Ooey Gooey Mac and Cheese

Ooey Gooey Macaroni and Cheese

Introduction


So, I'm spoiled… I love mac and cheese but not the dry, barely cheesy stuff you get at most family gatherings and definitely not the box stuff you get at most restaurants! My mom has hands-down perfected mac and cheese and I don't think I will ever find a recipe to out-do hers.  Just to boost my ego a little, I made it for Christmas dinner (just to see if I could) and I got rave reviews from all the mac and cheese veterans that were there.  Seriously, this recipe is so good!  I'm so excited to share it with you.


Materials


16 oz box of elbow macaroni
1/2 cup butter
6 TBS all purpose flour
1/4 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 cups milk
4 cups shredded sharp cheese
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, additional
2 cups mozzarella cheese
8 oz provolone cheese


Topping
10-15 ritz crackers or similar
1/4 cup butter




Methods


1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Cook macaroni according to directions on box. Drain and set aside.
3. In large sauce pan, melt butter, blend in flour, mustard, salt and pepper.
4. Add milk, making sure to break up chunks to keep mixture smooth.
5. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, stir constantly.
6. Mix in 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese until melted.
7. Stir in macaroni.
8. Spoon half of the macaroni mixture into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
9. Sprinkle 1.5 cups of mozzarella cheese on top.
10. Layer all of the provolone cheese on top of the mozzarella.
11. Cover provolone cheese with 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese.
12. Layer remaining macaroni mixture on top.
13. Spread remaining mozzarella and sharp cheddar on top of macaroni mixture.
14. Melt butter for topping in small dish.
15. Crumble ritz crackers and mix with butter. Spread evenly on top.
16. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
17. ENJOY!


References


My awesome mom!

Cranberry Nut Muffins

Cranberry Nut Muffins

Introduction

So, I'm in love with cranberries. Period.  Because of my unwavering love of this tart little berry, I have stocked my freezer with many bags of them. The only thing that sucks for me (and my husband) is that they are only in season at the end of the year, starting around Thanksgiving.  This leads to an interesting dilemma, how do I use ALL those cranberries that I bought?  Here is my first creation.



Materials


1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped frozen cranberries
3/4 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans, thanks to the two trees in my yard!)

Topping


2 tablespoons super
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 shakes ground cloves

Methods

1. Using a hand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar.
2. Add eggs, one at a time.
3. Add vanilla.
4. Mix in sour cream until well combined.
5. Sift together flour, baking powder, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and salt in a separate bowl.
6. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture by hand. Be sure not to over mix. Batter will be thick.
7. Gently fold in cranberries and nuts.
8. Divide batter among paper-lined muffin pans.
9. Sprinkle a generous amount of topping on each muffin. Try to use all of the topping.
10. Bake for 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick to ensure they are finished baking.
11. Enjoy!


Conclusion

This is a great recipe. A perfect way to highlight the tartness of the cranberry and the warmness of the muffin. Using fresh or fresh frozen cranberries is a must, they add a moistness to the finished muffin and the flavor is awesome, much better than the flavor of dried cranberries.  I have also found it to much easier to chop and use the cranberries while frozen as opposed to letting them thaw.

Also, try very hard to use all of the topping. It adds such a delicious crunch and finish to the muffin. I just grabbed a bunch in my fingers and sprinkled all around the top of the batter.

As for the type of nuts you use, be creative. I have made them with walnuts (I had a bag and didn't feel like chopping pecans) and they are equally delicious.  Just be sure to chop the nuts fairly small, you don't want them to overpower the star of the muffins.

I hope you enjoy!


References


This recipe was adapted from the following source:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-pecan-muffins/