Linda's Mac & Cheese

Recipes/Baked Mac & Cheese.md

@@ -1,12 +1,64 @@
 ---
-description: Classic American baked Mac & Cheese
+description: Classic baked Mac & Cheese
 tags: main-dish, soup-stew-casserole, friday-friendly
 ingredients: pasta, cheese
 ---
+
 # Baked Mac & Cheese
 
+The best way to make mac & cheese. Stovetop mac & cheese is tasty, but pales in comparison. I have 2 versions: the one you should make, and the one you shouldn't. 
+
+---
+
+# Linda's Mac & Cheese
+
+My favorite mac & cheese. Fancy cheeses you have to shred blend? Scaled milk? Mustard or other emulsifiers? Nope. Humble, home-made mac & cheese, without any of the fussiness that other great recipes call for. The only "fancy" ingredients are the Gruyère Spanish smoked paprika, and those really make the dish. Pre-shredded bagged "Mexican" cheese blend is fine. Pre-seasoned breadcrumbs are great. My basic bachelor version is, in some ways, more difficult! 
+
+## Ingredients:
+
+* 1 lbs. large elbow noodles
+* 4 tbsp. butter
+* 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
+* 2 cups milk
+* 8 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded
+* 1 lbs of shredded mexican blend or cheddar cheese
+* 1 tsp. black pepper
+* 2 tsbp. Spanish smoked paprika
+* kosher salt to taste
+
+**Topping**
+
+* 2 cups seasoned panko bread crumbs
+* 2 tbsp butter
+* 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (don't waste Parmegiano Reggiano here)
+
+## Directions:
+
+1. Add of water to small stock pot. Add kosher salt. Put on high heat covered.
+2. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
+3. Melt butter in large stock pot. Add flour and stir to combine into a roux. Cook until the raw flour taste is gone.
+4. Add milk to roux and whisk briskly until combined. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat. 
+5. Add most of the cheese one handful at a time, waiting for each addition to melt completely before adding the next. Reserve some for top.
+6. Add paprika and black pepper to sauce. Taste. Add salt or more spices if needed. 
+7. Add pasta to boiling water. Boil for half the time the box tells you to, or taste until the noodles are soft on the outside, but still stiff and a little crunchy inside. (you want it very undercooked)
+8. Drain pasta. Add directly to sauce, and combine thoroughly.
+9. Move half the pasta and sauce mixture to baking dish. Sprinkle half of the remaining cheese. Add the rest of the pasta, and the rest of the remaining cheese.
+10. Add 2 tbsp butter to the microwave for 15-30 seconds, until just melted.
+11. Mix breadcrumbs and parmesan with melted butter.
+12. Add breadcrumb topping on top. Cover with foil.
+13. Cook at 350F for 20-30 minutes, until cheese is all melted and everything looks cohesive.
+14. Remove the foil. Broil on high for 1-2 monutes until brown.
+
+---
+
+# Basic Bachelor Chow
+
+I made this recipe as a simplified Mac & Cheese for a Catholic young adult men's group in the early 2000s to teach a bunch of young bachelors how to cook, and how to use that as a tool to not be a bachelor. I demonstrated all the skills in this, printed recipe cards. This does not have a seasoned bread crumb topping, which would be the easiest addition to improve it, nore does it have a nice blend of cheeses to add complexity.
+
 [Recipe card - printable PDF](https://traas.org/downloads/recipes/mac_and_cheese_recipe.pdf)
 
+But seriously... don't make this version. This is here for archival purposes early. Make the one above.
+
 ## Hardware:
 * 2+ gallon stock pot
 * 3+ qt. saucier or sauce pot.

Recipes/Cream Cheese Frosting.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 description: My daughter's recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting. 
 tags: dessert
 ingredients: cream cheese, butter
-hero_image: cinnamon_rolls.jpg
+hero_image: cinnamon_rolls_frosted.jpg
 ---
 
 # Cream Cheese Frosting
@@ -25,3 +25,8 @@ The way my daughter, Miriam, makes Cream Cheese frosting. Great on cinnamon roll
 3. With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Taste as you go for desired level of sweetness.
 4. Optional: add milk to thin it out if it needs it.
 
+--- 
+
+## Notes
+
+- I like to make-ahead when I make [Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls](./Sourdough/Cinnamon%20Rolls.html), which is an overnight ferment, then an overnight proof once formed. I store in the fridge in a disposable piping bag.

