Macaroni and Cheese

 

                        Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

1 lb elbow macaroni

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. flour

4 c. milk

6 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 TB garlic salt

pepper to taste

2 TB butter

1/2 c. panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Boil pasta according to package directions. In large saucepan, melt 1/2 c butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste. Slowly pour in 4 cups milk, whisking until smooth. Heat to a low boil until thickened. Remove from heat.

Add hot pasta to a greased 9x13" baking dish. Sprinkle 6 cups shredded cheese over pasta. Pour the thickened cream sauce over the pasta and cheese. Let sit until the cheese has melted and stir together.

Melt 2 TB butter over medium heat. Add in bread crumbs, stirring constantly until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Pour over the mac and cheese.

Bake at 325 for 14-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Seafood Mac N Cheese Recipe

 

Ingredients :

For the seafood:

¾ lb. bay scallops

¾ lb. uncooked shrimp, de-veined and tails off

¾ teaspoon salt free Cajun seasoning

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¾ teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

For the sauce and pasta:

2-3 cups (8-12 oz) dried cavatappi pasta

⅓ cup unsalted butter

⅓ cup all purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

¾ cup half and half

¾ teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon salt free Cajun seasoning*

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

3/4 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese, divided

Directions :

In a bowl, combine the bay scallops, shrimp, and all seasonings. Toss well to combine.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil to coat. Add the seafood and cook until browned on both sides and no longer translucent, about 1.5-2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Start a large pot of water to boil, adding about 1 Tablespoon of Kosher salt. When the water is boiling, cook pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain. If the sauce is not prepared yet, coat the pasta with olive oil so it doesn’t stick together.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove top until very hot but not boiling.

In a heavy bottomed sauce pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in

the flour and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture turns a light brown color, about 3-4 minutes. Lower the heat.

Slowly start pouring in the milk, whisking constantly. The mixture will look very thick at first and will thin out as you whisk in the remainder of the milk.

Increase the heat back to medium and cook the mixture, whisking continuously, another 3-5 minutes or until thickened. The sauce should coat the back of the spoon. If you put a little bit on a spoon and run your finger through it, the line from your finger should remain.

Lower the heat back to low and stir in the seasonings: salt, Cajun, cayenne, and paprika. Taste and additional seasonings if desired.

Add all of the Monterey Jack cheese and 1/2 cup each of the cheddar and Pecorino, stirring to melt. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash or two of warm milk to thin it out.

Add the sauce and shrimp mixture to the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the cooked pasta. Test for creaminess. If it’s too saucy, stir in the remaining pasta.

Spoon the pasta into a deep dish pie plate or 9 x 9 inch square casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Serve.

Enjoy !!

MACARONI AND BEEF WITH CHEESE

 

Tried, tested and trusted. This recipe may be simple to make, but it boasts a divinely scintillating flavor that’ll leave your family gushing. Perfect recipe to whip up for dinner.

Mac, beef n’ cheese is one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever make, but is one that’s guaranteed to get your entire family asking for more. This meal is a crowd pleaser to say the least and is perfect for dinner or lunch.

Total preparation time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon canola oil
Salt
Black pepper (or any seasoning of your choice)
Chopped garlic,
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 can of whole tomatoes, pureed in the can with a hand blender
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 box macaroni
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Cooking Directions

STEP 1: Sauté the onions in the canola oil with a pinch of salt. Add the beef to the onions and cook with intermittent shake ups.
Step 2: As the beef cooks, add another pinch of salt, then add the black pepper, chopped garlic, fish sauce and pureed tomatoes. Allow to simmer under low heat for about an hour.
Step 3: Cook the macaroni in a different pot till it’s half done. Drain it and add to the simmering sauce. Stir well into the sauce, and then add adequate amount of salt and any seasoning of your choice. Cover and allow to cook till it’s done.
Step 4: When the pasta is done, allow it to cook so it absorbs the sauce. Afterwards, transfer to a large baking dish and cover with foil.
Step 5: Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven till for about 45 minutes. Take out from the oven, remove the foil and then cover the pasta with cheese till it looks beautiful
Step 6: Enjoy your bowl of delicious goodness

Nutrition Information:
Energy: 537 cal; Carbs: 48g; Protein: 30g; Fat: 24g; Cholesterol: 85mg; Vitamin A: 800IU

Variations
·Use chili powder instead of black pepper to more hotness.
·Mashed turkey or chicken can be used in place of beef

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPE

Ingredients :

3 cups elbow macaroni uncooked

1 ½ cups milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup Colby & Monterey Jack shredded (cheese blend)

6-8 oz Velveeta cheese shredded (feel free to cut back on the Velveeta if you don’t want it to be super creamy)

1 cup sharp cheddar shredded (can use less if you don’t like a sharp taste in your mac n cheese)

salt & pepper to taste

2 eggs

1 cup smoked cheddar cheese shredded (a must)

paprika optional

Directions :

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cook macaroni until just al dente or a little under al dente. (Look on the back of the box to see how long you need to cook your pasta for it to reach al dente.) Be careful not to overcook.

Drain pasta and set aside.

In a large bowl, add milk, heavy cream & cheeses (except for the smoked cheddar).

Stir to combine.

Taste the milk mixture and add salt & pepper until it has a good taste. (You can also add in other seasonings like onion powder, paprika, etc. Tasting will help avoid having a plain, bland baked macaroni & cheese.)

When you are content with the taste, add the eggs.

Stir well until combined.

Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.

Add macaroni to the baking dish.

Pour cheese mixture over macaroni.

Make sure the cheese is distributed well.

Top with the smoked cheddar cheese. (I add a little more Colby jack as well.) Sprinkle with paprika and/or black pepper, if desired.

Bake for 35-45 minutes. Do not overbake. It may be a bit jiggly when you take it out of the oven. It will firm up as it cool.

Let cool for about 10-15 minutes or until fully set.

Big Mac Salad

 

Ingredients :

• 1 lb ground beef (cooked and cooled)
• 1 bag of shredded lettuce
• 1/2 medium onion- diced
• 1/4 cup diced dill pickle (or more if you’re a pickle lover)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• 1/4 cup thousand island dressing

Instructions

Cook ground beef, drain and set aside to cool. Chop/dice/shred all ingredients and put in bowl. Add cooked ground beef.
Mix, add dressing, mix again and serve
(My family loves for me to leave the dressing on the side for everyone to do their own- I also put tomatoes on the side) The photos below show the recipe doubled.

HONEY GLAZE SWEET & SPICY FRIED CHICKEN AND BUTTERMILK MAC & CHEESE

 

Ingredients :

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 ½ tablespoon olive oil

Instructions :

Whisk honey, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes in a bowl.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat;. Pour honey mixture into skillet and continue to cook until the sauce is

thickened, about 5 minutes more.