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.

Aunt LaRene's Cinnamon Rolls

Stir together:
2 1/4 cups warm water
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
2 Tblsp. yeast

Add:
4 cups flour

Beat.

Add:
3 cups flour

Knead.  This will be a soft dough.  Let raise at least once before forming rolls.  Let raise again as cinnamon rolls.  Preheat oven to 475.  Put pan of rolls into oven and REDUCE HEAT TO 375.  Cook 12-20 minutes.

Cheesy Ham Biscuit Pull Aparts

Cheesy Ham Biscuit Pull Aparts 

1 (16.3 oz) Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Biscuits  

1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup diced ham
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 11 x 7 or 12 x 8 glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat egg and milk with a wire whisk until smooth.

Separate dough into individual biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. Gently stir biscuit pieces into egg mixture to coat evenly. Fold in ham, cheese, onions and granulated garlic. Spoon mixture into prepared dish, arrange biscuit pieces in a single layer.

Baked at 350 for 23 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. You can either cut into squares or just pull apart and serve.

Black Velvet Cake

Ingredients for the cake

Butter, for greasing the pans

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups good cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk, shaken

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot Inka made extra strong (pero or postum)

Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the Inka and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting:

9 ounces good semisweet chocolate

3/4 pound  unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons Inka

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the Inka powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and Inka to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Sprinkle in more Inka to taste. Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Wheat and White Sandwich Bread

3 cups water (do not overfill or round tops of cups)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon lecithin
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons soft butter
2-2/3 cup white flour
1/3 cup dry milk
23 ounces (1 pound 7 ounces) wheat flour
1/3 cup gluten
3-1/2 teaspoons yeast

Mix all together, being sure that the gluten flour does not touch any liquid before the mixing process.
Mix for  10 to 12 minutes in a stand mixer- this is important.  (If kneading by hand, knead for 12 - 15 minutes)

Allow to rise twice before forming into two (2) loaves.  Let rise until doubled.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes at 365 degrees.

Pancetta and Fava Bean Pasta

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 ounces pancetta, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound dried spaghetti
24 fresh fava beans, shelled and peeled
1 cup chicken broth
1 lemon, juice and zest divided
1 bunch chopped green onion
2 chopped tomatoes
Salt to taste
Black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for the table

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta, and cook until slightly crispy, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
3. Place spaghetti noodles in salted water pot and cook for 5 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
4. In a sauté pan, add fava beans, white wine, and broth to sauté pan, and cook for 3 minutes, or until beans become tender.
5. Drain spaghetti, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss spaghetti in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
6. Add spaghetti, green onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, and tomatoes to sauté pan, tossing to mix thoroughly. Add pasta water if pasta begins to stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook until heated through.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with Parmesan cheese.

***Notes:  You could easily use peas or fresh green beans instead of fava beans and ham and/or bacon in place of the pancetta.***

Liquid Gold (aka Almost Buttermilk Syrup)

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons maple flavoring (optional)


Heat and let boil on the stop top for 3 minutes.
Serve.