Question for cooks

[Parrothead]

I was watching "Bones" (the one with the glowing skeleton), and the victim was a chef whose specialty was mac and cheese that had leeks and pancetta in it.

My question is: do any of you know a recipe like that, or could you find one? (My Google-Fu is weak )

[AdminAssistant]

My question is: do any of you know a recipe like that, or could you find one? (My Google-Fu is weak )

Topeka it!

(Sorry.)

Might want to try Food Network.com?

[AccountingDrone]

I was watching "Bones" (the one with the glowing skeleton), and the victim was a chef whose specialty was mac and cheese that had leeks and pancetta in it.

My question is: do any of you know a recipe like that, or could you find one? (My Google-Fu is weak )

Actually any mac n cheese recipe can be bashed into that, I would go to a deli that has pancetta, and buy about 8 os, and ask them to cut it as thick as the slicer goes. When you get it home, cut the slices into even dice. Take the leeks, and cut only the white part into discs about the same thickness as the diced pancetta, and put them into a collander in the sink. Sort of rub them in your hands separating the layers of leeks and washing out any sand. Put a bare tsp of olive oil in a skillet and gently saute the pancetta and leeks together until the leeks go translucent. Then stir the resulting mixture into the bechamel you use to make the cheese sauce for the mac n cheese, and proceed as normal for the recipe.

Let me hit google for a good mac n cheese recipe =)

This one is fairly close to what I use when I am in the mood. The cottage cheese can be subbed with ricotta. Other people swear by the Alton Brown recipe, which is also quite good. I would say in a pinch to bookmark Alton Brown, almost everything of his turns out nice=)

[42_42_42]

One of the great things about mac 'n cheese is that it can be "upgraded" by simply adding extra stuff and/or using different cheeses.

One of my fav's is my ham & cheese macaroni casserole. I just add diced cooked ham to your basic mac 'n cheese, a can of diced tomatoes (drained), and a pkg of froz mixed veg (thawed, abt 2 cups). Yum!

[Jester]

This one is fairly close to what I use when I am in the mood. The cottage cheese can be subbed with ricotta.

I dunno, I would be leery of any mac & cheese recipe that calls for cottage cheese or ricotta. But especially cottage cheese, as it belongs nowhere near mac & cheese.

[AccountingDrone]

I dunno, I would be leery of any mac & cheese recipe that calls for cottage cheese or ricotta. But especially cottage cheese, as it belongs nowhere near mac & cheese.

Don't knock it until you try it ... Would it be more gourmet palatable if I said to make quark and drain it until it is frischkaese? Add paneer? Ricotta?

Look, it adds to the protein content, and is reasonably low in fat. Added protein makes it more longterm filling sensation thanks to the time it takes to digest proteins. There is nothing wrong with blending cheeses in a dish. I am not a food snob, and will call something variously frischkaese, cottage cheese, ricotta, paneer as I feel, since they are rough equivalents. I can modify cottage cheese to taste just like cream cheese and give it to you in a cheesecake or danish and you would never know.

[crazylegs]

[Wholly off topic]

When I first saw the title I thought it read "Question for crooks".

I didn't think we had all that many members who fitted into that category!

[/Wholly off topic]

[Food Lady]

[Wholly off topic] When I first saw the title I thought it read "Question for crooks". I didn't think we had all that many members who fitted into that category! [/Wholly off topic]

LOL my brain totally does stuff like that, too. How many head injuries have you had?

[BlaqueKatt]

I am not a food snob, and will call something variously frischkaese, cottage cheese, ricotta, paneer as I feel, since they are rough equivalents. I can modify cottage cheese to taste just like cream cheese and give it to you in a cheesecake or danish and you would never know.

I had never thought of that-I've used cottage cheese in place of ricotta or mixed the two-but I never thought of using it in place of cream cheese.....wonder how that would work in my choc-chip cookie recipe which calls for 8 oz of cream cheese to be creamed with the butter/margarine.....(makes it an almost cake-like texture-spongy, and they don't get hard-take a bit longer to cook though)