Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese – An Adult Take on a Childhood Classic

On February 3, 2021February 3, 2021 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Recipes7 Comments

We love lobster and we love cheese, so having lobster mac ‘n’ cheese was an obvious choice for us to make. We have had it served in different restaurants during our travels, including during our visit to the England. It is easy to make, but with most meals, the fresher the ingredients, the better. In today’s global world, it is possible to get many things delivered overnight and that is true for getting fresh lobster as well. Despite the simplicity of the dish, it is certainly something that can be served for a more formal meal. You can cook it in a baking dish, but we chose to bake it individual bowls to make serving it that much easier. Not only was it super delicious that night for dinner, it was just as wonderful as leftovers the following day.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Cooked Lobster Meat – cut into bite size chunks
2/3 lb Elbow Macaroni – cooked slightly al dente and drained
22 oz Heavy Cream
8 oz Milk
6 tbsp Unsalted Butter
8 oz Gruyere Cheese – shredded
6 oz Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese – shredded
2/3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/3 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/3 tsp Nutmeg – grated
1 cup Panko or Bread Crumbs
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, add the flour and whisk to create a roux. Heat the cream and milk in a microwave until hot, but not to a boil. Slowly add the cream and milk while continuing to whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and add the gruyere and cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the macaroni and lobster until everything is evenly coded in the cheese sauce. Add to oven-safe, individual bowls that have been sprayed with cooking spray for easier cleanup (or baking dish). Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and mix with the panko. Evenly cover each of the bowls with the panko mix and then place them in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the panko is evenly browned.

Digging In to the Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Some of Our Favorite Family Recipes

On October 7, 2020October 7, 2020 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn RecipesLeave a comment

For whatever reason, most of our traditional family recipes seem to be ones that we make during the autumn and winter seasons. They tend to be meals that we create in large batches and either enjoy the leftovers the next day or freeze to have at a later date. Most of these were handed down from family member to family member by example and not written down. Cooking is one of those things that definitely can bring a family together, regardless of where you live or where you are from. It is probably one of the reasons why we enjoy eating traditional meals when we travel to places, because the food will also give you a sense of the people. Here are a few of our family’s recipes that we’ve posted over the past few years.

Meat Lasagna – We certainly enjoyed having lasagna in Rome and Florence, but our homemade lasagna is still one of our favorite meals. We also tend to make our own garlic toast to go along with it as we really like that combination. We always make a large batch so that we can have plenty of leftovers.

Red Chili – You will find many different varieties of chili as you travel throughout the southwest. From green chili to red chili, with or without meat, spicy or not spicy, they are all usually interesting and have plenty of flavor. Our version combines kidney beans and chili beans to create a very hearty meal.

Pumpkin Cookies – We bake these cookies every year in October or November and it is a way to welcome the change in the seasons. We typically make a couple dozen and then share them with our friends, who always look forward to them as well. It is a simple recipe, but the cookies are moist and delicious.

Egg and Hash Brown Potato Skillet – That isn’t the actual name of it, but egg slop doesn’t quite describe the dish. What makes this unique is the sauce that we make from chili powder and other seasonings. We have always had it for dinner, but it would make for a good weekend breakfast as well.

French Stew – This is an inexpensive meal that combines fresh ingredients in a simple way to make a “stewp”. Similar dishes can be found in the countryside’s of many different countries and is typically considered to be a hunter’s stew. A hunter stew is usually made from meat, potatoes, and vegetables, whatever happens to be available at the time.

Baked Salmon Filets with Farro

On August 26, 2020August 26, 2020 By Living The Q Life Travel AdventuresIn Recipes1 Comment

One of the ingredients that you will sometimes find in Tuscan cooking is a grain called farro. We had found a recipe that paired it with salmon and decided to make our own twist on it. Salmon is something that we cook quite often because it is very versatile and has wonderful flavor that can stand up to a variety of styles and preparations. We decided to bake the salmon with the farro and it turned out moist and was quite delicious. We found it nice for a weekend meal since it has several steps to prepare, but it could be done on a weeknight. This recipe serves two, but obviously it is perfect for larger groups as well.

INGREDIENTS

16 oz Salmon Filet – cut in half lengthwise and skin removed
1 cup Farro
1 small bunch Mustard Greens
2 tbsp Capers
1 small Shallot – finely chopped
1 clove Garlic – thinly sliced
1/4 cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp Quality Honey
1/2 cup Olive Oil
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl, combine the shallot, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of the honey, and olive oil. Whisk until thoroughly mixed to make a vinaigrette. Place the farro in a medium sauce pan with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until all of the water is absorbed, between 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the farro to a baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray and stir in 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in skillet over medium-high heat and add the capers and cook for about a minute. Remove the capers using a slotted spoon and place on paper towel to dry. Add the garlic to the oil and heat for about another minute to let it fragrance the oil and then add the mustard greens and cook for another couple of minutes. Add a 1/4 cup of water as well as salt and pepper and cook until the greens are completely wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Mix the greens in with the farro. Coat the salmon on both sides with the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the salmon on top of the farro mixture and bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the salmon is flakey. Remove from the oven, drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette, sprinkle with the capers, and serve.