Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

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

Topping:

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, extremely salted water cook the pasta to al dente. Do not overcook it!

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. It will thicken, trust me.

Temper in the egg which means to just bring the temperature of the egg up a little so that when you add it to the cheese sauce it doesn't scramble. Just throw a couple of Tablespoons of the warm cheese mixture into a small bowl with the egg and mix. Then throw the egg mixture into the cheese mixture.

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 the microwave in a small bowl 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 to ten minutes before serving.

Notes:

1) When making dishes like this it's better if you shred your own cheese. The pre-shredded cheeses have added ingredients to make the cheese not clump together and makes them not melt as well. I actually used pre-shredded cheese here and it was fine but if you want it extra creamy shred your own.

2) People that did not have success with this recipe did not salt their pasta water correctly. You want to salt it so much that if you tasted the water it would taste like the ocean.

3) You need SHARP cheddar cheese. That's what gives it flavor. Don't use mild.

Source: Alton Brown

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:


16 ounces dried elbow macaroni (4 cups)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
1 8 ounce package pasteurized prepared cheese product, cut up
1/4 cup butter, cut up
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 -12 ounce can evaporated milk
1 -10 3/4 ounce can condensed cheddar cheese soup or 1 cup process cheese dip
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cook macaroni according to package directions.

Meanwhile, let the cheeses and butter stand at room temperature. Drain macaroni; transfer to a very large bowl.

Add 1-1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese, the cheese product, and the butter to the hot pasta; stir well to combine. Set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, cheese soup, and white pepper until smooth. Stir egg mixture into macaroni mixture. Spoon macaroni mixture into a 3-quart casserole dish.

Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and stir well. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese.            

Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes more or until heated through (160 degrees F) and cheese melts.

From the Test Kitchen

LIGHTEN UP:

For a lighter macaroni and cheese, substitute reduced-fat versions of the cheddar cheese and cheese product. Use only 1/8 cup butter, decrease eggs to two, and use fat-free evaporated milk.

Better Homes and Gardens

President Reagan's Favorite Macaroni and Cheese

INGREDIENTS:


1⁄2 lb macaroni (2 cups)
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:

Boil macaroni in water until tender and drain thoroughly.

Stir in butter and egg.

Mix mustard and salt with 1T hot water, and add to milk.

Add cheese, leaving enough to sprinkle on top.

Pour into buttered casserole; add milk, sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes or until custard is set and top is crusty.

www.food.com

Freezer Corn

Ingredients:


8 cups sweet corn kernels
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter

Directions:

In a large pot, bring corn, water, salt and sugar to a boil.
Add the butter. Boil an additional 2 minutes.

Cool and freeze.

To serve, heat in a saucepan until heated through.

NOTE: Depending on the sweetness of the corn, less sugar may be used.

www.recipetips.com

Classic Popovers

YIELD:  Makes 6 large or 9 medium popovers

INGREDIENTS:

2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously grease six 2/3-cup popover tins or nine 1/2-cup muffin tins.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, milk, and water and add butter in a stream, whisking. Add flour and salt and whisk mixture until combined well but still slightly lumpy.  

Divide batter among tins and bake in lower third of oven 45 minutes.                              

Cut a slit about 1/2 inch long on top of each popover with a small sharp knife and bake 10 minutes more.

Epicurious

Perfect Popovers

Makes about 1 dozen.

Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. To prepare clarified butter, cut unsalted butter into small pieces and melt in a saucepan over low heat, simmering undisturbed for 10 to 15 minutes but not allowing butter to sizzle, until fats separate. Strain mixture, discarding white milk solids and retaining clear yellow clarified butter. Refrigerate in a tightly sealed glass container for up to 1 month. Rick Nelson's formula, from 2009.

Instructions:

• 5 eggs plus 1 egg white

• 2 c. whole milk

• 6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm to the touch

• 1 3/4 c. flour

• 1 tsp. salt

• 6 tsp. clarified butter for pans (see Note)

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs and egg white until pale and frothy, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat milk in microwave oven (or in a saucepan over low heat) until it is just warm to the touch. Add milk to eggs and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add butter and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.

