Southwest Mac and Cheese

The first time I made this dish I called it “Mexican Mac and Cheese.” However, after tasting it, I realized it was more reminiscent of the American Southwest (from Arizona to Western Texas) than of Mexico, so I changed the name. The inspiration came to me while trying to put a Mexican spin on traditional comfort food in honor of Cinco de Mayo. In a way, I guess it’s fitting that the dish is more American than Mexican since Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more in the U.S. than in Mexico (with the exception of Puebla).

I chose to cook my own beans, and to roast the peppers and the corn myself, but feel free to purchase canned versions if you’re interested in saving some time. The corn and the peppers can easily be roasted in the oven together (25-30 minutes at 400 degrees, tossing/turning as needed), and if you start with canned beans, it will only take you 20-25 minutes to simmer them with the correct spices (I used my recipe for Cuban black beans, but feel free to use canned).

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: About 30 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Notes: You can cook the bacon while the water boils and the pasta cooks, or you can use some leftover bacon from this morning’s breakfast.

Ingredients:

3 ounces bacon, cooked and cut into pieces (about 3 thick slices)
2 Anaheim peppers (or two small cans fire-roasted green chiles), roasted and chopped
6 oz prepared black beans (or 2/3 of a store-bought can)
6 oz corn (about one ear of corn), roasted
8 oz Macaroni pasta
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
5 oz evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk)
1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup panko
1 handful cilantro, chopped

Procedure:

Cook the macaroni according to package directions. While the pasta cooks, render the bacon in a sillet placed over medium-low heat, stirring as needed (about 15 minutes). Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and place it back in the same pot and place over low heat. Add the evaporated milk and stir to combine. Wait about 5 minutes for the evaporated milk to come up to temperature, then add a handfull of the shredded cheese at a time and stir until it’s combined. Once all the cheese is incorporated, stir in the beans, corn, and peppers. Cover and set aside.

Melt the butter in a clean skillet over medium-low heat. Toss in the panko and toss to coat. Stir the panko every 30 seconds until the butter is absorbed and the bread crumbs are toasted. Remove from the heat and set aside. Plate the mac and cheese, then top with toasted panko, chopped cilantro, and bacon pieces. I forgot to top the plate with bacon before taking the picture, but I did add it before eating it (believe me, it’s much better with the bacon).

Buen Provecho!

NY-Style Pizza in Durham: Randy’s Pizza

Two slices from Randy’s Pizza: one Pepperoni and one Meatball

Let us start with a philosophical question: what is New York-Style pizza? Ask 100 people and you will get 1001 answers, but I seek to boil it down to the basics. In my world, the New York style of pizza is represented by three main things: hand-tossed dough, sold by the slice or whole, and the slices are big enough that they need to be folded in half to eat. It’s that simple.

If I have one pet peeve about NY-Style pizza (outside of NY, that is), it’s that everyone seems to have an opinion as to which establishment is more “authentic,” or who makes the best representation of a NY pizza, regardless of where you live. Those that have visited/lived in NYC know that there are probably tens of thousands of pizza joints, and they vary from amazing to downright disgusting. The important thing to remember is that you’re arguing over personal preference and taste.

As far as I’m concerned, Randy’s Pizza, a local chain, makes great NY-Style pizza. The slices are huge (as you can tell from the picture), and the crust is thin without being cracker-thin. The edges can have a bit of chew to them, but I’ve come to expect that from NY-Style pizza, so I’m OK with it. As most places in NY do, they make a lot of cheese pizzas and then top your slice with your preferred toppings and re-heat it in the ovens when you order it (this helps to keep costs low, so I can appreciate that).

Randy’s will make a custom pie to order, and at around $12 (with coupon), you really can’t go wrong. But, the best value on the menu is their combo #1: two one-topping slices and a 22oz drink for $6.26 (plus tax); you can’t beat that with a Yankee-Autographed Bat! Be warned, the restaurant can be a bit overcrowded during the lunch time rush hours, but that just means that you get fresh pizza.

Grade:

Taste: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Would I eat it again? In a New York Minute!

Randy’s Pizza
Various locations
Randy’s Pizza RTP and Randy’s Pizza

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese

I’ve been out of the “game” for a bit, so I thought I’d come back with something bold: a grilled cheese sandwich that tastes like a jalapeño popper. I’m sure most of you have ordered jalapeño poppers at a restaurant, or bought some frozen version that you can bake/fry at home, so the flavors and textures should be familiar. Most poppers are cheddar and/or cream cheese-filled jalapeños that are then breaded and baked/fried, some of them even have bacon. I decided to roast the peppers before placing them in the sandwich because I thought the crunch of the bread would be more than enough crunch for the sandwich. To roast the peppers, just toss them in some olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and roast them in the oven (400 degrees for 30 minutes, turning as necessary). You can then peel, seed, and slice them.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 plus 7-8 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: Feel free to add some bacon, if you wish.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter (melted)
Cream cheese (just enough to smear on one piece of bread)
2 Slices Cheddar cheese
2 Jalapeño peppers, roasted and cut into strips
2 Slices Sourdough bread (or your favorite type of bread)

Procedure:

Build the sandwich by smearing the cream cheese on one piece of bread, place the jalapeño slices over the cream cheese, then cover with the cheddar and top it with the other slice of bread. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat the skillet with some of the melted butter, then place the sandwich in the skillet. You can place a weight over the sandwich if you’d like (a brick, panini press, or a heavy skillet will work), but this is optional. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip once the bread is toasted to your liking, about another 3-4 minutes (just butter the skillet right before flipping).

Cut in half and enjoy!