Yummy Recipe Wendesday! (Grilled Kimcheese Ramen Sandwich)

Hello fellow foodies and welcome to another Yummy Recipe Wednesday.  Today I bring you a recipe that’s probably not going to appeal to just anyone but if you have an adventurous side with food I definitely recommend you give this a try.  Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of recipes using Kimchi and Cheese together and it really is a delicious combination that you wouldn’t think would work together.  Ramen and Grilled Cheese are also a couple of my favorite foods to make when I just want something quick to eat without spending a lot of time in the kitchen so when I found this recipe, I knew right away that I was going to like it.  Most of the time when I eat the cheap Chicken Ramen from the local grocery store, I end up using about half the water and adding a couple slices of American cheese at the end for Cheesy Chicken Ramen so I figured this was going to be awesome, especially with the addition of the Kimchi, and I was not disappointed.  On that note, I do recommend a good quality Ramen for this recipe.  If you have an Asian market in your area – we have several around here – you can find the good stuff there; it’s nearly as cheap as the grocery store Ramen but the flavor is much better.  Even if you’re not a fan of Ramen made the regular way, give this recipe a try and you just might be surprised at how good it actually is.  If you are totally and absolutely against the Ramen in general, omit the Ramen from the recipe and you still have an awesome Grilled Kimcheese Sandwich.  As always, feel free to leave comments below and be sure to follow @RecipeBlogger on Twitter, if you aren’t already, so you don’t miss a single new post.

Grilled Kimcheese Ramen Sandwich

• 1 pkg Ramen Noodles, any flavor
• 1 Ramen Seasoning Packet
• 1 cup Kimchi, chopped and squeezed
• 1 Tbsp Butter, plus more for the bread slices
• 4 slices bread, any kind
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; split

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat.

2. Drop the ramen noodles in the boiling water and cook until they are soft, about 4-5 minutes; drain the ramen noodles, add the seasoning packet, toss to combine and set aside.

3. Butter one slice of bread on both sides and set aside; heat one tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat until completely melted.

4. Lay the slice of buttered bread in the skillet and top with ½ cup of the shredded cheddar cheese; cover the skillet with a lid and let the cheese melt almost entirely, about 2 minutes.

5. Remove the lid and top the melted cheese with half of the ramen noodles and about ½ cup of the kimchi (may require less depending on the size of your bread); re-cover for about 1 more minute.

6. Butter both sides of the second slice of bread and place it on top of the kimchi, pressing down gently; carefully flip your sandwich over and continue to cook, uncovered, until the bread is golden brown.

7. Repeat steps 1-6 for your second grilled cheese sandwich. Enjoy!

Yummy Recipe Wednesday! (Ultimate Mac & Cheese Casserole)

Hello again everyone and welcome to another Yummy Recipe Wednesday.  I know everyone missed these posts so let’s get right to it.  Today’s recipe popped up on my Twitter last night from Food Network so of course I had to give it a try.  I had to run out to the store to grab a few things I didn’t have but it was definitely worth it.  If you can’t find orecchiette pasta I’m sure shells would work for this just as well.  This is easily the best Mac & Cheese that’s I’ve ever had, at least as far as I can remember anyway.  The Gruyere and Sharp cheese make this dish so flavorful and so cheesy and the bacon is an added bonus because everything tastes better with bacon.  Other than the flavor, I love that this recipe is “for two”.  It’s perfect for just my wife and me with some nice vegetables on the side.   I highly recommend that you give this a try for yourself and don’t just take my word for how wonderful it is.  As always, feel free to leave comments below and be sure to follow @RecipeBlogger on Twitter if you aren’t already so you don’t miss any new posts.

Ultimate Mac & Cheese Casserole

• 2 cups Orecchiette Pasta
• 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tbsp Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 cup Shredded Gruyère Cheese
• 1 cup Sharp White Cheddar Cheese
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 8 slices Crispy Bacon, finely chopped

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente then drain off excess water; you’ll want it to still have a bite to it because it will finish cooking in the oven.

3. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet.

4. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes while whisking vigorously so it doesn’t burn; continue to whisk as you add the milk, then let the mixture gently come to a simmer and thicken, about 5 minutes.

5. Add the Gruyère and white cheddar cheeses to the skillet and stir together with a spatula until all of the cheese has melted; add salt and pepper, to taste, and remove the skillet from the heat.

6. Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and gently toss the pasta with the cheese sauce until everything is covered; sprinkle half of the bacon into the skillet and toss to incorporate.

7. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish; top with the remaining bacon pieces, and then place, uncovered, in the oven to bake for 30 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly and the pasta is cooked through.

8. After 30 minutes, remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.

New Recipes Coming

Hello again everyone.  After a super busy 2 1/2 month hiatus, I'm back and will begin posting recipes again tomorrow and hopefully every Wednesday for the foreseeable future.  I'm also working on ideas for a new feature on the blog.  I'm not sure if I'll bring back Gluten Free Fridays or if I'll try to come up with something else so stay tuned.  Be sure to follow @RecipeBlogger on Twitter if you aren't already so you can keep up to date on everything that happens here.