Roasted Tomato and Pasta Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ripe Italian plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 large red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise and seeded
• 1 large red onion, quartered lengthwise
• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/4 quarts vegetable stock or water
• a good pinch of sugar
• scant 1 cup small pasta shapes, such as elbow macaroni
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread out tomatoes, red pepper, onion, and garlic in a roasting pan and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast for 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are soft and charred, stirring and turning them halfway through.
2. Tip the vegetables into a food processor, add about 1 cup of the stock or water, and process until pureed. Scrape into a strainer placed over a large saucepan and press the puree through into the pan. [Alternatively, you can use a food mill.]
3. Add the remaining stock or water, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. [We also added a little sherry vinegar, which added some depth to the soup.]
4. Add the pasta and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, or according to the directions on the package, stirring frequently, until al dente. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot, garnished with the fresh basil leaves.

Mac & Cheese

From:

Ingredients:

Bread Crumb Topping

• 6 slices white sandwich bread (good-quality, about 6 ounces), torn into rough pieces
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 6 pieces

Pasta and Cheese

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 tablespoon table salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 5 cups milk
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon table salt

Directions:

1. Pulse bread and butter in food processor until crumbs are no larger than 1/8 inch, 10 to 15 1-second pulses. Set aside.
2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until pasta is tender. Drain pasta and set aside in colander.
3. In now-empty Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne (if using) and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute.
4. Gradually whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to fully thicken). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes.
5. Off heat, whisk in cheeses and 1 teaspoon salt until cheeses are fully melted.
6. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes.
7. Transfer mixture to broiler-safe 9-by 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 minutes, then serve.

Couscous and Feta Stuff Peppers

Ingredients:

• Vegetable-oil cooking spray
• 1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2/3 cup couscous
• 4 large bell peppers, mixed colors
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 6 oz zucchini, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly
• 6 oz yellow squash, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 oz crumbled feta cheese (about 1 cup)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan, add the couscous, cover the pan and remove it from the heat.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the stems and top half inch off the bell peppers and scoop out the seeds and membranes. Boil trimmed peppers for 5 minutes, then drain them upside down.
4. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, yellow squash, fennel seeds, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes and chickpeas. Using a fork, scrape the couscous into the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Stir in the crumbled feta.
5. Place peppers upright in the baking dish and fill them with couscous.
6. Bake 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Handmade Vanilla Ice Cream

From: Cook’s Illustrated

Note:

If necessary, two teaspoons of vanilla extract may be substituted for the vanilla bean. To maximize the extract’s potency, stir it into the chilled custard just before churning.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 inch piece vanilla bean, slit lengthwise and seeds removed, pod reserved
• 4 large egg yolks

Directions:

1. Position a strainer over a medium bowl set in a larger bowl containing ice water. Heat the milk, cream, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to break up the vanilla seeds, until steam appears and the milk is warm (about 175 degrees), about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl until combined and pale yellow. Whisk half the warm milk mixture into the beaten yolks, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined. Whisk the milk-yolk mixture into the warm milk in the saucepan; set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until steam appears, foam subsides, and the mixture is slightly thickened or an instant-read thermometer registers 180 to 185 degrees. (Do not boil the mixture, or the eggs will curdle.) Immediately strain the custard into the bowl set in the ice bath; cool the custard to room temperature, stirring it occasionally to help it cool. Cover and refrigerate until an instant-read thermometer registers 40 degrees or lower, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
3. Remove and discard the vanilla pod from the custard (or add the vanilla extract, if using) and stir well. Pour the custard into the ice cream machine canister and churn, following the manufacturer’s instructions, until the mixture resembles soft-serve ice cream. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press plastic wrap flush against the surface, cover the container, and freeze the ice cream until firm, at least 2 hours.