Recipe: Grilled Peppadews with Smoked Mozzarella

Haven't jumped on the Peppadew bandwagon yet? Well it's time to hop on board! The fabulous Amelia Saltsman introduced me to the zippy peppers a few years back, and this preparation continues to be one of my favorite summer snacks. With only two ingredients, how could it not be?!

Check 'em out at The Kitchn: Grilled Peppadews with Smoked Mozzarella

Recipe: Rigatoni Macaroni & Cheese

Why hello there, stranger! Let's please not talk about my little absence here on DC and get right to the fun stuff, okay. When did April get here anyways? And spring? Holy crap, time is flying by at a rapid pace. To make amends, I'll just go ahead and give you the best macaroni and cheese recipe known to man and all will be forgiven. You've got to trust me on this one, you know I don't throw out superlatives like that often. But seriously. It's holy-crap-mind-blowingly-out-of-this-world-too-good-to-be-true amazing. Need proof? Here's the text message following a cell phone snapshot to my sister (and I don't lie to my sister):

Me: Mac and cheeeessse, please! (Photo attached)Deanna: Oh my gawwwwddddddddddddMe: It's pretty much the best thing I have ever tasted ever. E-V-E-R.

This was immediately followed by a call from her offering to fly me to Los Angeles to make it. (Dee—I'll see you in two weeks!)

Seriously though, I don't know how Dixie Caviar has survived this long without a recipe for mac and cheese. I've been searching for the holy grail of recipes for years and am happy to say my search is over. But I'll just stop blabbering now and give you the cheesy goods. (P.S. Thank you notes and flowers for the fabulous recipe can be sent to my home address in Atlanta.)

RIGATONI MACARONI AND CHEESE
Source: Adapted from Community Q, Atlanta
Yields 6-8 servings

This recipe comes from Community Q Barbecue in Decatur, GA. The first time I ever dined there, I spent $40. On myself. I couldn't tell if the man behind the counter wanted to marry me or call the asylum. What can I say? I have to sample ALL of the wares to fairly judge a barbecue joint. It's safe to admit that it is now my one-and-only bbq house. (Thank goodness the 20-minute drive is just long enough to keep me out of there on a regular basis.)

Community's beef ribs and rigatoni mac & cheese will change your life. So you might imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon their so-called recipe in the Atlanta paper for all the world to see. I had my doubts that it was THE recipe, but upon testing—multiple times—am happy to report that this is, in fact, IT. I've only made one big change, and that is substituting the originally called-for Monterey Jack with (uber-processed) white American. Hey, if Panera Bread can do it, so can I.

1 (16-ounce) box rigatoni noodles
8 ounces (12 slices) white American cheese, torn or cut into very small pieces
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
4 ounces grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, about 12 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain in a colander without rinsing, and return the pasta to the pot.

Add the American cheese, half of the cheddar, half the Parmesan, and the heavy cream to the still-warm noodles and stir until combined and the cheese starts to melt. Season generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the noodle mixture into a greased cast iron skillet or casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining half of cheddar and Parmesan over the top and bake until bubbly and golden, about 30 - 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve, eat copious amounts, and then retreat for a long afternoon slumber.

Man Food Part II (Steak Sandwiches)

Dixie Caviar's kitchen is a strange kind of kitchen. It's a messy, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-tastebuds kind of place. I've mentioned it before, that Walt and I have tendency to march by the beat of our own drum. (Hey, what's wrong with breakfast for dinner? Or dessert for breakfast? Or both?!) But in an effort to make our life one of balance, I'm trying to incorporate more guy-friendly recipes into my cooking repertoire. And what better "man food" is there than Steak Sandwiches? Served with a pile of french fries? Well, it's pretty much Walt's meal to end all meals. So when I found a leftover rib-eye steak and some extra sliced veggies (from my black-eyed pea salad) in the fridge, I had an aha! moment. All I needed was some hoagie buns and provolone cheese and I had myself dinner. Of course, Walt sulked a bit at the sight of peppers. I just can't seem to slip anything healthy by him! But there were no complaints in the end.

We've had these hearty sandwiches twice this week, and I could definitely go for more. I served them up with mac and cheese (yes, the mac and cheese was Velveeta. I can't always whip everything up from scratch, you know. But it was shells! So that totally makes it okay).

Need more "man food"? Check out my zesty Sloppy Joes (part I of the series). Now it's your turn. What are your best recipes for the men in your life?

STEAK AND CHEESE SANDWICHES
Serves 2

This is really more of a guideline than a recipe. Use your own judgment for taste, but I really don't think you can mess this meal up. This recipe could easily be doubled for a family (or a hungry boyfriend)

Dale's Steak Seasoning (I prefer reduced sodium blend)
1 and 1/4 pounds steak (I used rib-eye)
Unsalted butter (oh, yeah)
Mixed vegetables, cut into thin slices (I used red onions, red and green bell peppers)
4 slices provolone cheese
2 hoagie buns, sliced in half

Using a serrated knife, cut the steak into 1/4-inch thick slices, making sure to cut against the grain. Marinate the steak in a few heaping tablespoons of Dale's and a generous seasoning of black pepper (about 15 - 30 minutes will do).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet or braiser, melt 2 - 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat (I used 4 tablepoons, i.e. 1/2 a stick. It may have been a little excessive, but it sure was delicious!) Add vegetables to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and tender, about 7 - 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from the pan and set aside.

Add a couple of tablespoons of canola or safflower oil to the pan and turn the heat up to high. Once oil is hot, add steak and saute, stirring occasionally, until meat is completely cooked through. Turn off the heat.

Place the bottom half of the hoagie buns on a large baking sheet. Add a generous portion of steak, followed by vegetables, and top with the slices of provolone cheese. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add the top half of the hoagie bun and enjoy. OR place all of the ingredients on the bun, including top half of sandwich, wrap tightly in aluminum foil, and cook until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes (this steams the bread a little bit but is a bit messier because the cheese sticks to everything). We tried both ways, and enjoyed them both immensely.