Pioneer Woman's Stovetop Macraroni and Cheese

I keep seeing this over and over on different blogs. The pictures make me want to drool. Seriously. I usually eat mac and cheese out of a little box and the one time I made homemade macaroni and cheese it was not so creamy - but still good. This looked so creamy, that I knew the next one I'd try would be this one.

Ingredients
4 cups dried macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard
1 egg, beaten
1 pound cheese, grated (I used half cheddar and half monterey jack)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cook macaroni in a pot until done
Drain and set aside
In a large pot, melt butter and add flour in gradually
Stir together for five minutes
Pour in milk and mustard and stir until smooth
Cook until the sauce thickens
Reduce heat and stir in the egg until smooth
Add cheese and stir until melted
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the macaroni into the sauce and stir to combine

Serve immediately

or you could top it with cheese and bake it, but really serve immediately.

Pioneer Woman's Potato Bundles

I have wanted to make this since I saw it because it seems like an easy clean up version of oven fries. I love oven fries. So when we were getting ready to make tri-tip again, I made these. It seems like half a potato works well portion wise and it seems like so much more than just a potato sitting on your plate. We had bought two big potatoes and it seemed like we really only needed to use one for the two of us. What a great way to stretch the groceries out.

Pioneer Woman's Potato Bundles

Russet potatoes - cut into chunks
Yellow or white onion - cut into chunks
Butter
Heavy cream
Salt
Paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Place a peace of foil down and add a handful of potatoes and onions
Top with a slice of butter
Pour some heavy cream on top
Add the spices - salt, pepper, paprika and parsley
Fold into pouches and place on a baking sheet
Bake at 375 for 45 minutes

This is a really great recipe because it is so interchangeable - you could add some peppers, tomatoes, cheese, any spices you want really and it would turn out fabulous.

Slow Cooker Frijoles a la Charra

I made these for Aaron's birthday to go with some chicken enchiladas I was making. These were really easy and the flavor was really complex. There was a lot going on. It was kind of smoky and spicy. They were good. A lot of prep work, but really not a lot to do once it was all in the pot.

Ingredients
1 pound dry pinto beans
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 fresh tomatoes, diced
1 (3.5 ounce) can sliced jalapeno peppers
1 (12 fluid ounce) can beer
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Place pinto beans in a slow cooker, and completely cover with water.

Mix in garlic and salt. Cover, and cook 1 hour on High.

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium high heat until evenly brown, but still tender.

Drain about half the fat. Place onion in the skillet, and cook until tender.

Mix in tomatoes and jalapenos, and cook until heated through.

Transfer to the slow cooker, stirring into the beans.

Cover slow cooker, and continue cooking 4 hours on Low.

Mix in the beer and cilantro about 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.

Bobby Flay's Homemade Texas Toast

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cloves garlic, pureed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 loaf good white bread, cut into 1-inch thick slices
1/2 cup mozzerella cheese
italian seasoning

Directions
Mix together the butter and garlic in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Brush both sides of the bread with the butter and place in the oven. Bake the bread for 1 to 2 minutes per side until lightly golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese and italian seasoning and broil until melted.

Garlic Knots

These were really easy and we will definetly be making them again.



Ingredients
1 tube refridgerated pizza dough
3 cloves garlic (minced)
3 tbs softened butter
1 tbs melted butter
1 teaspoon italian seasoning


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Unroll pizza dough and cut into 1 inch strips with a pizza cutter
3. Press a little bit of garlic into the dough before you tie it
4. Tie the strips into knots, take the ends and tuck under into the center. It doesn't have to be perfect - just knot it up however you want.
5. Sprinkle with the rest of the garlic and brush the softened butter on top
6. Grease a cookie sheet and place the knots on it.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes until browned (mine didn't brown, but they tasted fine).
8. Brush with the melted butter when they come out.
9. Serve while hot.

Oven Red Potato Fries

I got the idea for this from Rachael Ray. In the show I saw, she used herbs. I decided to use grill seasoning, which I think she's also done before. My husband loves red potatoes and this couldn't be simplier. Although I really disagree with RR's statement that these take 20 minutes. They take about 35-40 minutes - but maybe its just my oven?



Ingredients
4-10 red potatoes.
1/4 cup grill seasoning (I like McCormick Montreal Steak)
1/4 cup olive oil


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Wash potatoes really good
3. Cut potatoes in half and then into wedges. I usually get about 6 fries per potato.
4. Grease a cookie sheet and place the potatoes on in a single layer, not overlapping.
5. Sprinkle with the grill seasoning

6. Place in oven and cook until tender and crispy. About 30-35 minutes.

Baked Herbed Red Potatoes

Super easy recipe!

Ingredients

4-5 red potatoes (or more depending on size)
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup olive oil

* Place potatoes in enough cold water to cover them
* Boil potatoes until fork tender
* Transfer to square baking dish greased with olive oil
* Cut them in half and mash down on them a bit to break them up
* Brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with seasoning
* Bake for 25-35 minutes at 400 degrees
* Place butter on top and place under broiler for 5 minutes to crisp them up a bit

Serve with sour cream or alone.

Macaroni and Cheese Bake

I usually get my macaroni and cheese fix from a little blue box. I'm sure I'm not the only one. I've never really had homemade mac and cheese. So I wondered - is it better? Is it worth the extra effort?

So I had to see for myself.

I got this recipe online, I also noticed that they had a recipe on the back of the macaroni box. It called for more milk and more butter. I wonder if it would have made it creamier?

Here's the recipe I tried:

Ingredients

1 lb elbow macaroni

4 tablespoons flour

4 cups of milk or half and half (I used half and half)

1 bay leaf

1 large egg (beaten)

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon paprika

4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

fresh cracked black pepper

Toppings
3 tablespoons of butter

1 cup panko bread crumbs

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta to al dente.
• In a separate pot, melt butter and whisk in flour at a little at a time, keep stirring for five minutes. Make sure its lump free.
• Stir in milk, bay leaf and paprika. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove the bay leaf.
  


• Add egg and stir in 3/4 of the cheese, season with salt and pepper.





• Fold macaroni into the mix.





• Pour mixture into a cassarole dish. Top with remaining cheese

Topping

• In a skillet, melt butter and fold in the bread crumbs.





• Wait until they turn golden brown
• Top cassarole with bread crumbs
  

  

  
  
  Bake for 30 minutes and remove from oven.
  Let sit for five minutes before serving.

Amazing Artichoke Stuffing

My brother in law is a really good cook. He would have to be... my sister can barely cook.

He made this stuffing for thanksgiving and it was really really good.

Ingredients
15 cups 1-inch cubes crustless sourdough bread (from two 1-pound loaves or sourdough rolls)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 8-ounce packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, coarsely chopped
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth (or vegetable stock to make it vegetarian)

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Divide bread between 2 baking sheets.
• Bake until cubes are dry but not hard, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onions, celery, and garlic.
• Sauté until celery is soft, about 10 minutes.
• Mix in artichokes, thyme, and mint; sauté 2 minutes longer.
• Transfer artichoke mixture to large bowl. (Bread and artichoke mixture can be made 1 day ahead.
• Cover separately. Store bread at room temperature. Refrigerate artichoke mixture and reheat to lukewarm before continuing.)
• Add bread to artichoke mixture; toss to blend well. Mix in cheese, then 1 cup broth. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake seperately from turkey:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.
• Add enough extra broth to stuffing to moisten (3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups).
• Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down.
• Bake until heated through, about 40 minutes.
• Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 20 minutes longer