Recipes/Sourdough/Cinnamon Rolls.md

@@ -2,13 +2,18 @@
 description: Yeasty and soft cinnamon rolls.
 tags: sourdough, dessert
 ingredients: flour, sourdough-starter
+hero_image: cinnamon_rolls.jpg
 ---
 
 # Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
 
 Adapted from my [Sourdough Hawaiian Rolls](./Sourdough%20Hawaiian%20Rolls.html) recipe. 
 
-Work in progress - directions not correct.
+Basically, if you take the dinner roll dough, used entirely whole milk instead of pineapple juice, it's the perfect dough for cinnamon rolls. 
+
+I am still working on the amounts for the filling. I under-filled on my first attempt. It was very, very good, but could have used more cinnamon sugar.
+
+I like to top with [Miriam's Cream Cheese Frosting](../Cream%20Cheese%20Frosting.html)
 
 ## Ingredients:
 
@@ -19,42 +24,41 @@ Work in progress - directions not correct.
 - 45g (1/4 cup) sugar
 - 100g sourdough starter or discard
 - 15g / 1 tsp salt
-- 1 egg1
+- 1 egg
 - 2 tbsp softened butter
+- 2 tsp vanilla extract
 
 **Filling**
 
 - Butter
 - sugar
 - cinnamon
 
-**Topping**
-
-- Cream cheese
-- Sugar
-
 ## Hardware:
 
 - large mixing bowl
 - bench scraper
 - wooden spoon or dough whisk
-- 2x loaf pans or larger baking dish
+- 8x8 square baking pan
 
 ## Directions:
 
-1. In mixing bowl,  milk, sugar, eggs, and sourdough starter together. Let mixture sit on counter for 15-30 minutes.
-2. Add 1 cup of flour and stir to combine into a wet dough, about 1 minute. Add additional flour, mixing well after each addition until the dough comes together into a rough dough. This may take 2 cups, or it may take 3+. Stir until all the flour is incorporated, and the dough is only slightly sticky. When the dough starts to come together, kneed in butter
+1. In mixing bowl, milk, sugar, eggs, and sourdough starter together. Let mixture sit on counter for 30-60 minutes minutes.
+2. Add 1-2 cups of flour and stir to combine into a wet dough, about 1 minute. Add additional flour, mixing well after each addition until the dough comes together into a rough dough. This may take 2 cups, or it may take 3+. Stir until all the flour is incorporated, and the dough is only slightly sticky. When the dough starts to come together, knead in butter.
 3. Cover, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
 4. Knead for 5-10 minutes on a well-floured work surface. Add more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
 5. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
 6. Add salt, and knead on well floured work surface for 5-10 minutes. Add more flour as needed. Dough should not be sticky.
 7. Let dough rise until doubled. If you're using discard, this will probably take a while. If you're using ripe starter, this can be done overnight in the fridge, or 1-3 hours at room temperature.
-8. Prepare pan by spraying with baking spray, and optionally making a parchment sling for easy removal.
-9. Punch down, transfer to well floured surface. Divide into 16-32 portions. 
-10. Roll each portion into a tight ball. Roll in melted coconut oil or butter, and put in the pan. All the rolls should be touching.
-11. Optionally, sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds.
-12. Sit at room temperature to rise until doubled.
-13. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
-14. Put pan in oven for 25 minutes. Check for doneness (should be 200°F). Cook longer if needed.
-15. Remove from pan, and cool on wire rack for at least a 15 minutes before serving. 
+8. Punch down, transfer to well floured surface. Roll flat into a 2:1 rectangle.
+9. Spread softened butter on the dough, leaving the last 2 inches on the long side unbuttered. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixutre evenly.
+10. From the long end that got the butter/sugar into a tight roll. Pinch the end.
+11. Divide evenly into 9 pieces with a sharp, thin knife. Easiest way is to divide in thirds, then each piece in thirds.
+12. Place in greased pan 3x3. They should be just barely touching.
+13. Cover with plastic wrap, and put pan in the fridge for 24-48 hours.
+14. The morning you are baking them, take them out of the fridge 3-5 hours early.
+15. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
+16. Put pan in oven for 20-25 minutes. Check for doneness (should be 200°F). Cook longer if needed.
+17. Let pan cool on wire rack for 15-20 minutes.
+18. If you're not a monster, pipe on [Cream Cheese Frosting](../Cream%20Cheese%20Frosting.html) and serve.
 

Recipes/Untested/Chicago Deep Dish.md

@@ -71,5 +71,5 @@
   * Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
   * Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
 
-[](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2uGmk0kYC4)
+[](http://www.madeinmykitchen.com/2012/06/chicago-deep-dish-pizza.html)