Garlic Parmesan Macaroni & Cheese

Garlic Parmesan Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy garlic and parmesan cheese flavored macaroni and cheese.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cellentani or pasta of your choice
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp low fat milk
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• finely chopped parsley (optional)
• ground black pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, add milk and garlic cloves. Simmer for a few minutes until garlic softens and flavor infuses into the milk. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, add butter. Bring saucepan to low heat until butter is melted. Add in flour and whisk until smooth roux forms. Remove and discard garlic cloves from milk and then add milk into roux.  Also add in heavy cream, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder and mustard. Bring saucepan to medium heat. Whisk and stir until cheese is completely melted and sauce is thick and smooth.
4. Add cooked pasta to cheese sauce, stirring until pasta is evenly coated. Garnish with parsley and fresh ground pepper if desired before serving.

All images and content are © Kirbie's Cravings.

Arkansas Green Beans

2 cans green beans
5 pieces bacon
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/8 c. butter
3 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix everything together with the green beans. Heat and serve.

BBQ Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless thin-sliced chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 3/4 cup canned corn kernels, drained
• 3/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup Ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup tortilla strips

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.
• Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste. Add to skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces.
• To assemble the salad, place romaine lettuce in a large bowl; top with chicken, tomato, corn, beans, onion and cheeses. Pour Ranch dressing and BBQ sauce on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
• Serve immediately, topped with tortilla strips.

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash & Carrots

This was delish! My kids loved it too.

1 squash, peeled & chunked
3 carrots, chunked
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
salt & pepper to taste
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425. Mix everything together. Pour onto baking pan. Roast til tender 30-40 min. Turning once.

Roasted Butternut Squash

I didn't eat a lot of squash growing up. I have a picky family. Nobody really cared for it so mom never made it. I tried it and loved it!

1 lb. squash, peeled and chunked
2 Tbsp butter, melted
salt & pepper, to taste
2 tsp parsley
2 Tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 400. Mix everything together and spread evenly on a pan. Bake for 30-45 min or until tender.

Oven Bake Fries

These were AMAZING! I got the recipe from Pintrest. I was hesitant because I have yet to make a fry in the oven that I love. Well this is my new fav and they were super good. The outside was crunchy while the inside was soft and yummy. We served these with our baked wings.

3 potatoes, cut
5 Tbsp oil, divided
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 475. Place potatoes in lg mixing bowl, cover them with hot water. Soak 10-30 min. (I did 30). Put 4 Tbsp oil in baking sheet. Sprinkle the pan with s & p. Set aside.

Drain potatoes. Pat dry. In empty bowl toss 1 Tbsp oil with potatoes. Place in a single layer. Cover with foil and bake for 5 min.

Remove foil and bake til bottoms of fries are golden, 15-20 min. Rotate at 10 min. Flip and cook 5-15 more min.

I cooked min for about 20 min on each side but I also added more potatoes.

Blue Cheese Dressing

We made this and loved it! I used a 4.4 oz blue cheese and it was very prevalent. If you don't like that strong of a flavor you may want to do less. Be sure to use the block blue cheese and not the crumbles. Crumbles are not creamy enough.

1 c. mayo
1 c. sour cream
6 oz. blue cheese
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 Tbsp grated onion
4 dashes tabasco
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
dash cayenne
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp sugar

Mix mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk.
Add remaining ingredients and blend well. (I mixed mine in the blender)

Refrigerate 24 hrs before serving for best flavor.

Skillet Creamy Mac & Cheese

This is another one from Mel. We really enjoyed this one.

• 3 1/2 cups water, plus extra if needed
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 12 ounces (about 3 cups) elbow macaroni
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks
• Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9 to 12 minutes.
2. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together in a small bowl, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
3. Off the heat, stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency of the sauce (I didn’t need any additional water when I made it). Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Loaded Mashed Potato Balls w/ Bacon Bits

2 Cups cold mashed potatoes
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 oz block cheddar cheese, cubed
1/8 c. sour cream
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1/2 lb. bacon cooked, crumbled

Mix mashed potatoes, sour cream, green onion, and 1/4 c. of bacon crumbles. Shape mashed potatoes into 1 in balls. Put a cube of cheese into the potato balls and mash potatoes around until cheese is completely  covered.

Dip them in eggs, the dredge in bacon bits. Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min or until cheese is oozing out.

Apple Toffee Dip

I LOVED this! I could have eaten the whole thing by myself.

2-8 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg. heath toffee bits

Mix everything together and serve with apple slices.

Buffalo Oven Fries

Found this recipe here.

My husband and I thought these were delicious. Be careful not to over cook the fries.

3lbs. potatoes, wedged (I used my Pampered Chef fry cutter)
3 Tbs oil
1 tsp salt & pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 c. buffalo wing sauce
1/4 c. fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp butter
4 oz sharp cheese
4 oz gorgonzola
4 green onions, chopped
4 chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 450. Place in pan of water and bring to boil. Boil 5 min. Drain. Place in bowl, drizzle with oil, salt & pepper, and garlic powder. Gently toss. Bake 25-30 min flip and bake 25-30 min or golden. Heat wing sauce and butter til combined. Remove potatoes. Turn to broil. Drizzle with wing sauce and sprinkle cheese on top. Broil 2-3 min. Remove. Sprinkle with chives and cilantro.

