Pasta Niçoise

Using fresh lemon juice rather than the stuff in a bottle from concentrate really makes a difference. I will probably add capers next time, too. Made this for dinner on Tuesday.

1 lb (450 g) penne, curly macaroni or other tubular pasta
8 oz (225 g) green beans (haricots verts), trimmed and
cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
1 cups (250 ml) halved cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small cucumber, peeled if desired, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (60 ml) brine-cured olives, preferably pitted
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 Tbs (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs (45 ml) lemon juice
1-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 6 1/2-oz (185 g) can tuna, drained
2 hard-cooked eggs, quartered

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes. Add the green beans and continue cooking until the pasta is tender but still firm ("al dente") and the green beans are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold running water. Combine the pasta and green beans in a large bowl along with the tomatoes, onion, cucumber, olives, and parsley, tossing to combine. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and pour over the pasta mixture, tossing to combine. Garnish the top of the salad with the tuna and eggs and serve at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6.

Halloween 3-Cheese Baked Macaroni & Cheese

This is another good one for crowds. A big hit at my office potluck.

2 lbs elbow macaroni
1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter, divided 5 & 3 Tbsp
5 Tbsp flour (APF or whole wheat)
2 Tbsp ground mustard
1 Tbsp paprika
4-5 cups milk
1-2 bay leaves
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 lb medium yellow Cheddar cheese, grated
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese or American Neufchatel cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups breadcrumbs (from whole wheat bread, or Panko)
1 Tbsp dried parsley

In very large pot of salted water, boil macaroni according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and rinse with water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.

In large saucepan, melt 5 Tbsp butter. Whisk in flour to make a roux and cook for a few minutes. Add milk and incorporate with whisk - let roux absorb milk a little at a time until all milk is incorporated and you have a thick sauce. Whisk in ground mustard and paprika and add chopped onion and bay leaves. Allow to simmer on very low heat for about 5-10 mins.

Remove bay leaf, then add grated Cheddar cheese, stirring while it melts into the sauce.

Put macaroni into large baking dish (eg. deep glass casserole dish or oven-proof crockpot insert). Pour Cheddar sauce over macaroni, mix through and then stir in cream cheese/Neufchatel in pieces so it's evenly distributed, does not have to be totally mixed in. At this point you can allow to cool, cover and refrigerate until needed or continue on...

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt 3 tbsp butter in saute pan and add breadcrumbs. Toss to coat. Mix in Parmesan cheese and parsley then pour over macaroni. Pat down lightly, bake for 30 mins or until topping is slightly browned.