Mac & Cheese with Fontina

Ingredients:
1 lb. small or medium pasta shells
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz. Fontina cheese, shredded
Salt
Pinch of grated nutmeg
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions just until 1-2 minutes shy of al dente.
Meanwhile, dice 4 tablespoons of the butter and place in a large mixing bowl. Warm the cream in a small saucepan or the microwave. Cover to keep warm.
Once the pasta is cooked, add to the bowl with the butter and toss to coat well. Stir in the warm cream and the Fontina until the cheese starts to melt. Mix in salt to taste, and add the nutmeg.
Pour the mixture into a buttered 2-quart casserole dish. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Mix in the panko breadcrumbs and shredded Parmesan. Toss with a fork to coat evenly with the butter. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the pasta in the baking dish.
Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping turns golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

PW Fried Mozzerella Sticks

Ingredients:
16 pieces String Cheese, Removed From Wrappers
½ cups All-purpose Flour
2 whole Eggs
3 Tablespoons Milk
2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs (I Used Kikkomans)
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley Flakes
Canola Oil, For Frying
Marinara Sauce, For Dipping

Directions:
Slice string cheese pieces in half, for a total of 32 pieces.
Place flour in a small bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk.
In another separate bowl, combine panko bread crumbs with parsley flakes.
TO ASSEMBLE: One by one, roll mozzarella sticks in flour, then dunk in egg/milk mixture, then place in panko crumbs. Use your hand to sweep crumbs all over the mozzarella stick. Gently remove and place on a tray or cookie sheet. Repeat until all mozzarella sticks are coated.
***Place tray in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to flash freeze.***
TO COOK: Heat 1 1/2 inches canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add mozzarella sticks 8 at a time. Watch closely and turn over to evenly brown, cooking less than 2 minutes. Do not allow cheese to bubble and leak.
Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
Serve immediately with warm marinara sauce.

Spicy Shrimp Cakes with Corn and Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:
Cakes:
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided

Salsa:
2 ears of fresh corn, roasted and cut from the cob
1 diced peeled avocado
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
To prepare cakes, cook shrimp (salted and peppered) in a skillet sprayed with Pam until pink, place shrimp in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic to pan; sauté for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Place bell pepper mixture in a large bowl. Add shrimp, green onions, and the next 6 ingredients (through egg), stirring well. Stir in cilantro and 1/4 cup panko. Divide shrimp mixture into 5 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Pat panko bread crumbs on each side of the cakes while holding in your hand. The mixture is too loose to dredge. Chill at least one hour (I chilled them overnight).

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 3 cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Be careful will flipping the cakes. They crumble easily. Press down on the cakes with the back of the spatula a couple of times before flipping.

Remove from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining cakes.
To prepare salsa, combine corn and remaining ingredients, except for the avocado; stir gently. Add the avocado and toss very gently. Serve immediately with shrimp cakes.