Quick Spanish Rice

This is from food.com #17126

1 (15oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 c. chicken stock
1 1/4 c. rice
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp cumin

In a med pan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is done.
Garnish w/ green onions and cheddar cheese.

Roasted Carrots

1 small bag of carrots
1/4 c. olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine carrots, 2 Tbsp oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss. Roast for 20-25 minutes. Toss occasionally. Cook til tender/firm. Drizzle w/ remaining oil.

Panda Express Chow Mein

We thought this was delicious! It was super easy and my family ate ALL of it.

1/4 c. soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger
pepper, to taste
2-3 Tbsp oil
3 pkgs Yaki Soba noodles
2/3 c. celery, chopped
1 med onion, thinly sliced
2 c. chopped cabbage

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Set aside.
Remove noodles from pkg, discarding flavor packet.
Rinse noodles thoroughly and drain.  Set aside.
Heat oil. Add celery and onion. Saute 1-2 min or until the onion is transparent. Add cabbage. Saute 1 minute.
Toss noodles and soy sauce mixture with veggies for 2-3 min or heated through.

Dill Pickle Dip

I grew up on Nalley's Dill Pickle Dip. We loved that stuff! My husband thinks I'm a little crazy for it but that's okay. We always have Dill Pickle Dip at Christmas, it's tradition. Well this past Christmas (2011) we found out that Nalley is no longer making their dips. This saddened my family greatly. I didn't let it stop me though. I knew there had to be a way to make your own. So I found a recipe that is very similar in looks, flavor, and all to the Nalley brand dip.

1 pint sour cream
8 dill pickles, chopped
1/4 c. pickle juice
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp mayo

Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir thoroughly. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

*I used a little more juice than what it calls for. I started with less than a 1/4 c. and just kept tasting and added till I liked it. My sister who is a picky eater even approved!

Paula Dean's Twice Bake Potato Casserole

8 med baking potatoes, approx. 5 lbs.
1-8 oz pkg. cream cheese, room temp
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. shredded cheese
1 pint sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 c. chopped chives, for garnish
6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

Preheat oven to 350. Cook potatoes for 1- 1 1/2 hours or til soft. Allow to cool. Peel and mash potatoes. Add cream cheese, butter, 1 c. cheese, and sour cream. Stir well. Add garlic, salt, & pepper. Stir well.

Spray 9 x 13 pan. Place potatoes in dish. Bake at 350 for 30-40 min or heated through. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and cook 5 min or til melted. Garnish with chives and bacon.

Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 c. mayo
1 c. cilantro (pack it in) (I used 1 bunch of cilantro and it was perfect)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk style
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tomatillos, roasted, peeled, and quartered
pepper to taste

Put everything in a blender and mix thoroughly.

This makes quite a bit of dressing. About 3 cups. You could easily half it and still have plenty.

See my post about roasting tomatillos if you've never done it! It was a first for me too.

Cilantro Lime Rice

I know everyone raves over Cafe Rio food and I am right there with everyone, except my homemade version is MUCH better! We did the rice, beans, the sweet pork and a cilantro ranch dressing. It was heavenly! And I can't wait for leftovers for lunch today.

1 c. uncooked rice (not instant)
1 tsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp lime juice
3Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp lime juice
1 can chicken broth
1 c. water
2 tsp sugar

In pan, combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp lime juice, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 min or til rice is tender. Remove from heat. In small bowl combine lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over hot rice and mix as you fluff.

Chayote Squash Side Dish

fROM: aLLRECIPES.COM

tHIS IS BEING WEIRD AND WON'T LET ME CHANGE THE FONT. aNYWAYS, WE RECEIVED THESE CHAYOTE SQUASH IN OUR BOUNTIFUL BASKET AND OF COURSE HAD NO IDEA HOW TO FIX THEM. i GOOGLED THEM AND FOUND THIS RECIPE. I HAD 2 SQUASH SO I DOUBLED THIS RECIPE. THEY WERE GOOD BUT THE SEASONING WAS WAY WAY TOO STRONG. I WOULD USE 2 SQUASH AND NOT DOUBLE THE SEASONINGS. OR IF YOU USE 1 SQUASH HALF THE SEASONINGS.


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 chayote squash, cut into 1/2-inch strips 1/2 teaspoon salt

ground black pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon white sugar 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions:

1.	Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add garlic, squash, salt, pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Stir together and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
2.	Add vinegar to the squash mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, until the squash is slightly wilted, but still firm and crunchy. Taste, and add more salt or sugar if needed.

Christmas Jell-o Salad

From: Grandma Watson

Bottom: 2 pkgs cherry jell-o prepared and poured into a 9 x 13 dish. Set until firm

Middle: 1 pkg lemon jell-o
1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped (NOT cool whip)
1 cup crushed pineapple
Set until slightly thickened then stir in 1 pkg cream cheese.
Set until thick then pour on bottom layer, set until firm.

Top: 2 pkgs lime jell-o prepared, set until thick.
Pour over middle layer and set until firm.