Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes

Serves 8 to 10

Let the finished dish rest for 10 to 15 minutes before you serve it; otherwise it will be soupy. Barilla is our favorite brand of elbow macaroni.

Ingredients

•   Salt and pepper
• 1 pound elbow macaroni (see note)
• 1 (28-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

• 1. COOK MACARONI Adjust oven to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain pasta and return to pot. Pour diced tomatoes with their juices over pasta and stir to coat. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• 2. MAKE SAUCE Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Stir in flour and cayenne and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in half-and-half and broth until smooth. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheeses, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper until cheeses melt. Pour sauce over macaroni and stir to combine.
• 3. BAKE MACARONI AND CHEESE Scrape mixture into 13 by 9-inch baking dish set in rimmed baking sheet and bake until top begins to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
• MAKE AHEAD: Macaroni and cheese can be made in advance through step 2. Scrape mixture into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, cool, lay plastic wrap directly on surface of pasta, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, remove plastic wrap, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Cat Head Biscuits

Serves 6

If you don't have buttermilk on hand, make clabbered milk by whisking 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 1 1/4 cups milk and letting it stand until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. The recipe will also work with 3 cups White Lily flour in place of both the all-purpose and cake flours.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and softened
• 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (see note)

Instructions

• 1. MIX DOUGH Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 9-inch cake pan. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Rub butter and shortening into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk until combined.
• 2. PORTION BISCUITS Following the instructions at left, use greased 1/2-cup measure or large spring-loaded ice cream scoop to transfer 6 heaping portions of dough into prepared pan, placing 5 around pan's perimeter and 1 in center.
• 3. BAKE BISCUITS Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve. (Biscuits can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.)

Skillet Goulash

Serves 4

Be sure to trim the steaks of all visible fat before cooking. Use sweet paprika, not the hot or smoked varieties, in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 strip steaks, about 1 inch thick, trimmed of fat
•   Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, halved and sliced thin
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
• 1/4 cup paprika (see note)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 pound wide egg noodles (about 4 cups)
• 2/3 cup sour cream

Instructions

• 1. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet until just smoking. Cook steaks until well browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and tent with foil.
• 2. Heat remaining oil in empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and noodles and cook covered, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
• 3. Cut steaks in half lengthwise, then cut into thin slices. Stir sour cream and sliced steak, along with any accumulated juices, into pan. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Chapel Squares

Makes 24 squares

You’ll need an 18 by 13-inch rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Use almond paste, not marzipan (which is sweeter and smoother).

Ingredients Crust

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs, separated, whites beaten lightly
• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 11 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces chilled

Filling

• 3/4 cup dried sour cherries
• 4 teaspoons water
• 1 3/4 pounds Haralson or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (about 4 apples)
• 12 ounces Fireside or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (about 2 apples)
• 2/3 cup (4 2/3 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces almond paste, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Glaze

• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

• 1. FOR THE CRUST: Whisk milk and egg yolks together. Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about 3 pulses. Add shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 10 pulses. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer mixture to large bowl.
• 2. Pour milk mixture over flour mixture and combine, using rubber spatula to press dough firmly until it comes together. Transfer dough to clean counter and divide into 2 equal pieces. Place each piece of dough on sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into 4-inch square. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• 3. FOR THE FILLING: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Microwave cherries and water in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit until cherries have softened and cooled to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Combine softened cherry mixture, apples, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl; set aside.
• 4. Let dough soften at room temperature for 10 minutes. Roll 1 dough square between 2 large sheets of parchment paper into 19 by 14-inch rectangle. Remove top piece of parchment. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin, then unroll dough over 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Gently fit dough into sheet and up the sides and sprinkle with almond paste. Drain apple mixture thoroughly, then spread over dough-lined sheet. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until needed.
• 5. Roll remaining 1 dough square between 2 large sheets of parchment into 19 by 14-inch rectangle. Remove top piece of parchment. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin, then unroll it over filling. Trim and fold edges of dough together. Crimp, using fork.
• 6. Cut 1-inch slits in top crust at 2-inch intervals, then brush with egg whites. Bake bars for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices are bubbling and crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let bars cool in sheet on wire rack for 30 minutes.
• 7. FOR THE GLAZE: Whisk sugar, milk, and almond extract together in bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over bars and let cool until filling has set, about 2 hours. Cut into squares. Serve.

Losta Tots

If your food processor has a capacity of less than 11 cups, you’ll need to process the potatoes in two batches. If any large pieces of potato remain after processing, chop them coarsely by hand. To make handling the uncooked tots easier, use a wet knife blade and wet hands.

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cups peanut oil or vegetable oil

Instructions

• 1. Whisk 2 cups water and salt together in bowl until salt dissolves. Working in two batches, pulse potatoes and salt water in food processor until coarsely ground, 10 to 12 pulses, stirring occasionally. Drain mixture in fine-mesh strainer, pressing potatoes with rubber spatula until dry (liquid should measure about 1½ cups for each batch); discard liquid. Transfer both batches of potatoes to bowl and microwave, uncovered, until dry and sticky, 12 to 14 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
• 2. Stir flour and pepper into potatoes. Spread potato mixture into thin layer over large sheet of aluminum foil and let cool for 10 minutes. Push potatoes to center of foil and place foil and potatoes in 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing it flush to pan. Press potato mixture tightly and evenly into pan. Freeze, uncovered, until firm, about 30 minutes.
• 3. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat oil in Dutch oven over high heat until 375 degrees. Using foil overhang, lift potatoes from pan, cut the potato rectangle in half crosswise, and then cut each half into 1 1/4 by 1-inch pieces (6 cuts in 1 direction and 8 in other). Fry a quarter of the potato tots, until golden brown and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally once they begin to brown. Drain on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Bring oil back to 375 degrees and repeat three more times with remaining potato tots. Serve.
• Make Ahead: Cool fried potato tots, transfer to zipper-lock bag, and freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place potato tots on rimmed baking sheet and bake until heated through, 12 to 15 minutes.

French Silk Chocolate Pie

You will need a fully baked pie shell for this recipe. Use your favorite pie dough or use our No-Fear Pie Crust recipe (related). Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and softened
• 1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked and cooled (see note)

Instructions

• 1. Whip cream: With electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream to stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer whipped cream to small bowl and refrigerate.
• 2. Beat eggs: Combine eggs, sugar, and water in large heatproof bowl set over medium saucepan filled with ½ inch barely simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water). With electric mixer on medium speed, beat until egg mixture is thickened and registers 160 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat egg mixture until fluffy and cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.
• 3. Beat, fold, cool: Add chocolate and vanilla to cool egg mixture and beat until incorporated. Beat in butter, a few pieces at a time, until well combined. Using spatula, fold in whipped cream until no streaks of white remain. Scrape filling into pie shell and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. Serve.

Crispy Garlic Bread

Makes 12 slices

Start with a soft Italian bread, not a rustic, crusty loaf. Use a rasp grater or the small holes of a box grater to grate the garlic.

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 garlic cloves, grated (see note) or minced
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 12 (1-inch) slices Italian bread (see note)

Instructions

• 1. MAKE PASTE Adjust oven rack to middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 425 degrees. Using fork, beat butter, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in small bowl until combined. Spread butter mixture evenly over both sides of bread.
• 2. TOAST BREAD Arrange buttered bread on heated baking sheet and bake until golden brown on fist side, 8 to 10 minutes. Flip and bake until golden brown on second side, about 5 minutes. Serve.