New Recipes

This weekend we made 2 new dishes worth passing on, Pinto Bean Nachos from Cooking Light where we made our own chips, and Thai Red Curry Mac & Cheese, my first attempt at a dish from Aarti's Party on Food Network.  Both were comforting, warm, and filling. Enjoy!

Pinto Bean Nachos (4 servings)

Ingredients

• 12  (6-inch) corn tortillas, quartered
• Cooking spray
• 1  tablespoon  canola/vegetable oil
• 2  teaspoons  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  chili powder
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup shredded mexican blend cheese
• 1  cup  bottled salsa
• 1   diced, fresh avocado
• 6  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.


2. Arrange half of tortilla wedges in a single layer on a large baking sheet; lightly coat wedges with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 8 minutes or until crisp. Repeat procedure with remaining tortilla wedges and cooking spray.


3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin, chili powder, and garlic; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. 


4. Add pinto beans and water, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 10 minutes. Partially mash bean mixture with a potato masher until slightly thick. 


5. Place 8 chips on each of 6 plates. Spoon about 1/2 cup bean mixture evenly over tortilla chips on each plate; top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons cheese, 2 1/2 tablespoons salsa, and 2 1/2 tablespoons avocado. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon cilantro.

Thai Red Curry Mac & Cheese (6-8 servings)

 Ingredients

Mac 'n' Cheese:

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 (4-ounce) jar Thai red curry paste (I think we used Taste of Thai?)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups cream (alternatively, use 5 cups whole milk instead of both milk and cream)
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack/Colby-Jack cheese, grated
• 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

Crumb Topping:

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs or crushed ritz crackers
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Salt generously, and then add the pasta and cook to box instructions, usually 6 to 7 minutes. Drain.


2. In another large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking until it deepens in color and releases a light toasted aroma, about 1 minute.


3. Whisk in the Thai red curry paste, and when fully combined, pour in the milk and cream (or all milk, if using). Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer until the mixture thickens, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes.


4. Off heat, stir in the cheeses until melted. Add the pasta and toss to combine.


5. Turn your broiler on.


6. Toss the panko with the melted butter and season with salt and pepper.


7. Pour the mac 'n' cheese into a broiler-safe casserole dish, sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture, and broil until browned, 1-2 minutes.