Crockpot Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk (I used 1%)
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil the macaroni in water for six minutes and drain.
2. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Heat over medium high heat and stir until the cheese melts.
3. Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine cheese mixture, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper in your slow cooker. Add the drained macaroni and stir again.
4. Cook on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally (I cooked mine for about 2 hours and stirred it twice and it was perfect).

This recipe is from Six Sisters... and all 6 are amazing!!!

Soft Homemade Pretzels

I have Instagram (who doesn't, right?)and so this baking blog of mine has kind of gone by the wayside...until now. I was asked to post a recent recipe I made that involved pretzels, jalapenos and cheese, (Ah-mazing) so here is where we find ourselves. Back on the good'ol blog. and why not? I loved this blog. Gave me an outlet through several years or many ups and downs, grad schools, medical schools, kids and life. So on we go!

 Soft Handmade Pretzels Ingredients: 4.5 cups of flour 2 active dry yeast packages (4.5 tsp) 5 Tbsp unsalted Butter (melted, but not hot) 1 cup water (lukewarm) 1 cup milk (lukewarm) 1.5 Tbsp sugar 1.25 tsp salt

 Pretzel Bath Ingredients: 6 cups water (boiling hot) 2 Tbsp baking soda

 Toppings (OPTIONAL) Jalapenos (i am a wimp and used mild ones) Cheddar cheese Pepperoni


How to: Add Luke warm water, yeast and sugar to the mixing bowl of a Kitchen aide or Bosch. mix together and let sit undisturbed for 10-15 minutes (every mothers dream, am I right??!?) Yeast will be bubbly and amazing. Add four cups of flour, lukewarm milk, salt and melted (though at room temp) butter and mix with paddle attachment until combined. Switch out to dough hook and knead dough for 5 minutes, adding 1 Tbsp of flour until dough gently pulls away from the sides (dough will still be really moist). Remove dough and put into a clean buttered or oiled bowl. Let rise until more than doubled. (1-2 hours) Once doubled punch down and the dough. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and cut into 16 equal portions. While working on the dough start a deep-wide pan heating with water (6 cups) once boiling add Baking soda (2Tbsp) and stir until combined. Preheat oven at this point to 450 degrees. Take one portion of dough and roll with hands until long and thin (like a snake) grab both ends and make "U" than cross middle and attach both ends to pretzel.

 
 Does that make sense? IDK how else to explain it, maybe watch a YOUTUBE video?? Add completed pretzel to boiling water mixture, let soak for 10 seconds. Remove and add to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I fit 6 pretzels per baking sheet. DO this to all the pretzels. Before the oven add whatever toppings that are desired. Bake until golden brown. 10-14 minutes. Adapted from Chef De Home