Chicken Rigatoni

1 chicken breast, cut into strips
Olive oil
Salt, pepper, garlic, oregano to suit taste
Rigatoni noodles
1/2 cup marinated red peppers, sliced
1/2 cup pepperoncini, sliced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1 cup grated Parm cheese
1 cup thickened cream

Place chicken strips in boiling water and cook for approximately 10 minutes.

Cook rigatoni as per packet instructions.

In olive oil, sauté garlic with salt, pepper and oregano. Add chicken and cook for 10 minutes, careful not to brown the chicken.

Add peppers, pepperoncini and olives, simmer 5 minutes.

Add thickened cream, spaghetti sauce and parm cheese to skillet. Simmer until cheese is melted. Pour over noodles, stir well and serve.

Chef John's Macaroni and Cheese

1 (12 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
3 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted

 
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.


Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through but still slightly firm, about 8 minutes. Drain well.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam and bubble, stir in the flour; cook on medium heat until flour just begins to turn pale yellow, 3 to 4 minutes. Add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and white pepper; cook and stir another minute, then whisk in 1 cup of milk until smooth. Pour in remaining milk and whisk again. Bring the sauce just to a simmer.

Stir in Worcestershire sauce and salt; simmer on medium-low heat until thickened, about 8 minutes, whisking often. Turn heat off, then add 2 1/4 cups of Cheddar cheese; stir until melted and combined. Add Dijon mustard.

Transfer the macaroni into a casserole dish, then pour in the cheese sauce; stir to thoroughly combine sauce with pasta. Mix panko bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter in a small bowl, and sprinkle crumbs on top of macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup of Cheddar cheese on top.

Bake in the preheated oven until bread crumbs and Cheddar cheese topping are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
 
**Optional - you could add some beer or alternative cheeses as long as it's still 3 cups.
 
Recipe adapted from here.

Macaroni & Cheese

3/4 bag of pasta shells
2 Tbp butter
2 Tbp flour
2 cups milk
3/4 bag of sharp cheddar cheese
Parmesean cheese for topping
1 can diced and seasoned tomotaoes, drained
6 Tbp Nandos extra hot peri peri sauce
3 Tbp Tabasco sauce
Doritos Mexican flavoured tortilla chips for topping

1.) Cook the pasta shells in slightly salted water for 13 minutes, drain, rise and empty in greased baking dish (appx 13" x 9")

2.) In the pasta pot, melt butter and stir in the flour. Cook until mixture is slightly brown. Slowly add milk 1/4 cup at a time, stirring continuously. Once all the milk is added, mix in the hot sauce, Tabasco sauce and all the cheese. Stir well and add the tomatoes. The sauce may go a little lumpy with the tomatoes but it will still taste good.

3.) Pour mixture over the shells and stir through well. Top with Parmesean cheese and tortilla chips. Bake @ 180 C for 35 minutes and serve.

* The spices completely make this recipe. If left out, you will need to substitute with something else or this will be a very bland dish. You could use onions, bacon, various cheeses, ham or veggies.

Spinach Manicotti

8 dried manicotti shells
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/3 cup milk
3 oz. Swiss cheese
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 beaten egg
1 x 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed
3/4 cup ricotta
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 Tsp lemon peel

Cook manicotti according to directions on box. Cool in a single layer on a piece of greased foil.

Meanwhile for sauce, cook green onions and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add Swiss cheese and broth, stirring until cheese melts.

For filling, in a medium bowl stir together egg, spinach, ricotta and Parmesan cheese and lemon peel. Use a small spoon to fill shells. Arrange in a baking dish. Pour sauce over. Bake, covered, in a 350F oven 30-35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Asparagus Angel Hair Pasta

angel hair pasta

minced garlic
fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and chopped
1 punnet grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine or champagne
dill
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 avocado, mashed
jalapeno juice
shredded cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add angel hair pasta, cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until al dente; drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent stickiness.

2. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and tomatoes, stirring to coat.

3. Pour in the broth and champagne mixture, and continue cooking uncovered 10 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender, but still bright green.

4. Place the pasta in a large bowl, and toss with the asparagus and tomato mixture. Season with dill and pepper.

5. In a separate bowl, mix the avocados, and jalapeno juice together until blended. Serve pasta with a dollop of the avocado mixture, and top with shredded cheese.

***Optional, you can add chicken, bacon or prawns.

Recipe and photo from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Asparagus-Angel-Hair-Pasta/Detail.aspx?src=etaf

Macaroni & Cheese

Serves: 2

Melted margarine, to grease
145g (1 cup) dried macaroni pasta
40g (1/2 cup) grated cheddar

White sauce
375ml (1 1/2 cups) milk
20g (1 tbs) margarine
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs cornflour
125ml (1/2 cup) water


Preheat oven to 250°C. Brush a 1-litre (4-cup) ovenproof dish with the melted margarine to lightly grease.

Cook the macaroni in a medium saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions or until al dente.

Meanwhile, to make sauce, heat milk and margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Combine cornflour and water and stir in gradually. Bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring, for 5-7 minutes or until thick.
Drain the macaroni. Add to the white sauce and stir to combine. Transfer to greased dish and sprinkle with cheddar. Cook in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately.

Recipe from http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/11952/macaroni+cheese