A friend always asks me, "So...what's for dinner?". I love to cook and bake, make good meals for my family and I have a secret obsession with cookbooks. Here are some of my favorite recipes and foods that I love...enjoy!

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is truly delicious!  It hits the spot when you want a warm comfort food! 

1 stick butter
1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
5 1/2 cups of whole milk (2% is ok as well)
4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb. pasta noodles (I use different varieties)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta according to package, drain and set aside.

In the saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add the dry mustard, salt and pepper and stir.  Add in the flour and continue stirring the mixture until it becomes a "roux" (thick, paste like consistency).

Add the milk to the roux and continue stirring over medium low heat until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly.  (It helps speed the process along if you warm the milk in the microwave first.)

Remove saucepan from heat and add cheese.  Stir until cheese is melted.

Put pasta in baking dish and top with cheese mixture until it is all coated. 

Bake until slightly browned on top, about 30-45 min.

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing

1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. milk or buttermilk
1 lime, juiced (about 2 T. lime juice)
1 packet of ranch dressing mix (ignore the directions on the back)
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 c. roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 c. green salsa
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Combine mayo, milk, lime juice, and the contents of the packet of ranch dressing in a blender.  Add garlic, cilantro, and green salsa and blend to thoroughly mix all the ingredients.  Season with hot sauce, if desired.  If possible, refrigerate for several hours to allow the dressing to thicken and the flavors to meld.  

Cafe Rio Rice

6 c. water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
4 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
1 tsp. cumin
1 can green chilies
3/4 tsp. salt
1 T. butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 c. uncooked rice

Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients.  Cook for about 30 min. or until rice is tender.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

3 lb. pork roast
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. worchestershire
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. dried minced onion

Add later: 1 can (16 oz. about) red enchilada sauce
                1 c. brown sugar

Place pork roast in a crock pot.  In another bowl combine all ingredients together and pour over the roast.  Turn crock pot to low and cook roast for 15 to 20 hours.  One hour before serving, take the roast out of the crock pot, shred the meat, and remove any fat.  Drain the crock pot, put all of the meat back in and add can of enchilada sauce and brown sugar.  Warm together for 1 hour before serving.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Sticky Popcorn

This recipe is truly awesome and super easy to make!

Sticky Popcorn

1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
12 large or 1 1/4 cup mini marshmallows
2 bags of popped microwave popcorn or 6 cups of air popped popcorn

Melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Turn heat down to low (or off) and add marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat and pour over popped popcorn. Mix well.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ever since I can remember I have always loved Chicken Pot Pie, only because my grandmother, who was a GREAT cook, would make it. It was yummy! In my adult years I have never made it until my sister gave me this recipe and now I make it all the time! It's super easy and I usually have all the ingredients, except for the pie crust, which is pre-made from the store!

Chicken Pot Pie

2 c. cooked diced chicken
1 c. diced carrots
1 c. peas or celery (or a little of both if you prefer)
1 c. diced potatoes
1/4 c. diced onions
3 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. corn starch

Cook the chicken accordingly. Put the 3 cups of chicken broth in a pan to start boiling. Dice up the vegetables and place in chicken broth and boil until mostly done. Line bottom half of pie pan with pie crust. Strain veggies and place in the pie dish. Put hot chicken broth aside. Mix corn starch with a bid of cold water at first (so it won't lump up) and then add the chicken broth. (I kind of eye this, I don't use all the chicken broth). Pour chicken broth mixture over the veggies and cover with remaining pie crust. Place in a 425 degree oven and cook for 30 min.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Hot cereal done right....


I can't get enough Steel Cut Oats.
If you like oatmeal, you will love these.
But...you have to purchase the Bob's Red Mill brand...trust me on this.
They are the best quality and taste you can get.
At Costco you can buy a 4.5 lb bag for around $5.50...
that is a screaming deal.
I have loaded up my own personal stock because Costco doesn't seem
to carry this product year round.

My new favorite way to eat it is with fresh fruits on top.
I cook it as directed and load it up with anything that I have,
kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, banana,
just a few ideas.
It's awesome!!!!!