Mac N Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese - from My_Gal


* 2/3rds bag of small shell pasta
* 1 long/large brick of medium cheddar (16 slices 1/4inch thick, 8 slices 1/2-3/4 inch thick)
* handful of saltine crackers
* 1/3C milk
* butter

Cook the pasta

In a deep casserole dish (looks like a 9x9 pan but it's really deep - I don't know 6-9inches deep??)

layer as follows:
pasta
thin cheese (cover surface of pasta)
2-3 saltines crumbled by hand
pasta
thin cheese
2-3 saltines
pasta (should be the last of the pasta)
thick cheese
1-2 saltines crumbled

pat on a few bits of butter (2-4)

pour milk down the side of the casserole

into the oven at 350F for about 40 mins

The cheese in the middle melts down into the pasta, the cheese on top gets bubbly and holds it's shape.

Mmm Mmm good!

Bacon Fried Rice

Bacon/Pork Fried Rice

4 cups cold cooked rice
5 slices of bacon
1 cup ham cut into small cubes (optional)
1-2 cloves of bacon, minced
2 scallions, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Soy sauce

Diced vegetables: for convenience I use frozen peas and carrots as the carrots are cubed into small pieces. You can also use frozen corn and/or frozen beans. Set them into a strainer and run warm water over them before you start cooking the rice so that they are thawed before you add them to the dish.


In a large skillet cook the bacon until very crispy, move to paper towels to drain.

On medium heat lightly sauté the minced garlic and scallions.

Add the rice and toss to coat it with the bacon drippings. Add oil as needed if the mix looks to dry. Stir the rice frequently to be sure it is all coated and has a chance to “toast”. This should take 5-10 minutes depending on your pan and stove.

Add the soy sauce a little at a time and stir the rice well to coat. Continue until the rice is lightly coated. You can add more to taste if desired.

Add the vegetables, crumble the reserved bacon and add it and the ham if desired. Stir occasionally to warm all the ingredients.

With the heat turned up a bit pour the beaten eggs over the entire mix and stir to “scramble” them. Serve.

Crockery Pot Lasagna

Yes lasagna in the crockypot … it is amazing. It is a Betty Crocker recipe. Note: although it calls for 5 noodles per layer my crockpot only took 3 per layer.

Thanks SingleMom


Ingredients

1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef
Onion
3 15 oz cans of tomato sauce
2 tsp dried basil
½ tsp salt
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
15 uncooked lasagna noodles

Directions

1. Cook sausage/beef in 10 inch skillet 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, basil and salt.

2. Mix 1 cup of mozzarella, ricotta and Parmesan cheeses together. (Refrigerate remaining mozzarella while lasagna cooks).

3. Sp00n ¼ of the sausage into slow cooker, top with 5 noodles. Spread with ½ of the cheese, top with ¼ sausage and 5 noodles. Spread with remaining ½ of cheese and ¼ sausage, top with last 5 noodles. Top with remaining ¼ of sausage.

4. Cover and cook on LOW 4-6 hours.

5. Sprinkle top with 1 cup of mozzarella, cover and let stand 10 minutes

ButterCream Frosting

Buttercream Icing

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
* 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract or Almond if you prefer
* 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
* 2 tablespoons milk

Makes: About 3 cups of icing.

Instructions
(Medium Consistency)

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.

For Pure White Icing (stiff consistency), omit butter; substitute an additional 1/2 cup shortening for butter and add 1/2 teaspoon No-Color Butter Flavor. Add up to 4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk to thin for icing cakes.

Creamy Potato and Leek Soup

Creamy Potato and Leek soup with roasted garlic Thanks Honeylioness


Yukon Gold potatoes
1 Large leek
chicken broth (or water and 1 bouillon cube per cup)
Garlic

Remove the green top of the leek. Slice the white stalk lengthwise and wash with cool water to clean. Cut into even slices.

In a large pan heat a bit of olive oil. Add the leeks and with the heat at medium or lower, let them soften and wilt.

Wash the potatoes. I prefer them with the skin, but you may peel them if you wish. Yukon's work the best as they have the creamiest consistency - other varieties can be too "mealy". Cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces.

Add the potatoes to the pot, then add the broth/water until the potatoes are just covered. Place the lid on the pot and with the heat at medium, simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.

Meanwhile, peel garlic cloves to taste (I use 3-4 per batch of soup). Place them in a small pan with several pats of butter over low heat. Keep an eye on them but they and the butter should toast and become a nutty brown.

When the potatoes are done add the roasted garlic cloves to the pot. You can either use a stick blender or food processor to puree the contents of the pot into a creamy consistency. IF the mix is a bit heavy you can add more chicken broth.

I top mine with either small slices of toasted garlic bread or sautéed shrimp.

Because there is no milk or cream it stores and reheats wonderfully without “breaking” as most dairy based soups will.