Pican Smack And Cheese Food

SPINACH AND GRILLED CHICKEN PENNE

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Spread butter, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon pepper, and garlic powder over chicken breasts on a plate or cutting board.
• Grill the chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 5 to 6 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Pour penne into a colander to drain.
• Place the penne, chicken breasts, spinach, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes in the pot. Cook and stir over low heat until the spinach is wilted but still green, about 7 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
• Mix pasta into spinach-chicken mixture; toss well.

CHEESY SPINACH BAKED PENNE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mist a 2 to 2 1/2-quart rectangular or oval baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook according to package directions for al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a medium pot set over medium heat. Add the fennel seeds and garlic and cook until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil sprig, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, lowering the heat if the sauce bubbles too vigorously, until the sauce has thickened slightly, the flavors have blended together and the raw tomato taste has cooked out, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the basil and season with additional salt and pepper. Pour over the cooked pasta and toss well to coat. Add the cubed mozzarella and transfer half the pasta to the prepared baking dish.
• Put the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Add the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan and pulse two to three times. Combine half the cottage cheese mixture with the spinach and mix to break up the spinach. Drop in spoonfuls over the pasta in the baking dish. Top the spinach layer with the rest of the pasta and then the remaining cottage cheese mixture.
• Bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes, and then scatter the torn basil over the top.

NICKEL DINER SMAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente. Drain and toss with a little butter or olive oil to keep from sticking.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to create a roux. Cook for a minute or so, whisking frequently, until mixture looks like wet sand. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly, until roux is incorporated. Whisk in Dijon. Add mozzarella, 16 ounces pepper jack and all but 4 ounces Parmesan. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is smooth and all the cheese has melted, the sauce is thick and you are able to draw a line through it on the back of a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Add Spice Mix and hot sauce and stir again to make sure seasoning is evenly distributed.
• Combine the drained pasta with the cheese sauce in a large bowl, mixing well. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining 8 ounces pepper jack cheese and the Roasted Tomato quarters. Finish topping with the remaining 4 ounces Parmesan and Buttered Breadcrumbs. Bake until the top is bubbly and browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place salt, cayenne, chile powders, cumin and turmeric in a food processor and grind until well blended. Store in a sealed container.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place diced bread cubes in a bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan and add parsley and garlic, stirring until garlic cooks slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour mixture over diced bread cubes and toss until blended. Place mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool. Place in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until mixture is crumbly.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Toss cut tomatoes in a large bowl along with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme. Place tomatoes cut-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast until the tomato skins are blistered and wrinkled, 10 to 15 minutes. When tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove skins and set aside.

EXTRA-CRUNCHY SHEET-PAN MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the macaroni, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water. Set aside.
• Heat the half-and-half, cream cheese, and reserved pasta water in a large pot over medium heat, stirring until the cream cheese is completely melted and the mixture just comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce, whisking until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Add the macaroni to the pot and stir to combine. (It will look very loose, but the pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it bakes.) Season to taste with salt if desired. Spread the macaroni mixture on an 18-by-13-inch sheet pan.
• Toss the panko, butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly over the pasta. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are brown and crisp, rotating halfway through, 20 to 25 minutes.

PICAN' SMACK AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Macaroni pasta, cooked in boiling, salted water, then drained well. 1. Warm the cream with the nutmeg, dry mustard, hot sauce, salt, garlic and shallots over low heat. 2. Still over low heat, gradually add the Velveeta and cook until completely melted. 3. Add the other cheeses and let melt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Strain sauce, then toss with cooked, drained pasta to taste.

SPINACH CHICKEN PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a small bowl combine cheese and seasoning. Roll chicken pieces in cheese mixture to coat lightly. Set remaining cheese mixture aside. Arrange coated chicken pieces in an 8x8x2 inch baking dish.
• In a small saucepan, saute green onion in butter/margarine until tender. Stir in flour, then add milk all at once. Simmer, stirring, until bubbly. Stir in drained spinach and pimiento and mix together. Spoon spinach mixture over chicken and sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender and chicken juices run clear.

LIP-SMACKIN' MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• On a cutting board use a sharp knife to cut onion into small pieces (you should have 1/3 cup). Reserve until Step 3.
• Tear cheese slices into bite-size pieces. Save until Step 5.
• Cook macaroni in a saucepan following the package directions, except add onion to water along with the uncooked macaroni so they cook together.
• (To test macaroni for doneness, remove one piece with a wooden spoon, let it cool slightly, and bite into it. The center will be soft, not chewy.)
• When macaroni is cooked, turn off burner.
• Remove saucepan from burner.
• Place colander in sink.
• Carefully pour macaroni mixture into the colander to drain water.
• Return warm macaroni mixture to saucepan.
• Use wooden spoon to stir in American cheese, milk, and pepper.
• Put saucepan on a burner.
• Turn the burner to medium heat.
• Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring all the time.
• Turn off burner.
• Remove saucepan from burner.
• If mixture is too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional milk.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if you like.
• VEGETABLE STIR-INS: Add 1/2 cup frozen peas or frozen mixed vegetables or 1 cup frozen sliced carrots or frozen chopped broccoli to the saucepan along with the onion, macaroni, and water.
• MEAT STIR-INS: Add 1/2 cup chopped cooked ham, chopped sliced pepperoni, sliced hot dogs, or chopped cooked chicken along with the cheese and milk.
• Serve with tossed salad greens with your favorite salad dressing and milk.

SPINACH MAC 'N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium non-stick pan. Add the leeks, stir well, then cover and cook for about 6 mins or until softened.
• Put the flour and mustard powder in a small bowl and gradually whisk in the milk. Pour into the pan with the leeks and stir with a wooden spoon until thickened. Continue stirring over a low heat while the pasta cooks. It will seem thick but will be diluted later.
• Drain the pasta, reserving the cooking water, then stir the paste into the sauce. Add the spinach and 1-11/2 ladlefuls of the water to make a spoonable sauce, then stir over the heat until the spinach has wilted. Stir in most of the cheese and taste for seasoning.
• Heat the grill. Tip the pasta mixture into a casserole dish, arrange the tomatoes over the top and scatter over the remaining cheese. Grill for 5-10 mins or until bubbling and golden.

SMACK AND CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. cook macaroni according to package in (1) saucepan adding a tsp spoon of salt to water
• 2. In (2) saucepan pour half and half along with the can of eveporate milk and all of the cheese on low heat,stirring continously until it has melted,do it slowly as not to burn cheese
• 3. Drain cooked macaroni and put into oven proof dish (I buttered my dish first) and then add 1/2 stick of butter and pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni and add sour cream stir until well mixed and then sprinkle bread crumbs over the top *prepared crumbs)
• 4. Bake in oven on 350'degrees for 30 minutes covered lightly with foil.