping List

More Ways to Save on Food

Breakfasts

Beef and Pork Main Dishes

Desserts

The next time you dine out at a sit-down restaurant, notice the price of coffee, tea, and a glass of wine. They’re probably higher than you thought. You may choose not to order them again. – - Page 18, Eating Well on a Budget

I was really glad to see that the authors covered all aspects of dining – at home as well as in restaurants. They’ve included great tips on saving money each and every time we place a bite or drink into our mouths.

Chapter 2 includes a clear, perfectly laid-out plan for starting to budget. They tell you the tools you’ll need (receipts, notebook, calculator) to become a budgeting whiz and how you’ll need to go about the process.

Food Preparation is covered in Chapter 5 and includes…

Cooking to save money
Preparing in quantity, eating in moderation
Making delicious use of leftovers
Keeping prepared foods on hand

Here’s one of the great tips (“Kitchen Wise“) from this chapter: Keep sandwich fillings on hand for quick meals on the run. You’ll need bread, mayonnaise or mustard, and fillings, such as cheese, sliced meats, tuna, or peanut butter. Add an apple or other piece of fruit, and you have a balanced meal.

Some of the Remarkable Recipes in Eating Well on a Budget

The recipes the authors have chosen sound delicious! What’s more, they’ve included dietary information, cooking time, prep time, serving size, and “Tasty Tidbits.” Again, giving the reader far more than he or she expected.

A few of my favorite recipes from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well on a Budget are:

Hummus
White Chili
Creamy Clam Chowder
Nine Vegetable Soup
Grown Up Peanut Butter and Jelly (YUM!)
Baked French Toast with Honey Walnut Syrup
Chile Egg Puff
Savory Spinach and Bacon Bake
Zesty Breakfast Burritos
Just Right Cheese Omelet (made with Monterey Jack Cheese!)
Hawaiian Ham Rollups
Egg Salad with Red Pepper and Walnuts
Ham and White Bean Soup
Red Chili
Quick Beef Fajitas
Lemon Pecan Stuffed Chicken
Herbed Salmon Cakes
Lasagna with Meat and Cheese
Fruit Glazed Carrots
Raspberry Banana Bread
Slow-Cooked Pudding and Fruit Cake
Cookies Flavored with Tea
Pear Cobbler
Buttermilk Corn Bread
Cheese Grits Casserole
Many, Many more!

Since we’re all thinking about Easter meals and Easter recipes, I thought I’d include the Fruit-Glazed Carrots recipe in the review. Save this one (better yet, print it out) for your Easter meal. There’s also a great recipe for Mustard-Glazed Ham in the book. Order today and you’ll be set long before Easter gets here!

Fruit-Glazed Carrots Recipe

Page 246, Eating Well on a Budget

4 cups sliced carrots
2 TBS water
2 TBS fruit jam or jelly – peach, strawberry, or apricot
1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 TBS olive oil
dash salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place carrots in a microwave-safe bowl with water. Cover and microwave on high for 8 minutes. Drain well. Add jam, vinegar, and olive oil. Mix gently.

Transfer carrots to a lightly oiled 8×8x2 or 9×9x2 inch baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Bake 15 minutes. Serve hot or chill 20 minutes before serving.

Variation: Try orange marmalade or chutney to intensify the flavor of the carrots. For a spicy taste, substitute 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce for the vinegar.

Kitchen Wise: The sauce for these carrots tastes great on other vegetables as well, such as broccoli, snap peas, and spinach. You can also serve the sauce on the side for dipping. – Page 246, Eating Well on a Budget

Hmmmmm, I just happened to think of another way to use this sauce. Have you ever made homemade fried jalapenos? This sauce (particularly if you use Red Plum or a berry-based jelly) would be outstanding to dip fried jalapenos in.

