Fancy Mac! aka White Truffle, 4 cheese and shallot Mac and Cheese

My first Thanksgiving recipe entry this year! 

Sure to impress. A dish with class. Easy to make but doesn't taste like it!

Sorry, I gotta make this one short because I'm mid Thanksgiving feast

preparations but enjoy and let me know how yours comes out!

Ps...this recipe was made to serve a small army of about 15 so if you want

to make less just cut it in half. But trust me, everyone will want seconds, 

and thirds!

Oh and Pps...get your blender out!

Ingredients:

2 1/2lbs elbow or shell pasta

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter divided

3 shallots peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic chopped

1/2 c. flour

4 1/2 c. whole milk

2 8oz packs shredded 4 cheese

1 8oz pack sharp cheddar 

2 tsp salt

fresh cracked pepper to taste

4 Tbs. white truffle oil
fresh chopped parsley for garnish

First, boil the pasta to al dente, strain and set aside. Then, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the shallots and garlic to the butter and cook till soft. Slowly sprinkle the flour in while whisking at the same time on a low heat for about 1 minute. Now pour the mix into your blender along with all the milk, one pack cheddar, one pack 4 cheese, salt and pepper. Blend on medium for 30 seconds or till well mixed. Pour over cooked pasta and toss in an extra large dish. I used a foil turkey roasting pan. 

Bake at 375 in the middle rack for 20 minutes. Then sprinkle the remaining pack of cheese evenly over the top and bake for about another 15 minutes, checking to make sure the cheese doesn't burn. 

Remove from the oven and while still hot, drizzle the truffle oil over the top layer of melted cheese. Top with chopped parsley if desired(makes it extra pretty).

Now dig in!!! Happy Thanksgiving! More recipes to come! 

My Secret To Surviving the Holidays Without Packing on the Lbs!

As most of you know, I'm a foodie. Always have been and always will be. There's is virtually nothing on earth that can stop me from gobbling away the food I love or want to try. Not even the need to slim down. And with the holiday season hastily approaching, I needed to find a solution for beating the winter weight blues.

So how do I do it? How do I stay in shape AND eat what I want? Is it possible to have it all?

Well, for starters, yes! There is a way you can munch guilt free and still keep your figure. And if you do it right, you can even get slimmer!

Last month, out of curiosity, I bought the book 8 Hour Diet and it has absolutely changed my eating life. I know a lot of people will be skeptical but it's been working for me and I love it! I've been on the 8 Hour Diet now for a month and even with a 10 day trip to NYC(aka food city!) plus Halloween tricks and treats, I still have managed to drop 3 pounds. Here's the diet in a nut shell:

-You only eat within an 8 hour time period of the day.

Ex. from 12pm-8pm

-Squeeze in a quick 8 minute workout before your first meal.

-Fit 8 superfoods into your daily meals. Ex. lean meats, nuts, 

yogurt, leafy greens, whole grain bread,etc...but you are not

limited to these foods. You can also eat what you want too!

-No snacking once you're 8 hours is up!

And that's about it! Definitely pick up a copy of the book to learn the science behind how it works. The author, David Zinczenko, does a fabulous job of explaining everything in a very easy-to-comprehend way. He discusses all the studies and proof which really got me on board and I know it will do the same for you. It's the first diet that's ever made complete sense to me and is unbelievably easy to follow.

So go ahead, have that slice of apple pie with ice cream and don't feel bad about it. Obviously, if you're looking to lose some poundage, don't go on scarfing down buckets of fried chicken and gravy in your 8 hours. Be reasonable and responsible. Eat what makes you feel good and you will get the results you want. And trust me, after the first few days on schedule, you will get used to the fasting hours and not feel starved. Here's my usual day to day eating/exercise plan:

9am - Wake up, drink 2 cups of mint green tea.

11am - Walk dogs or jog up 20 flights of stairs.

12pm - light meal. Ex: 1 egg and cheese on whole

 grain toast or turkey sandwich w/lettuce, tomato and avocado.

1pm - Gym time! 45 swim, weights or abs.(3-4 days a week)

2:30pm - Big Lunch. Ex: Chipotle steak burrito fully 

loaded or quiche and salad.

3:30pm - Juice or smoothie

6:30pm - Dinner. Ex: Baked fish and veggies, whole-grain 

spaghetti and meatballs, lamb roast and mash or

sushi night out.

7:30pm - Dessert. Ex: 1 scoop ice cream with toppings, 

a candy bar, or a cupcake.

8pm- 16 hour fasting begins

Healthy Multi-grain Cracker Crusted Baked Cod

    Super easy and unbelievably quick to make! 

I used cod but feel free to go with any white fish you like. 

INGREDIENTS:

-6 medium sized 3/4 inch bone-free fillets of cod or any white fish

-1 1/2 c. multi-grain cracker crumbs (Think Ritz or Jacob's)

-1 Tbs. lemon pepper

-2 tsp. Old Bay spice or other seasoning salt

1 egg beaten

1 Tbs. water

olive oil to drizzle

I used a food processor to grind up the crackers but you can definitely crush them in a large zip lock if you don't own a food processor. Anyway, mix the cracker crumbs with the lemon pepper and spices and set aside. 

Add water to the beaten egg in a bowl to create an egg wash. Dip one side of each fish fillet in the egg wash and place egg side up onto a greased foiled baking sheet, evenly spaced.

Sprinkle cracker crumb mixture generously onto the tops of each fillet and gently pat the crumbs down. Then drizzle all fillets lightly with the olive oil.

Pop them into the oven at 350 for about 8-10 minutes, checking every few minutes throughout. Fillets should be slightly firm and crust should be golden brown and crunchy.

Serve with veggies and a lemon wedge and enjoy!