BACON MAC AND CHEESE

Yummy! This homemade bacon mac and cheese is one of my favorite dinners! It is seriously full of flavor and quite easy to make considering it’s completely homemade. This is also really good to take to potluck and will surely impress your guests and kiddos. Enjoy….

Bacon Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 4 cups dry pasta
• 4 strips bacon
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 8oz cheddar cheese, grated
• 8oz gruyere cheese, grated
• Salt and Pepper to taste 

Topping:

• 1 cup cracker crumbs
• ½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• Reserved bacon pieces

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt generously.  Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package.

In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease and cook the onions on low until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour over medium heat.  Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.  Add in the milk and cream and ground mustard and stir until the mixture is very thick.  Reduce the heat to low and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fold in the pasta until it is all covered with the cheese sauce.

Butter a large baking dish and pour the pasta into the dish.  Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the pasta. Top with the cracker crumbs, then drizzle with the melted butter.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbly.  Chop the reserved bacon and sprinkle over the top before serving.

CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE

Who can ever get enough Macaroni & Cheese? This is the quintessential family-friendly meal. Our lives are busy now and it's sometimes difficult to have a quick meal or snack that satisfies and keeps you going! Instead of macaroni alone, add lots of cauliflower that is loaded with lots of vitamins and minerals. 

  

Indgrediants

 1 head cauliflower, trimmed and broken to bite-sized florets

1-1/4 cups elbow macaroni

Canola oil in a pump sprayer

2 cups low-fat (1%) milk

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. dry mustard powder

1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese

1 cup Alpine Lace® Deli Swiss Cheese cut into cubes

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Paprika for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower and cook just until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using a skimmer, transfer the cauliflower to a colander; leave water boiling. Drain well.  

Add the macaroni to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until it is almost tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray individual ramekins or a 9 x 13 baking dish with oil.

Pour the milk into a medium saucepan. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and mustard and whisk to dissolve the cornstarch. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking often to avoid scorching; the sauce will thicken when it comes to a boil. Remove from heat, add the cheeses and pepper, and whisk until smooth.

Add the cauliflower and macaroni and mix well. Spread in the baking dish or divide evenly into ramekins. Sprinkle with panko and paprika.

Bake until the sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

ENJOY

SUPREME CHICKEN PASTA

Turning a favorite pizza into a pasta bake is easy to do in minutes. Chicken, cheese, and pizza toppings is a favorite meal in our house. It's sure to become a favorite in yours.

Ingredients

16 ounces pasta, cooked al dente

2 cups grilled chicken, cubed

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup diced mushrooms

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 - 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

salt and pepper

oregano

Instructions

Place the onion, green pepper, mushrooms, garlic and butter in a skillet and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the chicken stock. Stir until the broth thickens slightly.

Whisk in the yogurt. Add 1 cup cheddar cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese and stir until melted. Stir in the cooked pasta, chicken, and can of tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the pasta into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with oregano. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browning. Serve hot. Makes 8 servings.

Notes

*This can also be made into a freezer meal. Place the skillet dinner into a glass freezer container and top with the remaining cheese and oregano. Freeze 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake according to directions.

Read more at http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2014/03/chicken-supreme-pasta-bake/#UtJDRAByMFJQ8FY3.99

BROCCOLI CHEESE AND RICE CASAROLE

Broccoli rice casseroles are one of those standard kid-friendly broccoli recipes. My version of the broccoli rice casserole is kicked up a notch, because it uses jarred salsa con queso sauce for a slightly spicy twist on the traditional broccoli cheese rice casserole.

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup medium-grain rice

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup salsa con queso (such as Eat Smart)

Preparation:

Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan.

Add rice. Turn heat down to medium low and let simmer until nearly all the water is absorbed, 12-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, place broccoli florets in a micro-cooker (compare prices) or a microwave-safe bowl with a microwave-safe cover. Heat the broccoli in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until tender, but not totally soft.

Remove broccoli from microwave. When the rice is almost done, pour the broccoli into the pot over the rice. Immediately put the lid back on, and let the broccoli continue cooking with the rice, 2-3 minutes.

Turn off heat. Pour the cheese sauce over broccoli and rice. Cover the broccoli rice casserole immediately.

Let the heat from the broccoli and rice warm the cheese sauce, about 3 minutes. Serve broccoli rice casserole 

MAPLE SNOW TAFFY

MAPLE SNOW TAFFY (Makes about 8)

1. While it’s still snowing, place a clean baking sheet or cookie sheet outside to collect the fresh flakes. When the sheet is full, pack down the snow and allow it to fill up again. Pack down one more time.

2. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup of real maple syrup over medium heat until it boils (or a candy thermometer reads between 235F and 245F).

3. Take the pan off the heat and drizzle the syrup over the packed snow in long strips. Let the syrup strips cool and become firm for 3 to 5 seconds. Pull the candy strips out of the snow, and eat while still a little warm.

Enjoy your snow day and share your snow recipes.