Reduce speed to low, add flour and salt, and mix just until batter is consistency of heavy cream (a few lumps may remain) and lightly bubbled, about 30 seconds. Cover with plastic wrap and let batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower third of oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place 1/2 teaspoon clarified butter in each popover tin. Loosely cover pan with aluminum foil, place pan on a baking sheet and preheat pan for at least 15 minutes.

Transfer batter into a container with a spout. When pans are hot, remove from oven, remove and discard aluminum foil and carefully pour batter into prepared cups, filling just under two-thirds full.

Return popover pan to oven (keep pan on baking sheet) and bake 25 minutes. Without opening door, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake an additional 14 to 18 minutes until popovers are golden brown.                            

Remove from oven and let popovers rest 1 minute before gently lifting popovers from pans (some may require a little nudging with a dull-edged knife).                    

Serve immediately.

Star Tribune

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:


• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

• 1/2 c. finely chopped celery

• 1/2 large green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced

• 11/2 lb. ground beef

• 1 c. beer

• 1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce

• 1/2 c. ketchup

• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard

• 4 tsp. white vinegar

• 1/4 to 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Toasted rolls, such as hamburger buns

Directions:

In a large skillet on medium-high heat, heat olive oil and sauté onion for about 3 minutes. Add celery and green pepper, and continuing sautéing until vegetables are soft and taking on color. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.

Push vegetables to side of pan and add beef, breaking it up with a fork until meat is crumbled. Cook until meat is cooked through and no pink remains. Add beer, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, vinegar and hot pepper sauce.

Stir, reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes until flavors are blended and liquid is slightly reduced. Season with salt and pepper and serve on rolls as open or closed sandwiches.

Star Tribune

Hamburger Steaks

Ingredients:

Ground Beef (can use lean, ground chuck, etc)
1 Cup Beef Broth
All Purpose Flour
Vidalia or other sweet onion, sliced

Instructions:

Heat one or two tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet.                                

Press ground beef into doughnut shaped patties (the hole in the center will allow it to cook more evenly and will fill in as they shrink during cooking).                                

Dip each patty into flour on both sides and place in hot skillet over medium heat.

Cook for a few minutes on each side, until browned.

Scoot patties to one side and add onions to skillet. Stir and cook for a few minutes until lightly browned.                  

Pour in 1 cup beef broth and cover. Allow to cook until meat is no longer pink in the center, about ten minutes.

Southern Plate

Salisbury Steak

Ingredients:


1 pound of Ground Round Beef
1/2 teaspoon of Black Pepper
1 teaspoon of Salt
1/2 teaspoon of Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce
1 whole Egg
1/4 cup of dry Bread Crumbs
2 Tablespoons of Butter
1 large Onion, sliced
2 Tablespoons of Flour
2 cups of Water
2 teaspoons of Beef Bouillon Granules

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, combine the Beef, Black Pepper, Salt, Garlic Powder, Worcestershire Sauce, Bread Crumbs and one whole Egg. Stir mixture together well.
Shape into 4 equal sized patties.  ***

Heat a skillet over medium heat for about a minute, and then add Butter.

Place meat patties in skillet and brown on both sides for about 4-5 minutes each. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add the sliced Onion into the skillet, right on top of the browned bits.

Reduce the heat and cook the onions on medium-low heat until the onions turn translucent and brown. Don't rush this step. Cook the onions low and slow for about 20-25 minutes.

Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of flour over the onions. Stir. Let cook and brown for about 2 minutes.

Add 2 cups of warm Water. Stir well. Raise the heat back up to about medium.

Add 2 teaspoons of Beef Bouillon Granules. Stir Well.
Place the meat patties back in the pan. Cover. Reduce heat just a little and let simmer for about 15 more minutes.

