Five After Five Recipes February 10th, 2012- Love is in the Air…
Chicago Macaroni Salad
- 1 (8 ounce) package salad macaroni
- 1 cup small broccoli florets
- 3/4 cup diced Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup dill pickle relish, with juice
- 1 large dill pickle, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup sliced green olives (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion
- 2 tablespoons shredded carrot
- 1 tablespoon chopped pimento peppers
- 1 cup light mayonnaise1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Fill a pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the salad macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink, and rinse with cold water until chilled. Drain again to remove excess water.
- Place macaroni, broccoli, Cheddar cheese, green pepper, pickle relish, dill pickle, celery, black olives, green olives, green onion, carrot, and pimento in a salad bowl, and toss lightly to combine. In a bowl, whisk together the light mayonnaise, mustard, salt, sugar, and black pepper to make a smooth dressing; pour the dressing over the salad, and lightly mix to coat all ingredients with dressing. Refrigerate at least 4 hours to blend flavors before serving.
“Croque Monsieur” Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- A pinch each of salt, freshly ground pepper, nutmeg, or more to taste
- 6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups grated)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (packed)
- 8 slices of French or Italian loaf bread
- 12 ounces ham, sliced
- Dijon mustard
METHOD
1.) Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.) Make the béchamel sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium/low heat until it just starts to bubble. Add the flour and cook, stirring until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking continuously, cooking until thick. Remove from heat. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the Parmesan and 1/4 cup of the grated Gruyère. Set aside.
3.) Lay out the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven, a few minutes each side, until lightly toasted. For extra flavor you can spread some butter on the bread slices before you toast them if you want.
(Alternatively, you can assemble the sandwiches as follows in step four and grill them on a skillet, finishing them in the broiler with the bechamel sauce.)
4.) Lightly brush half of the toasted slices with mustard. Add the ham slices and about 1 cup of the remaining Gruyère cheese. Top with the other toasted bread slices.
5.) Spoon on the béchamel sauce to the tops of the sandwiches. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère cheese. Place on a broiling pan. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese topping is bubbly and lightly browned.
If you top this sandwich with a fried egg it becomes a Croque Madame.
Makes 4 sandwiches.
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