Do yourself, your family, and your budget a huge favor and head over to Amazon right now to order this wonderful book. I wouldn’t recommend it to you if I didn’t know 100 percent that you’ll love it as much as I do. Here’s the link to healthier eating and a happier budget: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well on a Budget

Classic Quesadillas Without the Classic Extra Fat and Calories

by Joi on January 27, 2010

On another blog recently, I was pointing out my husband’s outrageous loyalty to favorite brands (NordicTrack among others). I got to thinking about it and I might even be more loyal to certain brands when it comes to cooking and cleaning. You certainly know about my dedication to Sargento Cheeses and Beemer (online) Cheeses. I figure, if something’s outstanding, why wander away from it.

When I’m in the grocery store, in the dairy and cheese aisle, I don’t even bother looking at the other brands of cheese – I just look at the varieties of Sargento. (By the way, I realize this is reading kind of like a commercial, so I’ll just add that I am not being paid in any way to say these words! I just think this brand of cheese is ridiculously good.)

Sargento has been offering delicious, better than average cheese for some time now – but recently they began adding Reduced Fat cheeses to their line-up. I ignored them for a while, pretending like I didn’t see them any more than they saw me. Then I tried them and was blown straight away. If the packages didn’t tell me that they were reduced fat, I swear I’d never know.

I recently bought a few bags of Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese (Shredded Reduced Fat Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, & Asadero Cheese). I used one bag with Chicken Tacos and the other with a recipe for Classic Quesadillas that was on the back of the bag. Delicious! The recipe is below and you must, must, must try it.

Classic Quesadillas Recipe with Sargento’s Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese

2 cups (8 oz.) Sargento® Shredded Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese, divided
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp. chopped bottled jalapeño peppers
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
1/2 cup chunky-style salsa
1/4 cup fat-free or light sour cream (optional)

Directions:

Combine 1-1/2 cups cheese, beans, cilantro and jalapeño peppers in a medium bowl; mix well. Spoon onto tortillas; fold each tortilla over.
Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat until hot. Place 2 quesadillas in skillet. Cook 1 minute or until golden brown on bottom. Turn; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Cover; reduce heat. Cook 2 minutes more or until golden brown and cheese is melted. Cover to keep warm.
Repeat with remaining quesadillas and cheese. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

I didn’t have any sour cream on hand, although it is wonderful with quesadillas, tacos, burritos, etc. In addition to the salsa, I served these with one of my favorite things on earth – guacamole. I almost always have at least 2 avocados rolling around the kitchen. Actually, make that at least 4 – two on the counter ready to go and a few more on a shelf, softening up. It’s my avocado system and it’s a delicious one.

So are these quesadillas!

Iron Chef America Bamboo Steamer

by Joi on January 25, 2010

Tonight for supper I made fish, shrimp cocktails, boiled baby carrots in a buttery dill and rosemary sauce, and steamed vegetables. I arranged a combination of red peppers, squash, wax beans, mushroom caps, red onion slices, and celery into each layer of my beloved bamboo steamer and steamed the vegetables until they were a tender crisp.

I added some bay leaves to the water in the pot below and the entire kitchen smelled amazing. Fortunately, the vegetables tasted just as good as my nose told me they would.

If you don’t have a bamboo steamer yet, I urge you to buy one this week. I have two electric steamers and 1 bamboo steamer. I haven’t used either of the electric ones since the bamboo steamer moved in. It’s love! Steaming vegetables is a wonderfully healthy way to cook…. and oh so classy.

The Iron Chef America 12-in. Bamboo Bamboo Steamer at the top of the post is from Cooking.com.

Features:
Iron Chef is an innovative cooking competition from from Japan. Originally produced by Fuji TV, Iron Chef combined the excitement of a one on one sports competition with gourmet cooking. The title Iron Chef comes from the original Japanese title, Ironmen of Cooking. The bamboo steamer is made from all natural bamboo with an authentic handmade Chinese design. The double-woven lid allows the steam to hover in the top while the bottom keeps the vegetables from soaking in water. One of the healthiest methods of cooking, steaming allows for the foods natural oils and flavors to be released so that no oils are needed.

