Have any good cheesy/starchy recipes?

[spinbaby]

I have a dear friend who's quite fond of the cheese and starch food group--mac & cheese, cheese biscuits, ect. Anyway, for her next birthday, I'm assembing a collection of cheesy starchy recipes for her. I have quite a stash of them (being quite fond of that food group myself) but am on the lookout for more. Any one have any to share?

To start, here's my mac & cheese recipe:

• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces cheese (mild cheddar)
• 1 slice of bread
• 2 teaspoons butter
• Non-stick cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Bring at least a quart of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add macaroni, boil for 20 minutes. Set a colander in the sink, and pour the contents of the pot in to it to drain the macaroni. Run some cool water on the macaroni and swish it around. Grate the cheese and set it aside. Put the pot back onto the stove on medium heat. Add the 1/4 cup butter. When it’s melted, add the flour and stir the butter-and-flour mixture until it’s bubbled and cooked for a minute, but not browned. Add the milk and the salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, giving it a good stir with the whisk every minute or so. You have to be careful at this point not to let the mixture stick to the bottom. When it comes to a boil and thickens a bit, take it off the heat and stir in the grated cheese and the macaroni. Spray a large casserole with non-stick cooking spray and put in the macaroni mixture. Reduce the bread to crumbs in a food processor. Melt the 2 teaspoons of butter in a pan over medium heat, add the bread crumbs, and cook, stirring constantly until they start to brown. Sprinkle the crumbs over the macaroni and cheese and bake the casserole in the oven for about half an hour until it bubbles and starts to brown at the edges.

[housewolf]

1. Here's one for you - Scalloped Potatoes

These are oh-so-delicious!



Scalloped Potatoes
The quickest way to slice the potatoes is in a food processor fitted with an 1/8-inch slicing blade. If the potatoes are too long to fit into the feed tube, halve them crosswise and put them in the feed tube cut-side down so that they sit on a flat surface. If the potato slices discolor as they sit, put them in a bowl and cover with the cream and chicken broth. If you like, use Parmesan instead of cheddar.

Serves 4 to 6
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion minced (about 1 cup)
2 medium cloves of garlic minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 bay leaves
4 ounces grated cheddar cheese shredded (1 cup)


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add potatoes, chicken broth, cream, and bay leaves and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of potato slice with some resistance), about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

3. Transfer mixture to 8-inch-square baking dish (or other 1 1/2-quart gratin dish); sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake until cream is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

[spinbaby]

4. Drool

Okay, I know what I'm making for dinner.

[Scout1071]

2. King Ranch Casserole

Seriously is the best casserole I've ever had. I bought some pre-made by Whole Foods last week that was to die for! I just googled the name King Ranch Casserole and came up with a ton of versions. You won't be disappointed.

[spinbaby]

6. I've never heard of it

But it looks good. I'll try it this week.

[skygazer]

3. How about a Baked Ziti?

2 lbs. dry ziti macaroni
1 T.Italian seasoning
2 T. olive oil
dash black pepper
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 lb. tub sour cream
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb. mild Italian sausage, casing removed
12 oz. sliced Provolone cheese
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
4 T. grated Parmesan cheese
2 (26 oz.) jars spaghetti sauce


Cook ziti according to package directions until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.

In a large skillet, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil; add crumbled sausage and ground beef or turkey. Brown. Add spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning and pepper and simmer 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 15x10x2 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and layer as follows: ½ of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, ½ of the sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven or until cheeses are melted.



NOTES: This recipe makes a huge batch – it can be easily cut in half. I use Prego Mushroom and Ripe Olive spaghetti sauce when I make it but you can use any type you like.

[spinbaby]

5. Thanks

I make something similar without the meat but with lots of mushrooms.