Alton Brown's Baked Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon powdered mustard
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 large egg
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper

Topping:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese.

source: foodnetwork.com

Baked Mac & Cheese

2 1/2 cups dry macaroni or other small pasta shape (10 ounces)
3 cups milk
5 tablespoons Cabot Salted Butter
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs (about 2 slices firm white bread)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Several dashes Tabasco Sauce
4 cups Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 16 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2-quart baking dish or coat with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente (slightly underdone), 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat milk in saucepan to just below simmer.

3. In another saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Pour 1 tablespoon of butter into small bowl, add bread crumbs and toss together; set aside.

4. Add flour to remaining butter in saucepan and whisk over heat for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in hot milk and continue stirring until mixture thickens and comes to simmer. Whisk in salt, nutmeg, Tabasco and 2 cups of cheese.

5. Drain pasta thoroughly in colander. Return to pot, add cheese sauce and mix together thoroughly.

6. Spread one-third of pasta mixture over bottom of prepared baking dish. Scatter one-third of remaining cheese on top. Spoon another one-third of pasta on top and add another one-third of cheese. Top with remaining pasta, then remaining cheese. Sprinkle with reserved bread crumbs.

7. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden

*** I chopped up 2 Ham Steaks and threw it in when mixing all ingredients together to make a main dish***

this is apparently from Cabot Cheese

Perfect Crispy Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the potato cubes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the water, stir, and cover the pan with a lid. Steam the potatoes until the water evaporates, about 3 or 4 more minutes. (Every 1 to 2 minutes, open the lid long enough to stir the potatoes so they don't stick.) Lower the heat to medium, and saute another 1 to 2 minutes until all traces of water are gone. Toss in the butter and stir to coat the potatoes. Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the potatoes are crisp and browned to your liking, about 15 to 25 minutes depending on how dark you want them. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and serve.

source: Melissa D'Arabian foodnetwork.com

Crispy-Skinned Chicken a l'Orange

Ingredients

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 skin-on bone-in chicken breast halves (I used skin less boneless chicken breast)
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 4 tablespoons honey

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Liberally salt and pepper the chicken breast halves. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and sear the chicken, skin side only, until brown and beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the orange glaze: In a small saucepan, heat the orange juice concentrate, honey, and salt and pepper, to taste, over medium heat, and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Turn the chicken over and brush each piece with the glaze. Turn the chicken skin side up and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 160 to 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, brushing on more glaze halfway through, about 15 minutes in total. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board. Remove the chicken breast from the bone and slice the meat on the bias. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and serve.

source: Melissa D'Arabian foodnetwork.com

Easy Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

An easy recipe for crockpot chicken and stuffing.

Ingredients:

• 1 package herb-seasoned stuffing mix, prepared
• 4 to 6 boneless chicken breast halves or boneless thighs, without skin
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can (3 to 4 ounces or more) sliced mushrooms, drained (I don't eat mushrooms so I skipped this)
  

Preparation:

Prepare packaged stuffing mix with butter and liquid as directed on package. Layer stuffing in the bottom of greased slow cooker. Place the chicken pieces on top. Chicken can overlap some, but try to arrange with as little overlap as possible. If there is room, you could use more chicken. On top of the chicken, pour 1 can of cream of chicken soup, or you could use cream of mushroom, or cream of celery, whatever you like. Just don't add the liquid the soup can says to use. Add the mushrooms. Be sure to stir the mushrooms around a little so they are coated with the soup.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

found at: http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotchicken/r/bl82c3.htm

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil (or 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini shredded w/skin on, don’t drain excess moisture)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray two 8×4 inch loaf pans with cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl.

Beat the oil and sugars together on medium speed until combined, add in the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in the zucchini and nuts. Pour the batter into loaf pans.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan and let cool completely.

This bread freezes very well, just make sure it is tightly wrapped.

found at: http://madebymel.wordpress.com/

Warm Italiano Spread

Prep Time:

5 min

Total Time:

15 min

Makes:

Makes 12 servings, 2 Tbsp. spread and 6 cra...

What You Need!

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese

1/4 cup pesto

1 plum tomato, chopped

1/4 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian* Five Cheese Blend

TRISCUIT Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil Crackers

Make It!

HEAT grill to medium heat. Place unwrapped cream cheese on 8-inch square sheet of heavy-duty foil; top with pesto, tomatoes and shredded cheese.

PLACE foil on grill; cover with lid. Grill 8 to 10 min. or until shredded cheese is melted and cream cheese is softened, but still holding its shape.

TRANSFER foil to platter. Serve spread with crackers.

How to Prepare in Your Oven

Prepare this recipe year-round, by baking in a 375ºF-oven 12 to 14 min. or until shredded cheese is melted and Neufchatel cheese is softened, but still holding its shape.

from kraftfoods.com