Remove from heat and serve warm.

***  Oval-shaped patties are classic.

Taste of Southern

Baking Sheet Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
12 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
1 pound pasta spirals (or other small shape)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Salt
2/3 cup whole milk

Directions:

Heat oven to 475 degrees.

Use the butter to thickly grease a 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet.

Combine the grated cheeses and set aside 2 heaping cups for topping.                        

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes. Drain.

In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, cheeses, cayenne and salt to taste. Spread the mixture in the baking sheet and evenly pour the milk over the surface. Sprinkle the reserved cheese on top, sprinkle on a little extra cayenne, and bake, uncovered, until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.

Food52

Chocolate Pound Cake

Old fashioned Chocolate Pound Cake with Mocha Frosting made from scratch. This light pound cake recipe made with butter, shortening, cocoa and milk has been in our family since the 1950s.

Pound cakes were popular back then because they were easy to make, and delicious to eat with or without frosting.

They were taken to potluck dinners, because of the easy transporting. Individual slices were wrapped, carried to work and shared with co-workers.

Old fashioned pound cake recipes before 1960s called for 1 lb. each of butter, flour, sugar, and eggs. They didn't call for leavening agents because eggs were used to make them rise.

They were delicious with the large amounts of butter but, they were too heavy and dense for some folks.

The new formula made a cake that was lighter and tender while retaining it's buttery taste.



Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe

2 sticks butter
1/2 cup Crisco or other solid vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated (reserve egg whites)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned evaporated milk, undiluted
*For a darker Chocolate Pound Cake add an additional 1/4 cup cocoa powder plus 2 tablespoons water.

Cream butter, shortening and sugar together in mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt twice. Add to creamed mixture alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour.

Beat reserved egg whites until stiff. Gently fold into batter just until mixed well. DO NOT over beat.

Pour into a prepared** 10" tube pan. Bake in a preheated oven 325 F. for 1 hour and 20-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and cake starts to loosen around the edges.

Remove from oven and let sit in pan for 10-15 minutes. Invert on a rack to cool.

(To remove the cake I usually lay a clean hand towel over the cake then place the rack on top.I then invert them all together onto the counter top.)

When cool, frost the top and sides with Mocha Frosting (below), Creamy Chocolate Frosting or any other favorite, if desired.



**To prepare baking pan, lightly grease bottom and sides of pan with solid shortening. Dust lightly with flour, shaking out excess.

Place a sheet of waxed paper, cut to fit the bottom of pan and grease and dust it the same way. (I cut various sized pieces of waxed paper to fit the bottoms of all my cake pans and have them ready at a moments notice to bake a cake.)

Chocolate Mocha Frosting

1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (Use 1/2 cup for darker chocolate)
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
5-6 tablespoons Espresso or very strong brewed coffee
Cream together cocoa and butter. Stir in vanilla. Add sugar a little at a time, using as much coffee as needed until all sugar is incorporated and frosting is of spreading consistency.

Frost top and sides of cooled cake.

Chocolate Pound Cake, plain or frosted, makes a wonderful cake to take to a party, picnic, or potluck supper. It is delicious and easy to carry. It also makes a nice bake sale cake.

Old Fashioned Recipes

Raspberry Salad

Ingredients:


5 cups thick applesauce
2 boxes (3 oz. each) raspberry Jello
3 cups cold water
6 oz. cream cheese, softened, (optional)

Directions:

Place applesauce in a saucepan and bring to boiling point.

Remove from heat and stir in dry Jello for about 3 minutes, scraping down sides, until all granules dissolve.

Stir in cool water.

Lightly grease 8 cup jello mold. (A non-stick bundt pan works great) Pour in cooled mixture and refrigerate until congealed.

To un-mold salad, dip mold a few seconds into warm (not hot) water to loosen and invert pan onto serving plate.

Pipe softened cream cheese around bottom of ring for decoration, if desired.

Old Fashioned Recipes