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

Strawberry cake pops

Prime Rib- Short style

We love Prime Rib in our house (I know right, how pathetic) I love it smeared with creamy horseradish dressing and mashed potatoes, with rolls, and ewey goodness. (I am on a diet right now so typing this may just kill me) Anyways... back to the prime rib. Brandon Short, the BF and best man at our wedding is KNOWN for his prime rib, so I called him to get the secret. I hope he is ok with me sharing:)



any size prime rib

Rub with lots, and I mean LOTS of garlic, rosemary, butter, salt and pepper. Place into deep roasting pan.

cover, and I mean COVER with rock salt (yes, the same stuff you use to make ice cream) now, it says all over those packages, that it's not for cooking purposes, yada, yada, but we are just fine. so do what you will.

Once COMPLETELY covered (yes, I said it again, so you know I am serious) place into a 500 degree oven for 5-7 minutes per pound. When it comes out you pretty much have to dig it out of the salt, but let me tell you it. is. worth. it.

Recipe from Brandon Short

Christmas Eve party

Chocolate Gnosh cake

Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel

Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel, adapted from Bon Appetit
1 pie crust, partially baked (click here for my recipe and tutorial)
Filling:
1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
1 1/2 cups half and half
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon finely minced crystallized ginger, optional
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.For filling:Whisk all ingredients in large bowl until combined. Pour into partially baked, cooled pie crust. Bake until skin begins to form on filling and filling begins to set, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Let pie stand 10 minutes to set slightly. Maintain oven temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare topping:Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Rub in butter with fingertips until mixture begins to form small clumps. Sprinkle topping over pie. Bake until pie is set and streusel is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely. Serve with whipped cream.

adapted from Bon Appetit

Grandma's Buttery Holiday Rolls

I wanted to try a different roll for the holidays this year, so I found this recipe on Prudence Pennywise's blog. Loved them, they were light and fluffy, perfect for Thanksgiving. (I am typing this and it's in the middle of June in Phoenix, We have a long wait until the next Thanksgiving, but I think I could put these rolls outside on our sidewalk right now and they would bake :) It's so hot here. blah!



Grandma's Buttery Holiday Rolls
Estimated Cost: $2.50 for 32 rolls
5 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (baby bottle warm)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup softened butter (or heat it with milk in microwave)
1 and 1/2 cups warm milk (baby bottle warm)
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt
5 and 1/2 cups flour, plus more for rolling
4-8 tablespoons softened butter, for spreading
In a large bowl (or freestand mixer) combine yeast, water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes to "proof" the yeast. If the yeast rises, continue. If it does not, discard the yeast and begin again. Add butter, milk, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Stir in 2 and 1/2 cups flour with a wooden spoon. Dough will be extremely sticky. Let stand, covered in a warm place for one hour. Add remaining flour, stirring with a wooden spoon for two minutes. Dough will be sticky and ragged. Place dough in refrigerator or cold place (basement or garage?) overnight. About 90 minutes before serving time, divide dough into two balls. On a floured surface, roll one ball out into 12 inch circle. Generously butter top of circle. Cut circle into 16 equal wedges. Roll up, beginning with wide edge. Tuck raggedy edge under and place on greased cookie sheet. Allow to rise, covered in a warm spot for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until almost doubled. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. (Rolls can be frozen at this point, tightly wrapped. Bring to room temperature before warming in oven for five minutes.)

Recipe from Prudence Pennywise.

Easy Breadsticks

The last few months in Kingman I made a new friend, Toni Taylor. (yes Toni, I am calling you out :) We had so many things in common, from sewing to cooking, crafting, we were destined to be friends. She is the most amazing baker, trying all sorts of things that just down right scare me. I got this next recipe from her (I really hope she doesn't mind me sharing). She made these breadsticks for our daughters piano recital potluck, it was around Halloween, so she shaped the dough to look like bones. So cute! Anyways, these are easy, SUPER yummy and worth the 20 minutes to make.



1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tb yeast
2 Tb sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour + some
1/4 cups butter, melted to spread on top

Mix dough, roll out ON BAKING SHEET, spread with butter, sprinkle sea salt, parm. and parsley. cut with pizza cuter, then scoot (technical term :) them apart so they can rise and spread during baking.

Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes.

Recipe from THE Toni Taylor. (love ya girl!)

Ebleskivers

Growing up my Mother used to make 'breakfast' for dinner. I loved those nights! Waffles or Ebleskivers, didn't matter, they both were delicious. Now that I am grown up (or try to be) I love making my kids 'breakfast for dinner'. They loved these little round pancake balls. You need a certain pan to cook them, I got mine from my Mother, who got it from William-Sonoma.



