RECIPE: Potato Au Gratin

Potatoes and cheese are a match made in heaven, so combine gooey cheese with layers of potato and you know this recipe will be delish!

STEP ONE:
Assemble the ingredients

-Russet Potatoes (anything you have on hand will work too)

- Béchamel Cheese Sauce 

(recipe found in my Mac n Cheese recipe!)

-Parmesan Cheese

-optional: spinach and/or caramelized onions

STEP TWO:
Use a mandoline to slice all the potatoes to a medium thickness- if you do not have a mandolin (get one), or try your very best to slice the potatoes as thin and evenly as possible
TIP: Mandolines are so so handy and it definitely is an essential in the kitchen. Make slicing any vegetable evenly super easy and fast!

STEP THREE:
Layer the ingredients in individual sized ramekins- this would be the time to layer in spinach or caramelized onions! Be creative!

STEP FOUR:
Bake in the oven at 425 for 30 minutes
If not golden brown, broil for 3-5 minutes

FOOD FACTS: Foods That Help You Sleep

We all go through it, some sort of insomnia that keeps us up way past bedtime and making mornings that much harder. I also find it very interesting that most of these foods are breakfast items- makes sense why you might be tired all day! So check out these 5 foods that will help you get a better nights sleep!

1. Cherries. Fresh and dried cherries are one of the only natural food sources of melatonin, the chemical that controls the body's internal clock to regulate sleep. Researchers who tested tart cherries and found high levels of melatonin recommend eating them an hour before bedtime or before a trip when you want to sleep on the plane.

2. Bananas. Potassium and magnesium are natural muscle relaxants, and bananas are a good source of both. They also contain the amino acid L-tryptophan, which gets converted to 5-HTP in the brain. The 5-HTP in turn is converted to serotonin (a relaxing neurotransmitter) and melatonin.

3. Toast. Carbohydrate-rich foods trigger insulin production, which induces sleep by speeding up the release of tryptophan and serotonin, two brain chemicals that relax you and send you to sleep..

4. Oatmeal. Like toast, a bowl of oatmeal triggers a rise in blood sugar, which in turn triggers insulin production and the release of sleep-inducing brain chemicals. Oats are also rich in melatonin, which many people take as a sleep aid..

5. Warm milk. Like bananas, milk contains the amino acid L-tryptophan, which turns to 5-HTP and releases relaxing serotonin. It's also high in calcium, which promotes sleep.

Found on health.yahoo.net/caring/5-foods-that-help-you-sleep/

Romantic Dinner for Two: Penne Alla Vodka

So you have that special someone who you want to shower with love and romance on Valentines day but you check your wallet and that just cancels out all the over-the-top romantic ideas you had set out for that night. Not to mention romantic restaurants on V-day have set menus that are way way out of many of our price ranges! So whats the perfect solution? Make dinner yourself! Way more romantic because you actually put effort into the dinner and much much easier on the wallet! So lets get started!

STEP ONE:
Assemble the Ingredients!

1 pack Penne Pasta

1 jar Trader Joe's 4 Cheese Pasta Sauce

3 Shots Vodka 

1/4 Onion chopped

1/4 c. Milk (or cream)

Cilantro or Basil

Garlic Powder

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

 Oregano 

Salt, Pepper 

STEP TWO: 

Saute the onion and spices until translucent, then add the pasta sauce (you can skip the garlic... I mean it's valentines day afterall)

 

STEP THREE:
Add the Parmesan, Herbs, and Vodka and cook for 10 minutes until the alcohol in the vodka evaporates

 


STEP FOUR:
Add the Cream


STEP FIVE:
Set up a very romantic setting and enjoy a wonderful candle lit dinner with your special someone with a delicious but oh so easy pasta recipe!

Two Servings For One: Mac n Cheese

So the day has come, the one day of 365 that singles hate the most.. Valentines Day!
But don't worry single people, the number one comfort food is here to help. Who needs a valentine when you can cuddle up with a double serving of Mac N Cheese?

STEP ONE:
Assemble the ingredients! (For this recipe, measurements are important so I will include them!)

1 Pack Penne Pasta

3ish cups Cheese (any cheese you like)

3 tbs All Purpose Flour

3 tbs Unsalted Butter

3 cups Milk

Garlic Powder

Nutmeg

Salt/Pepper

STEP TWO:

Make a Roux! To make a roux, its equal parts butter and flour! 

First add in the flour and cook it out for around one minute to get rid of the flour-y taste. Once you start smelling a hint of nuttiness, thats when you know whisk in the butter until smooth.

STEP THREE:
Whisk in the milk- this part is important so pay attention:
Make sure the milk is not too hot so keep the pot on med-low or the milk will curdle. yuck.
Also, whisk it in until there are no lumps left and keep cooking for around 7 minutes
You dont want it too thick because when you add the cheese it will definitely thicken up more

STEP FOUR:
Add in the cheese!! and once melted in completely, add in pepper, a TINY bit of salt (the cheese is salty enough) and garlic powder. Don't be afraid to add a lot of garlic.. I mean, you're single anyways...
So, What cheeses you ask? Pick melty cheeses: Asiago, Brie, Cheddar, Fontina, Gouda, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Muenster, Provolone, Swiss. (I used Gouda, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Jack)
SHRED YOUR OWN CHEESE!!! TRUST ME! 

TIP: add a ladle of pasta water to your sauce- the starch makes the sauce taste better and also helps it stick to the pasta! yumm! 

STEP 5
Add the pasta to the the sauce, coat thoroughly and then pour into a casserole dish and cover with extra cheese (parmesan) and put into the oven for 20-30 minutes on 425 degrees until browned and delicious
Add a little extra milk in the casserole dish because when it goes into the oven most of the liquid will evaporate and you dont want dry pasta

                                     

STEP SIX:

Get on your couch, and snuggle up with this delicious mess

TIP: Heating a Pan

If you just want to learn one thing when it comes to cooking, this is number one!

DO NOT ADD ANYTHING INTO A COLD PAN

If you add your ingredients to a cold pan, they won't get a nice caramelization or golden brown color and will definitely not taste as delicious. 
(there are some exceptions to this rule, but if you want your food to caramelize, you want to hear the food sizzle on a hot pan, thats how you know its ready)

You can watch the oil and see when it goes from being thick and sort of sticky (when it is cold) to shimmering and very watery (when it is hot) so you will know exactly when the oil is hot enough.

ALSO: Preheat your skillet before drizzling in the oil. This makes meat or other foods less likely to stick.