Asparagus Casserole Recipe

by Joi on January 21, 2010

Asparagus Casserole Recipe

1 large can asparagus, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
Velvetta Cheese
Ritz Crackers

Mix asparagus, soup, and eggs together; spoon into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle Velveeta cheese heavily on top. Sprinkle crushed Ritz Crackers on top of cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

A lot of Asparagus Casserole recipes call for cracker crumbs – and many of them specify “saltine crackers.” My granny always used Ritz Crackers, though… never saltines… and her casseroles were always outstanding. I recall a baked Macaroni and Cheese dish that she also topped off with buttery Ritz Crackers. I usually have issues with baked Macaroni and Cheese because they don’t seem as creamy as traditional Mac & Cheese, but Granny’s was (like every single thing that came out of her kitchen) superb.

I’ll go through her recipes (amongst the most prized recipes in my collection) and see if I can find her Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe. Please be here, please be here, please be here…..

Strawberry Banana Frosty Recipe with Organic Ricemilk

by Joi on December 28, 2009

I’ve been straight up addicted to Rice Dreams Vanilla Rice Drink for quite a while now. It sits deliciously on my list of Top 10 Favorite Healthy Foods and Drinks. Recently, I tried Full Circle’s Organic Original Ricemilk and was very pleasantly surprised. In fact, when my Top 10 list grows to a Top 20 list, you’ll find Full Circle ricemilk amongst the winners.

Full Circle Ricemilk is low in fat, with no soy protein and no cholesterol. Of course, none of that would mean jack if it weren’t good – which it most certainly is!

On the back of my most recent container was a great-sounding recipe for a Fruity frosty. I thought it sounded like something you might be interested in, so I thought I’d share.

STRAWBERRY BANANA FROSTY

Makes 3 Servings

3 Cups Full Circle Original or Vanilla Ricemilk, chilled

1 Ripe Banana

1 Cup Strawberries

Place all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Serve immediately or refrigerate.…. and call me when they’re ready!

Curtis Stone’s Outdoor Grilled Cheese Sandwich

by Joi on June 5, 2009

Yum. Make that YUM! Click the link below and let Curtis Stone introduce you to something I’m certain you’ve never created outside before. This would be so Heavenly with a bowl of tomato soup. Man, that sounds so unbelievably good right about now. Curtis Stone Recipe for Outdoor Grilled Cheese Sandwich

My 10 Favorite Ways to Jazz Up a Tossed Salad

by Joi on March 18, 2009

I love a salad so much you’d think I was part rabbit. They’re healthy, light, bright, colorful, crunchy, and oh so delicious. In fact, I’m munching on one at the moment – in between thoughts.

Everyone knows they should be eating more vegetables and a salad with (or AS) a meal is the perfect way to go about it. The problem is, a lot of people think that throwing together some cut up iceberg lettuce and a chopped tomato makes a true salad. No wonder they don’t have any more excitement for them than they do. If that’s the only salad I ever enjoyed, I wouldn’t get that excited either.

Now, having said that, let me point this out, I think iceberg lettuce and a chopped tomato makes a find, quick, simple salad and I’ve been known to serve up this simple little combination, too. But each and every time? No way!

Below are my Top 10 ways to add personality and pop to a tossed salad:

