Shrimp, Gruyere, and Feta Mac and Cheese

My recipe board on Pinterest is quite overwhelming upon first glance; enough so that I had to create new boards with subcategories for my recipes including pumpkin favorites, juicing, and bars and snacks...its pretty excessive I know. As I pin more and more recipes, they pile up waiting to be made and enjoyed over good company and conversation. So the other day, I vowed not to pin any more recipes, but to go through my board and pick a previously pinned recipe to conjure up one evening. The choices were of course endless, but I managed to hone in on a Shrimp, Feta, and herb Mac and Cheese from Annie's Eats..I think it had to do with a craving for comfort food to accompany the brisk, cool air. My husband even agreed to grated the cheese, which is a big feat for him! I ended up using store bought and seasoned shrimp (gasp!) which I think hindered the flavor of the mac and cheese in the end; so my suggestion is to just use the frozen shrimp and cook according to the recipe. I also forgot to buy lemons at the grocery so added a few squirts of lemon juice for added flavor. The dish oozed with creamy feta and sharp gruyere topped with herb infused panko bread crumbs; enough for left overs, YES! I should make recipes from my Pinterest board more often.....

Shrimp, Gruyere, and Feta Mac and Cheese

1 lb pasta shapes ( I used vegetable enriched rotini noodles)
1 lb raw shrimp, 31-40 count (again I used pre-seasoned and cooked shrimp which I would not recommend)
10 oz feta cheese (I used reduced fat)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp fresh parsley (I used 1 tbsp dried parsley)
5 tbsp butter, divided (yogurt butter would work just as well if trying to cut fat)
4 tbsp all purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 tbsp fresh dill (I omitted this from the recipe)
8 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
zest of lemon (I used a few shots of lemon juice instead)

1. Bring a large pot to a boil and cook pasta according to directions. Drain well and set aside; add raw shrimp to warm pasta
2. Pre-heat oven to 400 and grease 2 1/2 ct baking dish. In a small bowl combine lemon zest or juice, 2 tsp parsley, breadcrumbs, handful of feta and 1 tbsp of melted butter. Combine and set aside
3. In a medium sauce pan melt the remaining butter over medium heat until melted and whisk in flour until forms a paste and golden brown (about 1 minute while continuously whisking). Add milk and continue stirring intermittently until it forms a paste (about 5 minutes) or until bubbly and thick. Once thick, remove from heat and add remaining feta cheese, gruyere cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the sauce to the pasta and shrimp and stir well to combine.
4. Once combined pour into baking dish and top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbling. Allow to cool and serve!

Pumpkin and Spinach Risotto

The crisp fall air and turning of leaves gets me excited for none other than the pumpkin patch. This year my husband, friends, and I traveled to Lynd's Fruit Farm to join in the pumpkin festivities and walk through their market of home grown vegetables, home made jams, and freshly made peanut butter. In true me fashion, I could not decide on just one perfectly plump pumpkin and we ended up coming home with 7, making our grand total on our porch of 9 pumpkins.

To sustain the pumpkin theme for the day, I was inspired to create a pumpkin risotto and as I opened my fridge I made the last minute decision to throw in some spinach which added a nice punch of flavor and color to the plate. The sweet and savory flavors were boosted with the inclusion of garlic, shallots, and paprika along with pure maple syrup and nutmeg; making it a perfect fall dish for those cool nights.


The Recipe

1 heaping cup arborio rice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp yogurt butter
1 shallot
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp pure maple syrup
3 cups vegetable broth
3/4 c pumpkin puree
1 1/3 cup white cooking wine
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
dash of salt and pepper

1. Take 3/4 c pumpkin puree and mix in paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; set aside.
2. Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat and add shallots until translucent. Add minced garlic until fragrant.
3. Stir in rice until coated and cook for about 5 minutes or until rice begins to brown. Add in cooking wine and stir until absorbed.
4. After wine is absorbed, add vegetable broth 1/3 cup at a time and stir until. Continue process until all the vegetable broth is used and rice is cooked through; typically takes 20-25 minutes.
5. Once rice is finished, add pumpkin mixture, spinach, parmesan cheese, and pure maple syrup; mix thoroughly.