Easy Mac & Cheese Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, olive oil and salt; set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for about 8 minutes, it should still be a little firm. Remove from the heat, drain and return to the pot; stir in the butter and egg until pasta is evenly coated. Reserve 1/2 cup of the sharp Cheddar cheese and stir the remaining Cheddar cheese, milk, and mozzarella cheese into the pasta. Spoon in to the prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle the reserved cheese and the bread crumb mixture over the tops.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned. Allow for the muffins to cool for a few minutes before removing from pan. This lets the cheese set and they will hold their muffin shape.

Spice Cake in a Jar

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon shortening, melted

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup golden raisins

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brush five sterilized canning jars with melted shortening. Place jars on a baking sheet; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, all-spice, and salt. Stir in pecans and raisins. In another bowl, combine milk, butter, honey, sour cream, egg, and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Combine milk mixture with flour mixture, stirring to combine well. Evenly divide batter between jars, filling each jar approximately half full.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Using kitchen towels, remove one jar at a time form the oven; carefully place lid and ring on each, screw lids on tightly. Cool jars on counter top. Once jars have sealed (popped!), store in a cool place for up to one year.

Chile Cheese Squares

Ingredients:

1 pint (16-oz) cottage cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
10 eggs
2 small cans (4-oz) of diced green chiles
1 small jar of diced pimentos
1 pound of jack or cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put the cottage cheese in the bowl and stir to smooth it out. Add butter, flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, chiles, pimentos, and cheese. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

Pour into baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 35 minutes.

Let stand at room temperature until cool, then cut into 1x1.5" squares. Or cover and refrigerate overnight and then cut before serving.

Ranch-Flavored Oyster Crackers

Ingredients:

1 box (16 oz.) oyster crackers

1/4 cup olive oil

1 packet of Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix (use buttermilk if you can find it)

Directions:

Place crackers in the mixing bowl.

Pour oil over crackers and toss to coat.

Add Ranch Mix and toss again until coated.

Bake at 250 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until toasty brown.

Orange Cranberry Preserves

Ingredients:

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

2 cups orange marmalade

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stir orange juice and sugar until sugar is dissolved.

Add in remaining ingredients: bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low to simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture is reduced to about 3 cups (takes about 15-17 minutes).

Cool to room temperature. Place in glass jar and refrigerate up to a week or so.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:

5 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 cup diced portobello mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon minced chives
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk (whole)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cans oil packed tuna, drained
8 ounces egg noodles, cooked until al dente and drained
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup panko bread crumps 

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F. In a large sautee pan, heat 1 Tbs. of butter over medium-high until foaming. Stir in mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have given off all of their liquid and cooked through (10 or so minutes). Season lightly with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl and set aside. 

Add another 1/2 Tbs. butter to the frying pan, then cook onion, shallot and celery together for about 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the chopped herbs and the sherry and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir the mushrooms into this mixture, then set this aside. 

In a saucepan, heat 3 Tbs. of butter over medium-high until foaming. Stir in the flour to make a roux and cook for about 2 minutes. Then whisk in the milk and chicken stock, bit by bit, to make a smooth sauce. Cook, stirring, until just slightly thickened (another minute or two). Then add the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Flake the tuna and combine the tuna, the white sauce, the mushroom-onion mixture, and the noodles all together. Grease and 8X8 inch baking pan and transfer the casserole mixture into it. 

In a small pan, melt the last Tbs. of butter. Stir in the minced garlic and the panko breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until the panko is golden brown. Sprinkle this all over the casserole. Put the casserole in the oven and bake until it is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve.

Caramelized Onion Soup

Ingredients:

3 pounds onions; thinly sliced

4 tablespoons of butter

1 cup of Balsamic Vinegar

2.5 cups of veggie broth

salt

pepper

Directions

Combine onions, butter and vinegar in Crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Pour cooked onions with juice into large pot. Add 2.5 cups of broth. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium to low heat until simmering.