Yummy Mac and Cheese

SAUCE 


2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
                                                                                         3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
                                                                                      1 1/2 cups whole milk 
                                                                                                      7 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 3/4 cups) 
                            1 ounce monterey jack cheese, grated (1/4 cup) 
                                                         ½ teaspoon coarse salt 
                                                                                              ¼ to ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder 
                                                                              1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

PASTA 
                                                                                                                                     6 ounces penne pasta (about 3 ¼ cups) 
                                                                                 1 ounce (1/4 cup) sharp white cheddar cheese, grated 
                                                                           1 ounce (1/4 cup Monterey jack cheese, grated 
                                            ¼ to ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder                                                                 

Instructions   To prepare sauce, melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Cook until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, salt, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir until cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter or oil an 8-inch baking dish. Cook penne 2 minutes less than package directions. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Rinse pasta in cold water and drain well.

Combine pasta and sauce in a medium bowl; mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with cheeses and then the chili powder.

Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Recipe and photo from family.go.com

1/2 pound ground beef
1 jar pasta sauce (26 ounces)
1 teaspoon kosher salt , (or half as much table salt)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups water
1/2 pound Angel hair pasta, broken into thirds
2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
 freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1.  In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, sauté the beef until it is browning in places and no longer pink —3 or 4 minutes.

2.  Add the sauce and cook, stirring, for a minute or two, then stir in the salt, sugar, olive oil, water, pasta, and greens.

3.  Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil, then turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently — stirring frequently so that the bottom doesn't scorch —for 10 or so minutes, until the pasta is tender.

4.  Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Oatmeal Soup

1/2 cup minced celery
2-1/4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup rolled oats

In a medium saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Add celery and salt; boil for 1 minute. Stir in oats, simmer for at least 5 minutes, or until thick. Serve hot. 2 servings.

Note: I know this is a weird recipe, but if you are sick, it's a nice hot breakfast to eat that doesn't bother a sore throat.

Banana Pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or applesauce)
2 ripe bananas, mashed

Combine flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil (or applesauce) and bananas.

Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; batter will be slightly lumpy.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot.

Our take: delicious!! We ate way more pancakes than normal. I had them plain and the husband had half the amount of syrup (buttermilk), plus topped that with a plain one. These so, so, so hit the spot!

Note: Reviews suggested adding 1/2 teaspoon vanilla but we did not add it. They also suggest having the pancakes with syrup, peanut butter or jam.

Crunchy Cheese Sandwiches

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 medium tomato, diced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1-2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

6-7 slices bread

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the onion, tomato, celery, bell pepper, cheese, chili powder and salt. Arrange slices of bread on a baking sheet or broiling pan. Top each one with mixture, spreading out to the edges.

2. Broil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until cheese melts. Watch closely to prevent burning. Serve immediately.

For more toasty bread: Toast the bread before topping it & broiling it

For cheesier sandwiches: Top the mixture with small slices of cheese

For cooked onion taste instead of raw onion taste: Broil for 4-5 minutes, top with extra cheese, then broil until that cheese melts

For different flavor: substitute curry instead of chili powder, or omit chili powder and just sprinkle on the curry

Or mix and match!

(Can you tell we make these a lot?)

Hummus

1 (~15 oz) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon red pepper

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until uniform texture is obtained. Eat with crackers, bagel chips, veggies, etc.

New Year's Day Black-Eyed Peas

Ingredients

1 pound dry black-eyed peas

5 cups water or broth (we used chicken broth)

2 cups chopped cooked ham

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, diced
1 large carrot, finely diced

1/2 cup bell pepper

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Rinse and soak beans according to package directions. We did a quick soak which took just over an hour.

Place black-eyed peas in a slow cooker. Add water, ham, diced onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 4 hours, or until black-eyed peas are tender.

Peanut Butter & Banana Shake

2 cups milk

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 bananas (broken into chunks)

1/2 cup oatmeal

8 ice cubes

In a blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

For a chocolate version, add 4 tablespoons of Nesquik, or even chocolate slim fast type stuff. It's good, too.

I've also tried tossing in 1/3 cup extra peanuts. That's good, too!

Homemade Tortillas - Native Style!

To make about 8 tortillas, you will need:

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon shortening

3/4 cup warm/hot water

Put cast iron skillet/plate on stover over medium heat. 

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together. Add shortening and mix with your fingers only, until consistency of ingredients is pretty uniform. Add the water (plus or minus a little - it takes practice to get the right consistency). 

Knead/smear the dough for a while (sorry, I'm not sure how long!). Then break into 8 pieces. Knead each piece a little, then roll into a ball. Flatten/smush the ball and set aside. 

Once all balls are made and flattened, roll out. Start the rolling pin in the middle and work your way out. Make 1/4 turns and keep rolling out until tortilla size. 

Cook on cast iron skillet/plate on medium for 15 seconds. Flip, and blot out bubbles with wadded up clean towel.

Repeat for more tortillas. Works best in batches of 8 tortillas at a time.