Mac N' Cheese

My FAVORITE Mac N' Cheese
Recipe by: Emily

2 cups Elbow Macaroni
1 medium Onion, sliced thin and chopped
1 TBS Garlic Salt
1 can Chedder cheese soup
1 1/2 cans milk
1 cup Shredded Italian Cheese
1 cup Shredded Mild Chedder Cheese
3 Tbsp Butter
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 cups Bread Crumbs, I like to use coarse brioche crumbs best

1. Cook macaroni according to directions on the package to al dente. Drain pasta and set aside in a large bowl.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan, melt together add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until onions begin to brown. Lower heat to medium low and continue to cook onion stirring occasionally until softened about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Use the same skillet that you cooked the onion in to make the sauce, it will deglaze the pan. Higher heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and melt. Add 1 1/2 cans milk and cheddar soup to the mixture and whisk while continuing to cook. Once the milk mixture begins to thicken and bubble add the shredded cheeses and continue to whisk until the cheese has melted, about 3 minutes. Taste cheese sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni mixture and mix well. Pour macaroni mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish and top with 2 cups of brioche bread crumbs. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bread crumbs are browned and the macaroni is bubbly. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving, enjoy!

Hashbrown Casserole

1 bag frozen, shredded hash brown potatoes
8 oz sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup butter, melted
onion, chopped fine (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or a bit more if you like)

Stir all the ingredients together. Bake in an oven at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Or place in the crockpot to cook them.

Potato Skins

Ingredients:
5 Medium Size Russet Potatoes
1 1/2 Cups Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
6 Slices Bacon
Vegetable or Canola Oil
Sour Cream & Ranch Dressing, to serve with
Dried Chives, to garnish


Directions:
Wash all of your potatoes then prick them all over with a fork. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about an hour, or until a knife inserted in the middle of the potato comes right out. Once done, remove to a cutting board and slice down the middle, and scoop out most of the potato, but leave a good rim around the edge and bottom, just enough to where you don't completely go down to the skin. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large pot, then place potatoes in the oil and fry until they turn golden brown, then remove to a paper towel lined cutting board. When done, let potatoes cool while you dice your bacon and cook it in a frying pan until it is nice and chewy. Place your potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet and then sprinkle cheese down the middle of the potato, then sprinkle bacon pieces on top. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, until cheese is completely melted, then turn the oven to boil on high for about 5 more minutes to brown it

Crab Cakes

1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
16 oz super lump crab meat
3/4 cup plain panko crumbs
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Combine all ingredients except crab and panko crumbs. Carefully add crab to mixture then gently fold in panko crumbs. Form into desired size crab cake by hand
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the crab cakes in skillet and cook on each side until golden brown

Cilantro Lime Rice

1-2 tsp olive oil
1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup long grained rice (brown or white)
2 cups of water
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1 large handful of cilantro, chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lime

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until soft and tender. Add the rice and garlic then cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Add the water and chicken bouillon granules, bring to a boil over high heat, cover and reduce the heat and simmer, until tender, about 20-25 minutes for white rice and 40-45 minutes for brown rice. Remove from heat and mix with the cilantro, lime juice and zest. Enjoy

Potato Skins

potato skins (I had 8 skins from 4 potatoes)
cheddar cheese, shredded
bacon, crumbled
Kosher salt and pepper
olive oil
green onions and sour cream if you like

Brush olive oil over the potato skins, inside and out. Sprinkle with salt. Bake them at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes.

Pull them out of the oven and fill them with cheese and bacon. I coulda/shoulda put in more cheese than I did, but they were still fine. Pop them under the broiler for a couple minutes to melt the cheese. Serve with sour cream and green onions

Baked Potato Casserole

Baked Potato Casserole

9 baby potatoes or 2 large russet potatoes (rinsed and peeled)
1 c shredded cheese (plus extra for topping)
2-3 Tbsp Sour Cream
1/2 medium sweet onion chopped or 2-3 green onion stalks chopped
1/4 c milk
2 Tbsp sour cream
1 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper
bacon bits (optional)

Boil the potatoes in a pot until tender. A knife should pierce through without hesitation.

Preheat your oven to 425˚F

Mash the potatoes with a masher ricer orr food processor.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, onions, sour cream, cheese, milk, and butter. Mix well. Season with a little salt and pepper. Mix in the optional bacon bits as well.

Transfer the mixture into a lightly greased casserole. Bake for 25 minutes. Just before removing, top the casserole with some extra cheese and leave for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Serve warm.

Hashbrown Casserole

1 bag frozen, shredded hash brown potatoes
8 oz sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup butter, melted
onion, chopped fine (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 - 16 oz package cubed ham (I used Farmland $2.50 @ Super Walmart)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or a bit more if you like)

Stir all the ingredients together. Place into a lightly greased casserole dish (9 x 13 in). Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min - 1 hour. Let cool a bit and serve

Mac & Cheese

1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked according to the package directions
1/2 cup sour cream
1 pint half and half
1 pint heavy cream
1 lb Velveeta cheese
2 1 lb. bags shredded cheddar cheese

Set oven to 350 degrees.

In a greased 9x13 pan, add the macaroni. With your hands, mix in the sour cream and 1 lb cheddar cheese. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add the half and half, heavy cream and Velveeta. Whisk constantly until Velveeta is melted and mixture is heated through. Pour over the pasta and spread evenly with a rubber scraper. Use enough sauce to barely cover the pasta. You will not use all the sauce.

Spread the cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

*Stay close cause this can burn easy

Bacon Mac

Ingredients
3 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
12 ounces preferred pasta
4 teaspoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk divided
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar, divided
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 slices center cut cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
Cooking Spray

Directions
1. Preheat broiler
2. Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook al dente, drain.
3. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk, bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes, or until it cools to 155. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper, and bacon; stir. Add pasta; toss. Spoon into a 2-quart, broiler safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes.
Serves 6: 1 serving is about 1 cup