Garlic Bread Waffles

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp white sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup of warm milk
2 tbsp melted butter + additional 1 tbsp (separate)
1 tsp garlic powder + 1/2 tsp (separate)
1 1/2 tsp parsley flakes + 1/2 tsp (separate)

Directions:
1. Preheat waffle iron.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar
3. In a separate bowl, beat egg until fluffy. Stir in milk and butter.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until blended.
5. Mix 1 tbsp melted butter, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp parsley flakes.
6. Using a pastry or basting brush, generously coat your waffle iron with the melted butter mixture (both sides).
7. Pour 1/3-1/2 cups of batter per waffle into waffle iron (depending on size of iron).
8. Cook for roughly 6 minutes.
9. Top with mozzarella stuffed meatballs (recipe coming soon) and sauce.
10. Serve warm!

Crock Pot Roast

I initially created this roast recipe for French dip sandwiches (which are the bomb). The next day NYC decided to hit us with a 13 degree commute and I needed something more hearty. I had a lot of extra meat from the night before so I turned this easy crock pot roast into a pot roast dinner. Nothing* I love more than having a variety of options for my crock pot meats. Weird to say? Not ashamed. (also see my crock pot pulled pork)

*except maybe a good jalapeno margarita, binging Netflix and organizing my closet

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INGREDIENTS:

3 lb beef chuck roast
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cups unsalted beef broth
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp dry french onion soup mix
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 can of Campbell’s French Onion Soup + 1 can of water

If making French dip sandwiches –
1. Rolls (sliced & toasted)
2. Provolone cheese (melt the cheese in the au ju before putting on your sandwich, trust me)
3. Dijon mustard, mayo *optional (after toasting roll spread mustard on half of roll and mayo on the other)

If making Pot Roast Dinner –
1. Sweet mashed potatoes (I’ll post my go-to recipe soon)
2. Steamed veggies (I chopped a celery, carrot and onion mix; steamed in a bit of beef broth; seasoned with salt, pepper & garlic powder) *doesn’t need to be extremely flavorful, the flavor will be in the au ju from your roast

DIRECTIONS:
1. Turn crock pot on low
2. Layer bottom of pot with thinly sliced onions
3. Mix garlic, pepper, salt, thyme and onion powder
4. Remove excess fat from roast and rub spice mixture with dry French onion soup mix onto roast
5. Set roast on top of onion slices
6. Mix beef broth, soy and Worcestershire sauce and pour on top of roast
7. Pour Campbell’s soup on top of roast
8. Add additional can of water into crock pot
9. Cook roast on low for 4-6 hours until fully cooked (cook longer if you’d like shredded roast, you should be able to pull apart with 2 forks)
10. Remove roast from pot onto cutting board and thinly slice
11. Add sliced or pulled meat back into pot mixing into the juices
12. Serve hot

Spicy Rigatoni

Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
½ cup tomato paste
2 tbsp. vodka
1 cup heavy cream
1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (your preference)
salt, ground pepper
1 pound rigatoni
2 tbsp. butter
1 oz. finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium.
2. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 5 min)
3. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until paste is brick red and starts to caramelize (about 5 min)
4. Add vodka and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is mostly evaporated (about 2 min)
5. Add cream and red pepper flakes and stir until well blended
6. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat
7. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
8. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid
9. Add pasta to skillet with sauce along with butter and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid
10. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly (add more pasta cooking liquid if needed) until butter has melted and a thick, glossy sauce has formed (about 2 min)
11. Season with salt and pepper, mix in 1 oz. of parmesan
12. Dish pasta into bowls and top with basil and additional parmesan

Bacon Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb elbow pasta

Cheese Sauce:
1 stick of butter
2 tbsp flour
½ of a medium sweet onion, chopped
1 tbsp ground mustard
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup gruyere cheese
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 ½ cups mozzarella
2 ½ cups milk

Topping:
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
4 slices of bacon (cooked and chopped)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F
2. In a large pot melt butter over medium-low
3. Add 2 tbsp of flour and whisking to make a roux (3-4 minutes)
4. Add finely chopped onion to the mixture and cook until onion becomes slightly translucent
5. Gradually pour in 2 cups of your milk (the rest will be added later)
6. Raise your heat to medium-high – bring sauce to a low boil, whisking constantly to make a béchamel sauce
7. Reduce heat, whisking occasionally until your béchamel sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon (about 3 minutes)
8. Add in ground mustard, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper
9. Add each type of cheese individually – whisking until each is completely melted before adding more
10. Add ½ cup of milk to loosen sauce
11. Add the drained macaroni to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir well to coat
12. Transfer macaroni mixture to the buttered baking dish
13. Mix panko bread crumbs, garlic powder and paprika and sprinkle evenly over macaroni
14. Bake until golden and bubbling, 18–22 minutes.
15. Sprinkle bacon crumbs on top
16. Let cool 15 minutes before serving