MAC N CHEESE

this is my version of macaroni and cheese.....but i don't use macaroni pasta....i use rotini.....I just love how its fluffier, lighter tasting.....i guess not so dense......I got this idea when my mother in law made her mac n cheese and used rotini noodles AND macaroni, I am not sure why she did that but I found myself picking out the rotini and eating it, now she makes a very good mac n cheese, its very light tasting, not heavy but I just was never a fan of the macaroni pasta......so I decided I wanted to only use rotini pasta ........So as I have said in other recipes....do what you like.....use what you like..it seriously doesn't change a whole lot......just the texture.....and also in the photos you may notice it looks more than what I am actually posting for the recipe.....I doubled it......had a crew eating and most of the time I have to double everything.......this recipe will be as one recipe, not doubled but if you double it....I double exactly all ingredients........one box versus two boxes of pasta....

1 box of rotini pasta noodles
3 eggs beaten
2 cups half and half
3 cups cheese (I use the mexican blend) I like mixed cheeses
1 stick of butter
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven 350....In a large stock pot  or dutch oven, Bring salted water to a boil and add pasta, in a 9 x 13 pan, cube butter into pieces and place in the bottom of the pan.

  beat eggs in a separate bowl and set aside.  when pasta is al dente..(almost done) drain and pour into pan over the butter and mix until butter is melted and fully incorporated with pasta. Add the beaten eggs and stir add cheese and half and half.....

salt and pepper stir one more time to make sure everything is coated,









 cover with foil and bake for 1 hour 15 to 30 min......serves hot and bubbly.

cole slaw with apples and pecans

Ingredients

1 head cabbage, shredded

4 carrots, shredded,

2 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Dressing:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or mild and creamy dijon

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 lemon, juiced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine the cabbage, carrots, apples, onion, and pecans in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands and set aside.

cabbage onion and pecan shredded

In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, sugar, mayonnaise, and lemon juice until blended.

Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss well to coat.

 Taste again for seasoning, refrigerate till ready to serve.

PIONEER WOMENS BEST BAKED BEANS EVER

8 slices bacon, halved
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
1/2 medium green pepper, cut into small dice
3 large cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup distilled or cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Fry bacon in large, deep sauté pan skillet until bacon has partially cooked and released about 1/4 cup drippings.

 Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels.

 Add onions and peppers to drippings in pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

 Add beans and remaining ingredients bring to a simmer. (If skillet is not large enough, add beans and heat to a simmer then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients).

 Pour flavored beans into a greased 13-by 9-inch (or similar size) ovenproof pan.
Top with bacon, ( totally forgot to take a pic of the bacon on top, just lay across the top of beans)  then bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.

 

Israeli Couscous with Apples and cranberries

 

Couscous:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups Israeli couscous (or barley or orzo)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 medium green apple, diced
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

This is Pearl couscous.....if you have never used it or tried it you should, its really good

 

For the couscous: In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the couscous and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned and aromatic, about 3 to 5 minutes.

 Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to12 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the cooked couscous to a large bowl and set aside to cool.

Chicken broth added

chicken broth absorbed with the couscous

 Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, apple, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and pecans.

chopped herbs

herbs added

apples and dried cranberries added

For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth.

 Pour the vinaigrette over the couscous and toss to coat evenly.

all mixed and ready to eat.......this is a very yummy dish.....great for the holidays

Broccoli Casserole

1 package of frozen broccoli
1 can of cream of celery soup
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese or cheese of your choice
1 small can of fried onions

bring the broccoli ALMOST to a boil but don't boil, drain well...in a small bowl mix the soup and milk together set aside.....in a casserole dish place a row of broccoli, cheese and fried onions, keep layering pour the soup mixture over the entire dish top with cheese

 .....bake in oven at 350 till cheese has melted.......top with fried onions and put back in the oven for about 5 minutes.....serve

I love me some broccoli casserole.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frozen Bag of corn redone

Have you ever been so tired and wanted a simple meal to fix? Or have you got your main course going and forgot to buy something for your sides......well here is a trick that will change up a plain old bag of frozen kernel's of corn.......My kids won't eat corn any other way coming out of bag.......A friend of mine told me how to do this, I thought, YOUR KIDDING!!!!! and the taste is A M A Z I N G!!!

1 bag of frozen kernel's of corn
1 stick of butter
salt and pepper to taste
garlic minced (optional)

Pour the frozen bag of corn in the skillet and simmer on Med, add the stick of butter and garlic, cover, simmer on medium, just for a few minutes.

 Stir the corn regularly..once the Butter is melted and mixed in well with the corn, add salt and pepper to taste and your done........the corn will look like  its been fried in the butter..serve with your favorite meals.......you will be a hit with everyone!!!!!

Yes this is some kinda good!!!!!

Cucumber and Red Onion salad

2 English Cucumbers
1 small red onion
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons dried dill or 2 tablespoon fresh

slice cucumber in thin rounds,  thinly slice onion
In colander toss the cucumber and onion with the salt and let it sit and drain for 20 min..press the excess liquid out of the vegetables and rinse well with cold water
In med bowl combine the vinegar and sugar and stir well add the cucumber mixture and toss to coat stir in the dill...

This is a tangy with a hint of sweet goodness......refrigerate before serving, the longer it sits the better it tastes.........Mmmmmm

Rosemary Bacon Potatoes

2 bags of honey gold potatoes (these are very small round potatoes)
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 stalks rosemary (leaves removed off stalk)
6 pieces of bacon


Preheat oven 350
rinse potatoes and pat dry....place in a bowl add olive oil, enough to coat all the potatoes, salt pepper to taste, rosemary....mix ingredients all over potatoes and pour into a baking pan...place the six slices of bacon over the potatoes...bake for 20 min

...check potatoes for tenderness.......if they need to bake a few minutes longer it should only be about 10 minutes....these potatoes cook fast due to the size of them

now we all know a little pork fat makes ANYTHING yummy.........oh bacon bacon bacon....you are my heart!!!!!

Bruschetta w/ Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto (recipe is posted under sauces)
Two Tomato's chopped
1 Onion sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 loaf of french bread or any other crusty loaf bread
2 Roasted red bell peppers (store bought or make your own)
1 container of garlic flavor feta cheese

In a skillet add olive oil to coat bottom of pan, slice onion into thin slices and add to pan, saute' until almost tender, add minced garlic and chopped tomato's, cover and turn on simmer.

Slice loaf in half down the center, if the loaf is long divide them up into fours, coat with olive oil on the cut side of bread and put on grill or grill pan and brown.

once the slices are toasted, remove from pan and spread each loaf with the basil pesto, add a few slices of roasted peppers add the feta and top with the onion tomato mixture....put a basil leaf on top and YOU ARE DONE!!!!

yummy!!!!!!!

how to roast a pepper....follow my pic......this is easy peasey

 lay the pepper directly on a gas stove burner...if you don't have gas put in a baking pan and put in oven for 15 to 30 min until black looking........(its OK if its black that's what you want...)
once the pepper or peppers are roasted, take off of burner put in a freezer baggy, seal up and wait about 5 min.....take out of bag and rub all the charred skin off.........BAM!!! roasted pepper...slice the pepper in half and remove the seeds and stem....now its ready to put on anything you want it to go on!!!