Creamy Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese

 Marcie got this recipe from Christy Eggers and served it at Afton's mission open house in giant foil pans.

Prep time 20 min

Cook time 15 min

Total time 35 min

Serves 8-10

1 lb dried elbow pasta

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup all purpose flour

4 cups half and half

6 cups shredded cheese (Marcie used combo of cheddar jack, sharp cheddar, mozzarella/provologne)

1/2 Tbsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Cooked bacon

Italian bread crumbs

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 and grease 9x13 baking dish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.

While water is coming up to a boil, shred cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles. Approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the innner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the half and half, while whisking constantly until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining half and half, while whisking constantly until combined and smooth.

Continue to heat over medium heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency. It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup.

Remove from the heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth. 

In a large mixing bowl, combined drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully. Pour half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.

Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese, bacon and Italian bread crumbs, and bake for 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown. 

Spaghetti Sauce - Dru

 3 lbs ground beef

5-6 onions chopped up

Fresh or Costco garlic (lots!)

Whole thing of peppers at costco and cut up 4-6

(Dru's mom always put celery in, but Dru never does)

Throw in a couple huge cans of whole tomatoes (2-3)

A bunch of cans of diced tomatoes (4, 5 or 6)

Tomato Sauce, throw that in

Tomato Paste

Garlic Salt and Onion Salt the heck out of it, and add more sauce if it seems too thick.

Cook all day, makes a ton. Put it in bags in the freezer. 

Used to throw in Prego because mom always did, but haven't had that in years and hasn't noticed a difference.

Cafe Rio Pork - Christy Nordstrom (Amy Oelrich)

 Cook a pork roast in the oven on low overnight or in a pressure cooker or crock pot with 16 oz of Dr Pepper or Root Beer. Once it is cooked and shredded, add 1/4 C water, 16 oz of Dr Pepper or Root Beer, 

1 t garlic salt, 

1/8 t salt

1/4 t pepper

4oz can diced green chiles

10 oz can of red enchilada sauce

3/4 C brown sugar

For the cilantro sauce,

Add 1 cup mayo

1 C milk

3 tomatillos,

1 bunch cilantro

1 t minced garlic

juice of 1 lime

some jalapenos, either slices or 1 fresh (depending how spicy you want it)

Blueberry, Goat Cheese, Honey Crostini

 Haven't had this but was at Burnadette Christensen's funeral and a friend of Stephanie's was raving about it, and so I looked it up. HERE

Guacamole - Tilese Arrington

5-6 avocadoes

2 roma tomatoes

about 1/4 red onion

some cilantro

one jalapeno

one Anaheim pepper

juice from one lime

add about a tsp of salt

and a tsp oregano

some freshly ground black pepper

Chicken Cordon Bleu and Sauce - Melody Hull

 Chicken

6 chicken breast halves

6 slices Swiss cheese

6 slices ham

1/2 C butter, melted

1 C seasoned bread crumbs or crushed cornflakes

1/2 T paprika

salt and pepper

Sauce

 6 T butter

1/2 C chicken broth

1 t chicken bouillon granules

 1T cornstarch

1 C heavy whipping cream

1/2 t pepper

1 T basil

Pound chicken breasts 1/4-1/2 inch thickness. Lightly sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper (on the side that will be rolled up). Place a slice of cheese and ham on each breast. Roll the chicken up over the ham and cheese and secure with toothpicks. Mix breadcrumbs and paprika in a small bowl. Coat the chicken with melted butter, then roll in breadcrumbs until completely covered. Place on a cookie sheet covered with foil. Bake 350 for 50-60 min. Check with meat thermometer. Should read 165 degrees.

For sauce, blend the cornstarch with the cream in a bowl. In a medium-sized pan, bring butter, broth, and bouillon to a simmer for approximately 8-10 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch/cream mixture. Cook, stirring until thickened, then add the pepper and basil. Delicious!

Caprese Dip with Boursin Cheese

 Crowd Favorite and Beautifully Easy Appetizer HERE