Baked Mac and Cheese

1 pound mozzarella (I did some cheddar)

1 pound Colby Jack cheese

8 ounces sharp cheddar (I did cheddar w/ gruyere notes)

1 pound cavatappi pasta (I did macaroni)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon coarse salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons salted butter

3 tablespoons AP flour

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk (I skipped)

2 cups heavy cream (I did raw milk)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Shred the blocks of cheese: 1 pound mozzarella cheese, 1 pound Colby Jack cheese, and 8 ounces sharp cheddar into a large mixing bowl, then toss together and transfer half to a separate bowl.

Cook 1 pound cavatappi pasta in salted water according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, combine 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper in a small prep bowl and set aside.

Melt 3 tablespoons salted butter in a skillet, then add half the seasoning mix and stir.

Add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and immediately whisk and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, the butter/flour mixture should be bubbling.

Add the 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk and whisk constantly. Once it begins to thicken and bubble in the middle of the pan, add 2 cups heavy cream, the remaining half of the seasoning, and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and whisk until thickened.

Add half of the shredded cheese mixture to the skillet a handful at a time and stir until completely melted and thick.

Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat.

Transfer half the pasta mixture to a 9×13-inch baking pan and layer with a third of the remaining cheese. Add the rest of the mac and cheese on top then finish with the rest of the cheese.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, then broil for 1 to 2 minutes to give the mac and cheese a nice bubbly, golden brown top.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Notes:

Make Ahead Mac and Cheese Instructions:

If you want to prepare this mac and cheese in advance, it’s very easy to do! Simply prepare the recipe right up until baking then cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

When ready to bake, tent the aluminum foil so it doesn’t touch the top layer of cheese and bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until heated through. Finish with the broil.

Freezing Tini’s Mac and Cheese:

Follow the make-ahead instructions above, but be prepared to add an additional 30 to 35 minutes to the baking time while covered in foil.

Cornbread Fresh Milled

1 cup cornmeal (freshly milled popcorn)

1 1/2 cup flour (freshly milled soft white wheat) 

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup whole milk

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup oil

1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with skillet in the oven.

Mix dry ingredients together

Add remaining ingredients

Whisk all together until fairly smooth

Pour into greased 8’’ – 10’’ cast iron pan (or any pan that size). Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Slather butter all over top, let rest for about 10 minutes, and ENJOY!

Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookies

250 grams (2 cups) whole grain spelt flour 

5 mL (1 tsp) Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt or 2.5 mL (½ tsp) table salt

2.5 mL (½ tsp) baking soda

115 grams (½ cup) unsalted butter

150 (3/4 cup) grams dark brown sugar

100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar

1 large egg(s)

10 mL (2 tsp) pure vanilla extract

175 grams (1 cup) 70 % dark chocolate chopped, or 250 mL (1 cup) dark chocolate chips

120 grams (1 cup) chopped walnuts

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (175 °C). (Bake at 365 for 3300 elevation.) Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter, the granulated sugar, and the brown sugar until it's very light and fluffy.

Add the egg and the vanilla, and mix well until the mixture is light and fluffy again. Make sure to clean down the sides of the bowl as needed with a big spatula.

Dump in the whisked dry ingredients, and incorporate them either with the hand mixer on low, or by hand with a big wooden spoon.

Mix in the chocolate and the chopped walnuts. The dough should be quite thick.

Scoop approximately 50 gram portions of the dough, rolling them into balls.

Place 8 cookies per cookie sheet, being sure to space them apart and stagger them.

Bake the cookies one sheet pan at a time until the edges just begin to brown (this takes about 12 to 14 minutes). You might want to rotate the pan partway through the baking to make sure the cookies brown evenly.

Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet pan while you bake the second pan.

Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Variations: you can make these with white, milk or dark chocolate, and with toasted walnuts, peanuts, or pecans. If you skip the nuts, add more chocolate. The cookies may end up thinner if you omit the nuts without substituting.

Baking temperature: You can bake these cookies at 400 °F to ensure they stay thick, or at 350 °F to allow them to spread a little more. Feel free to bake a test cookie at this temperature to make sure you like the results and adjust the temperature accordingly.

If you want to garnish: you can't go wrong with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt which will help balance out the sweetness of the cookie dough.

Osso Buco Pumpkin Stew

1 tbsp tallow

2 large (or 4 small) beef shank soup bones

4 carrots, cut into 3/4 to 1 inch cubes

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 large bay leaves

1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste 

4 cups beef stock

1 cup fresh pumpkin puree

1/2 cup apple juice

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice 

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Sear beef shanks in a skillet on all sides until browned. Transfer to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours. Discard rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. 

The Carnivore Code Cookbook by Paul Saladino MD