Macaroni and Cheese

I’m a big fan of the Pioneer Woman and I read her blog daily. When she wrote about having a new cooking show on the Food Network on Saturday mornings I had to check it out.  This week she made homemade macaroni and cheese and sliders. It looked so delicious on TV that I made it for dinner Sunday night. I only made half of the recipe and had to skip the mustard since Carl is anti-mustard. The macaroni and cheese was creamy and delicious! We made sliders too, topped with caramelized onions and bacon on sweet Hawaiian rolls.

Macaroni and Cheese

4 cups dried macaroni

1 whole egg beaten

¼ cups (4 Tbsp) butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2-1/2 cups whole milk

2 tsp (heaping) dry mustard

1 lb. cheese, grated

½ tsp salt, more to taste

½ tsp seasoned salt, more to taste

½ tsp ground black pepper

Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.

In a small bowl, beat egg.

In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium eat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.

Pour in milk, add mustard and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very think. Reduce heat to low.

Take ¼ cups of the sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Whisk together until smooth.

Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in cheese and stir to melt.

Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed.

Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.

Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

Here is the link to the original recipe on the Pioneer Woman's website.

Cowboy Beans

My bridemaids (on Carl's side of the family) had a Pampered Chef bridal shower for me and requested that each guest bring a recipe to the party as well. Carl's Aunt Michelle gave me this recipe for cowboy beans at the bridal shower and these baked beans are delicious. The recipe makes alot of beans so I suggest only making half of the recipe unless you're making them for a large get-together. These go great with cheeseburgers off the grill and potato salad.

2lbs hamburger
1 medium onion
1/2lb bacon
3 cans pork-n-beans
1 can red beans
1 can baby butter beans
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 teaspoons mustard
1 2/3 cup ketchup

- Brown hamburger and onion together. Drain grease.
- Fry bacon and crumble.
- Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for one hour. Reduce heat to low or bake in the oven for a half hour.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham and Sloppy Joes

Scalloped potatoes and ham is a classic Christlieb family recipe. We have these potatoes at most family get togethers and they go great with so many things.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

6 medium potatoes - sliced thin
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup diced ham
3/4 cup Velveeta

Partially boil potatoes and place in a greased 9"x13" baking dish. In a medium saucepan combine butter, milk, cornstarch, soup, ham and velveeta. Heat through and pour over potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately one hour.

Sloppy Joes

2 lbs hamburger
1 onion - chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
1 can tomato soup
1-2 tablespoons mustard
4 tablespoons brown sugar

Brown hamburger, onions and green peppers in a skillet until cooked. Add soup, mustard and brown sugar. Continue cooking until well combined and heated through.

Baked Cabbage with Bacon

This is a recipe from Carl's bachelor days in Kentucky. It's a delicious new take on baked cabbage and goes well with steak.

1 head of cabbage - cut in 8 equal wedges
16 slices of bacon
2 sticks of butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

- Tear off a piece of foil (appox 12"x18") and spray the center with cooking spray
- Cut 2 Tbsp of butter into 4 pieces
- Place two pats of butter in the center of the foil
- Place the wedge of cabbage on the butter
- Wrap the wedge of cabbage with two pieces of bacon
- Season with salt and pepper
- Place the remaining two pats of butter on top of the cabbage
- Fold and crimp the foil together to create a sealed pocket
- Bake at 450 degrees for 40 minutes or until cabbage is tender

*We usually half the recipe to make only 4 wedges of baked cabbages