Corn Chowdah Mac N Cheese By Rachael Ray Food

SMOKY CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat the EVOO over medium-high heat in a soup pot. Add the bacon and brown to crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and reserve the bacon bits. To the bacon drippings, add the garlic, onions and chiles, and cook to soften, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the corn and season with the thyme, paprika and salt and pepper, and stir. Add the cobs to the pot along with the bay leaves, potato and cover with the stock. Add a little water to the stock if it does not cover the corn. Cook the soup, partially covered, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the cobs and bay leaves and puree with an immersion blender until the corn is creamed. Stir in the butter and lime juice and add hot sauce, to taste. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over a medium flame.
• Serve the corn chowder topped with bacon, scallions, herbs and cheese.

MACARONI AND CHEDDAR CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat a medium, deep skillet over medium heat. Add oil and butter. When butter melts into the oil, add flour and combine. Gently cook, whisking flour and butter together, until smooth and flour has had a chance to cook, about 3 minutes. Slowly add milk while continuing to whisk. Gently bring milk to a bubble while stirring frequently. Allow the milk to thicken a bit, then stir in 2 cups of shredded Cheddar cheese a handful at a time. Season sauce with nutmeg and cayenne. Taste and add a little salt, if you like. Add cooked pasta to sauce and coat completely by turning over and over in the cheese sauce. Transfer to a flameproof baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Place baking dish under a hot broiler and brown the Cheddar cheese on top.

AUSTIN MAC N CHEESE (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• Husk and rinse tomatillos, cut in half. Put in food processor and pulse until chopped.
• Peel onion, halve and add to food processor, chop.
• Clean and seed jalapenos and add to food processor, chop.
• Add this mixture to a medium saucepan, add cumin and garlic.
• Season with salt. Simmer mixture over low heat for 10 minutes.
• Add the juice of one lime.
• Add finely chopped cilantro.
• Cook macaroni to al dente. Drain, return to hot pot.
• In another saucepan, melt butter.
• Over medium heat, whisk in flour for one minute.
• Whisk in milk and broth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened.
• Add swiss and monterrey jack cheeses. Stir until melted.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Add the cheese sauce to the pasta and toss to coat.
• In a 9 x 13 baking dish, add half the pasta.
• Add the green tomatillo mixture.
• Top with the other half of pasta.
• Sprinkle with crushed tostada chips and pepperjack cheese.
• Broil until browned --keep a very close eye on this.
• Serve with sour cream if desired.
• Garnish with chopped red pepper or green onions.

NORTH COUNTRY CORN CHOWDER (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• Heat a deep pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add oil and potatoes. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add onion, celery, red bell pepper, and bay leaves. Season with Old Bay, salt and pepper. Cover and reduce heat a bit, cook a few minutes more, stirring occasionally.
• Uncover and whisk in flour. Cook a minute more. Add corn, broth, and milk. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, 7 to 10 minutes, to thicken. Adjust seasonings and serve bowls of chowder with a sprinkle of chopped scallions and oyster crackers.

BLT CREAMY MAC 'N' CHEESE (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.
• While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the leeks and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Stir in half of the shredded cheese, then the reserved pasta cooking water.
• Add the pasta to the sauce and toss. Pile into a casserole and top with the tomatoes and remaining shredded cheese. Bake until browned on top, 7 to 8 minutes.
• In a large bowl, toss the arugula and basil with the lemon juice and a drizzle of EVOO. Serve on top of the pasta.