Saltine Toffee

4 oz saltine crackers (1 full sleeve)
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional - we didn't use these)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a rimmed cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) with saltine crackers in single layer.

In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread t cover crackers completely.

Bake for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.

Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts (if using). (We also sprinkled some holiday sprinkles on top last night.).

Cool completely (I pop ours into the freezer for about 30 minutes) and break into pieces.

- I was given this recipe

Buffalo Chicken-Blue Cheese Meatloaf

Biggest Loser Family Cookbook Copyright 2008

Olive Oil Spray
2/3 c. Old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. Fat-free milk
2 1/2 Tbsp buffalo wing sauce, or more to taste
1 pound extra-lean, ground chicken breast
1/2 c. Finely chopped celery
1/4 c. Shredded carrot
1/4 c. Finely chopped sweet onion
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp. salt
2 oz. Crumbled reduced-fat blue cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 9x5 loaf pan with olive oil spray.
Combine the oats and milk in a medium mixing bowl and stir to mix. Let stand
for 3 minutes, or until the oats begin to soften. Stir in the wing sauce until well
mixed. Add the chicken, celery, carrot, onion, egg whites and salt. With a fork or
clean hands, mix the ingredients well. Add the blue cheese and gently mix to combine.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread so that the top is flat. Bake
for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through and no
longer pink. Cut into 8 slices and serve immediately.

*edited to add - I baked the meatloaf ahead of time and then I grilled it.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 263 calories, 6 g fat, 74 mg cholesterol, 485 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 35 g protein.

Kelly's grandma's baked mac & cheese

2 cups of dry macaroni
1 stick of Cracker barrel sharp cheddar cheese
1 stick of butter
handful of breadcrumbs

Boil maccaroni
spread in a rectangular pan
shred or cube the cheddar cheese and spread it out on top, place a few pats of butter on top as well, use half a cup of any other cheese (i use american)
Pour 2 cups of milk over the whole thing
sprinkle a handful of bread crumbs on top
bake in oven for about 40 minutes at 350.

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