Don’t limit your salads to iceberg lettuce. I LOVE leaf lettuce and often throw in a little bit of shredded iceberg for the crunch. Since I build my tossed salads with my eyes (which love bright colors), I also like the contrast of the greens.
Experiment with different tomatoes, but remember, you don’t always have to invite them. I adore tomatoes as much as anyone, but they can really make a tossed salad lose its gumption. When I do use tomatoes in my tossed salads, I don’t add them to the bowl (that’s just asking for soggy lettuce). I serve them in a bowl nearby, so people can add as much or as little to their salad as they want. Also, some people are sensitive to tomatoes and would appreciate their absence. One of my daughters gets mouth sores when she eats too many tomatoes, so she never wants them on her salad. Also, remember to try different tomatoes – cherry, grape, roma, yellow, etc. Each creates a whole different eating experience.
For extra nutrition and flavor, add baby spinach. Doing so not only creates more texture and color, it adds a great deal of nutrients. However, when using spinach in a salad, pay attention to the salad dressing you use. Personally, I think Ranch is the ideal partner for a salad with spinach. Bacon bits also pair splendidly with spinach.
Speaking of Bacon Bits – get real! Using bacon pieces that you’ve made yourself is a delicious way to jazz up a salad. If you’re watching your weight, experiment with healthier bacon (or even imitation bacon slices) – microwave them as directed, tear them up and throw them in.
Hard Cooked Eggs are delicious in tossed salads. I don’t throw eggs into my salads very often, but when I do – I’m always happy. They’re perfect, of course, with bacon pieces, tomatoes, green onions, and leaf lettuce. Croutons added at the last minute finish it off perfectly.
Garbanzo beans , red kidney beans, and/or black beans are wonderful in salads. When making your salads, think outside of the produce aisle every now and then. Beans are nutritious and add a fun texture and splash of color. I always add beans to my Taco Salads – often several varieties. I use iceberg lettuce for taco salads, then I add ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning, chopped chilies, chopped avocado (sprinkled with fresh lemon), chopped green onions, cilantro, tomatoes (this is the one salad I make an exception for and allow tomatoes in the bowl with the rest), shredded cheese, and a little jalapeno pepper. I make a perfect dressing for Taco Salad by combining Mayonnaise and Mild Sauce. I shake them together until I get the flavor I’m looking for. I finish the salad off with crunchy tortilla strips.
You’d be amazed at the wonderful things banana pepper rings do for a tossed salad. Delicious! In the same aisle, there are other treasures you’ll want to try out as well: Olives, pickled okra (I leave them whole and serve them to the side), baby corn, and pearl onions.
Get creative with the way you serve salads. There are DELICIOUS tortilla shell bowls served on the market. You drape them over a paper mold and bake them. In no time at all, you have beautiful, crunchy, and yummy tortilla bowls to serve your salad in. I use them mostly with tex-mex inspired salads, but have also used them with regular salads – and a favorite, Grilled Chicken Salad.
Don’t use the same salad dressings again and again and again. Experiment! Kraft makes a fascinating Green Goddess dressing that’s always a hit in our house. Ranch, Catalina, Italian, French, Honey French, French with Bacon, Raspberry Vinaigrette (surprisingly delicious!) – there are just too many to get locked into the same one again and again. Also, while in the dressing aisle, look at how wonderfully creative the toppings have gotten. There are croutons in a billion different flavors, bacon bits, Salad Toppings (I love the one with sunflower seeds, nuts, etc.) and a new obsession of mine: Tortilla Strips. Kroger has a few varieties – a regular one and a Santa Fe variety. They’re both amazing and they make the salad so much more interesting – to look at AND taste. Plain sunflower seeds also make a fantastic salad topper.
Make a great Chef’s Salad! Done right, a salad can be a meal all by itself. Start with your favorite vegetables, then add little strips of ham and turkey. If you like pepperoni, throw some pieces of them in there as well. Don’t forget slices of green or red bell pepper for an extra great chef salad.

Last night, I made what proved to be one of the best tossed salads I’ve had in a long time. It was a simple salad, actually, but delicious. It included:

Leaf Lettuce
Carrot strips
Chopped red bell pepper
Cucumbers
Slices of radishes
Sliced green onions

I bypassed cauliflower and broccoli because the store had them priced so high, they must not have wanted to part with them. By contrast, they had little interest in hanging onto the radishes, green onions, or cucumbers – so I compromised.

While my daughter and I were slicing and dicing, we both noticed how great everything smelled – as well as how beautiful the colors all looked. The red bell pepper was an amazing addition and a perfect stand in for tomatoes. I just finished a bowl and, since there weren’t any tomatoes in the salad, everything was a crisp, fresh, and crunchy today as it was last night.

