New Recipes this Week

It's only Wednesday but I tried two new recipes this week and both were good, one a definite winner.  The Red Lentil Thai Curry soup was not suppose to be a soup.  Instead it was to be served over Jasmine rice.  After 3 hours it was pretty dried out, verging on burning so thinking I was making soup I added the entire can of coconut milk and pureed the mixture cause the onion chunks were not appealing and red cherry tomatoes didn't disappear like the yellow might have.  If you serve it over rice I guess it should be thick hence only 1 C. of milk vs. the whole can, I didn't know what to expect but picture looks more like refried beans and unlike mine the lentils still have a some shape.  Mine was more like a dried out split pea soup and once all the milk was added it was just like split pea soup.  A different flavor profile than I typically eat, warm spices, tasted good and was more flavorful as it sat.

The other recipe was a lightened up Mac and Cheese but any deviation from the smokey classic I don't consider it a mac and cheese or I get disappointed.  This one however totally surprised me and I would make it again.  I roasted the squash the night before but had to microwave it to make it soft enough to mash with no lumps.  Since hubby didn’t care for the roasted maple squash the night before it was best when it disappeared in the sauce.  I doubled the bacon, used the entire 8 oz. of cheese because more cheese is never worse and why not use it all vs. having a bit leftover that I forget about and end up tossing and I added another ½ C. milk because there really wasn’t much of a sauce to bubble and thicken.  I thought it would be too dry but it wasn’t which must be where the squash came in.  Although I didn’t save as many calories as the original recipe it was lighter than mac & cheese.  Original recipe was only 334 cal with 12 g fat for the 6 servings.  The bacon made the recipe.  Original recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens Sept 2013, pg. 168.  packed with Vitamin A.

RED LENTIL THAI CURRY SOUP
2 C. red lentils
1 onion, small dice
3 T. green curry paste such as Thai Kitchen
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. ginger, chopped or grated frozen
2 t. sugar
⅛ t. cayenne
2 C. water
1 ½ C. carrot juice
1 C. yellow or red grape tomatoes, halved
13.66 oz. can lite coconut milk, shaken
Topping, optional:
¼ C. cilantro sprigs
1 lime, cut in wedges

Coat a slow cooker with oil.  Pick through lentils to remove any debris or bad lentils, rinse off.  Add all ingredients except coconut milk and cilantro.  Cook on high for 2.5-3 hours,  Shake milk can, stir into lentils.  With an emulsion blender puree soup.  Serve.

Serving Suggestion:  Serve as a soup or along side 4 C.  jasmine rice with a Thai Ginger Dressing side salad (5 T. oil, 2 T. soy, 2 T. rice vinegar, 1 T. grated ginger and 1 T. water, 1 t. sugar, 1 clove grated) lettuce, cucumber, carrots grated, scallions, Asian rice noodles.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC BAKE
3 C. butternut squash, peeled, cubed, roasted
8 oz. (3 C. cooked) cavatappi or elbow pasta
1 T. butter
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 ½ C. fat free milk
¼ t. Kosher salt
¼ t. coarse black pepper
6-8 oz. (1 ½-2 C.) fontina cheese, shredded
4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked, crumbled

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Lightly coat a 2 qt. baking dish with nonstick spray or a teaspoon of butter spread on with a paper towel, set aside.
Add squash to a foil lined baking sheet and roast till tender 30 minutes.  Add to a microwave safe bowl and mash.  If not soft enough, microwave, covered for 2 minutes or until you can mash and get a mashed potato consistency, set aside.
Meanwhile cook pasta 2 minuets shy of al dente directions.  Drain.  In a medium pan, large enough to hold pasta and sauce, add a drizzle of oil and sliced mushrooms.  Saute till mushrooms are golden brown.  Add green onions and saute another few minutes.  Sprinkle with flour and remaining butter cook another minute.  Add  milk, salt and pepper.  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Remove from heat, stir in squash, making sure to break up squash chunks.  Add pasta, stir to combine.
Pour half the pasta mixture into the buttered baking dish, top with half the cheese, remaining pasta and remaining cheese.  Crumble bacon or cut into pieces with cooking sheers.  Bake uncovered 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Notes:  You can skip the roasting step and microwave the squash for 4 minutes instead.  I was just hoping to add more flavor.  Fontina cheese tasted mild like  jack, it was very soft so it may be moister but I’ll try jack next time to save money.  The cheese was $5.50.  Cavatappi is like an elbow pasta but it has ridges and is curled.