I tried a new salad dressing this time, too. I grabbed a bottle of Olde Cape Cod Raspberry Vinaigrette Light at Kroger yesterday and half-expected my family to laugh me out of the house. I’ll have you know there are only a few tablespoons of it left! It was a huge, huge hit and everyone loved it. You’d never believe how great it smells.

Have fun with salads and mix things up. Purple cabbage, red onions, and grilled corn (scraped fresh from the cob) are also wonderful salad additions. Experiment with different fruits, too – mandarin oranges, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries – they’re all as nutritious as they are delicious.

The Potato is America’s Favorite Vegetable!

by Joi on February 3, 2009

Potatoes: America's Favorite Vegetable!

Forgive the potato if he’s feeling a little cocky. But he and his kind were recently declared “America’s favorite vegetable.” When asked to select their favorite vegetable, consumers picked potatoes (26%), corn (19%) and broccoli (17%).

“We’ve always known it, but it’s now official — potatoes are America’s favorite vegetable,” says Frank Muir, President/CEO, Idaho Potato Commission. “As many Americans are pinching pennies, they’ll be relieved that savoring spuds numerous days during the week will not only please their palates, but also their pocketbooks!”

At approximately 25 cents per Idaho® potato, each 5.3 oz spud is packed with nutritional return on investment. In fact, one spud has only 110 calories, contains zero fat and zero cholesterol, 45% daily value of vitamin C, nearly two times as much potassium as a banana, fiber and vitamin B6 – a win for your wallet and your waistline!

Potatoes are the perfect, blank culinary canvas, but when it comes to cooking up spuds, Americans keep it simple. Mashed potatoes (28%) and baked potatoes (25%) top the list of preferred preparations, with French fries (20%), home fries/hash browns (10%) and potato chips (5%) following. The beloved baked potato is favored for its easy execution and palate-pleasing versatility. However, when Americans top off their baked tater, traditional butter prevails more than 40 percent of the time, followed by sour cream (28%), cheddar cheese (11%) and bacon (7%).

And what’s the culinary companion of choice for the spud? Nearly four in ten (39%) of Americans who eat potatoes claim a juicy steak and baked potato is the perfect pairing. The all-American burger and fries combo comes in a distant second, with 17 percent of the vote, followed closely by the popular holiday dish of turkey and mashed potatoes (12%), and the morning mainstay of eggs and home fries (11%).

Whether you’re a “potato lover” or an occasional admirer, there are many ways to enjoy a nutritious, delicious spud. For tasty recipes and tuber tips, visit www.IdahoPotato.com. The IPC “Potato Lover’s Month” survey was conducted by Kelton Research. Survey results are available upon request.

The recipe below is from Idaho Potato.com and will be making an appearance in my kitchen, oh I dunno, tomorrow!

As Good as Mashed Potatoes

4 medium Idaho® potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), scrubbed
1-1/4 cups water
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp. parsley, chopped
3 dashes Tabasco® pepper sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. yellow mustard
2 tsp. grainy mustard
2 tsp. prepared horseradish
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Directions:

1. Pare the potatoes or leave skin on, according to taste. Cut into 1-inch cubes and place in heavy medium saucepan. Add water, garlic, parsley, Tabasco and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat, cover and let cook for about 20 minutes, stirring and breaking potatoes up with a fork. Add more hot water if potatoes seem too dry.
3. Continue stirring and mashing potatoes for about 5 minutes until the water is absorbed and the potatoes are soft and lumpy.
4. Remove from heat, stir in the mustards, horseradish and sour cream.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories, 110; Cholesterol, 0 mg.; Sodium, 447 mg.; Protein, 3 g.; Carbohydrate, 25 g.; Fat, 0 g.

*** We finally got our power back on today – after a long, cold week. Unfortunately there are still plenty of people who weren’t so lucky. They’re in my thoughts and prayers, because electricity is a convenience I’ll never take for granted again.

Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Cheese Fondue

by Joi on January 19, 2009

In honor of National Cheese Day (tomorrow), below are a few more wonderfully cheesy recipes. They both sound amazing- I love the idea of using raisin bread in the grilled cheese sandwiches. So healthy! And the fondue? Sounds like something I need to have right away.

Wisconsin Cheese

ULTIMATE WISCONSIN GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH WITH JACK & SMOKED GOUDA

Ingredients:
8 slices raisin bread
4 ounces (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/4 cup honey mustard
8 bread-sized slices Wisconsin Jack cheese
8 slices applewood-smoked bacon, fried crisp
1 large Granny Smith Apple, cored, quartered and each cut in six slices (24
slices in all)
4 bread-sized slices Wisconsin Smoked Gouda cheese

Cooking Directions:
Spread each slice of the bread on one side with soft butter. Turn over and generously spread with 1 tablespoon honey mustard. Place a slice of Wisconsin Jack (mustard side up) on each bread slice.

Top half the slices (mustard/Jack side up) with 2 slices of bacon. Shingle 6 apple slices over the bacon. Top remaining 4 slices (mustard/Jack side up) with a slice of Smoked Gouda.

Assemble the sandwiches, pressing together and leaving buttered side of bread exposed.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat. Grill the sandwiches in batches, cooking until golden brown on one side, then flipping the sandwich over and browning. Repeat process with all sandwiches. Cut sandwich in half or quarters on bias. Serve immediately.

WISCONSIN CHEESE FONDUE

By Chef Gregg Wangard

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white wine
3 1/2 ounces Wisconsin aged Gruyère cheese, shredded
3 1/2 ounces Wisconsin Fontina cheese, shredded
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons water
1/2 loaf ciabatta bread, sliced
1 apple, sliced
1 pear, sliced

Cooking Directions:
In medium heavy-bottom sauce pan, heat wine to a slow boil. Gradually stir in cheese. Cook over low heat until cheese is bubbly. In small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Stir into cheese mixture.

Simmer over low heat 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth and cheese is completely incorporated. If
thinner mixture is desired, stir in additional wine, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Serve with bread, apple and pear.

* This is really cool: Click HERE for a great cheese guide from Eat Wisconsin Cheese.com (they’re the ones who passed these recipes along to us). This guide contains cheese descriptions, cheese storage guidelines, buying tips, handling and cooking guidelines and tips for serving. Grab yours… I’m grabbing one now!

A Wisconsin Five Cheese Macaroni That You Won’t Believe!

by Joi on January 7, 2009

Wisconsin Five Cheese Macaroni! January 20, 2009 will be a really huge day, historically speaking. It will be, of course, Inauguration Day and a very special one at that.

If you’re like me, you are a history buff as well as a proud American, so I’m sure your calendar’s marked. I plan on having a special meal with all the red, white, and blue trimmings.

Did you know that January 20th is also National Cheese Lover’s Day? I had no idea I had a holiday! I love cheese as much as any mouse can claim to. Which is why the recipe below, Wisconsin Five Cheese Macaroni, will be one of the dishes I serve on January 20th. It’s from the tasteful people at Eat Wisconsin Cheese.com and is being reprinted here, with their permission, of course.

WISCONSIN FIVE CHEESE MACARONI

Ingredients:
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked, drained
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) Wisconsin Small Curd Cottage Cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin Colby cheese, shredded
1/3 cup (1 ounce) Wisconsin Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup (1 ounce) Wisconsin Romano cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Cooking Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Blend cottage cheese in food processor or blender until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, sour cream, egg, flour, salt, white pepper and dry mustard. Stir in Cheddar and Colby cheese.

Add cooked macaroni and stir gently until well combined. Spoon into a greased 3 quart glass baking dish. Top with grated Parmesan and Romano cheese and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until browned and bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

You know, on second thought, I”m not so sure I’m going to be able to wait until January 20th. I’ve never seen a Macaroni and Cheese recipe that sounded so delicious. Look at those ingredients!

They’ve also been kind enough to pass along 3 other amazing sounding recipes – I’ll add them to the site tomorrow. For now, I just want to spend a little time alone getting my mind around this recipe. That and figuring what I’ll be serving with it THIS WEEK.

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