2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

3 eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk

Sift dry ingredients, beat egg yokes and then add buttermilk. Mix with dry ingredients. Beat egg whites until stiff and fluffy, fold into mixture.

Heat pan until hot, fill middle circle with water. add 1/2 tsp of crisco in every compartment, cook over medium heat rotating batter so all sides cook evenly. Top with butter and syrup or fruits and powdered sugar.

Recipe from my Mom (David's sister Staci also uses the same recipe)

Give me a BREAK!

Well, I took a break, I am sure you noticed, haven't posted ANYTHING since last November, geesh, what a slacker! I just needed a break. So I took one, sorry for those of you who read often, please know that I have 15 recipes that are set to publish every 5th day, so you will be feed (literally speaking) for a month or so :)

Thanks for understanding, I missed blogging the food I have continued to make. Hope you enjoy these new recipes!

Barb

Owl cupcakes

It all starts with these:



and you go and buy this:



Then you have a little friend that looks like this:
(lets call him Duddly)


Then 'Duddly' tells his friends how fun our house is and how cute the kids are, and eventually we get this:



And apparently Duddly has cousins, friends and neighbors that want to join in the party...



And here I am talking to the cupcakes that I just made. Maybe I need to get out more! As I was packing them up to take them to Keagan's classroom I could swear I heard little voices saying "please don't eat me" Sorry friends. You have got to go.


Keagan loved them as well. We had a blast making (and carrying on conversations) with our new little fury friends!

Danish Ebleskivers

Ebleskivers are one of my favorite things. They are basically pancakes in a ball. You have to have a special pan (see below). They are just so yummy, drizzle them with some homemade buttermilk syrup and you are good to go!


Danish Ebleskivers
3 egg whites - beat till stiff
2 cups buttermilk
3 egg yolks
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sugar
2 cups flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda

Mix buttermilk, egg yolks, salt, and sugar well. Add flour, baking powder, and
baking soda, mix well. Fold in egg whites. Fill cup 1/2 full with batter. Place
1 t. applesauce or jam in center and put a dollup of batter over top. Turn with
fork and cook till center is done. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Grease cups
each time.

Recipe from my Mom (and my sister in law Staci) they are the same recipe :)


you can buy this pan from William-Sanoma

Company cheesecake

This is what it looks like when you chop up snickers bars, Reeces peanut butter cups and drizzle carmel over the top :)


Just plain. But still wonderful!

Crust

1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
(whirl together in food processor)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
drizzle in 1/2 cup melted butter/marg
press into 9 inch spring-form pan

Filing
beat until smooth:
3 eggs
2-8oz packages cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tso vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
blend in 3 cups of sour cream

pour into crust

Bake 375 for 35-40 minutes
(Cheese cake is done when center appears nearly set, but giggles slightly)

cool then chill for 4-5 hours before serving.

Recipe from my Mom

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

Stuffed Pizza Rolls
by OurBestBites

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough
marinara/pizza sauce
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese, diced or grated (diced is the least messy to use when stuffing the rolls)

Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400 degrees. If you make your own dough, 400 is usually a good heat as well.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. Just eyeball how much. You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind. *Don't put marinara in the rolls. Save it for dipping.

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.
Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them!

Recipe from 'The girl who ate everything'

Pizza Rolls

Pizza Rolls
by Let's Dish

Pizza Dough (I bought fresh dough from the bakery or make her dough here)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons basil
1 cup sliced pepperoni, chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or pepperjack)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Divide pizza dough in half. Roll each half into a rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick and 12 inches long. Just think about the size of a piece of paper. Sprinkle each half with equal amounts of garlic salt, basil, cheeses and pepperoni. Starting at a short end, roll dough up tightly to form a log. Slice into 1-inch pieces. Place rolls on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until browned on top. Serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

Her recipe for dough makes enough dough for 2 pizzas. So if you just have one batch of dough half the recipe toppings. Makes 12 pizza rolls.



Rcipes from 'The Girl who ate everything'

Wedding Sugar Cookies

So yes, I may have fallen off the face of the earth... but I am back! I did a wedding last weekend, which took weeks of my time. Crazy, right! But I am glad I did it, just another wedding to put under my belt. (I am getting better at them :) So here are the wedding favors... Wedding cake sugar cookies. I frosted each one with different designs, did I mention I did 150 of these bad boys! So here they are, along with the recipe!


One of the designs... kinda looked like a strand of Christmas lights...but oh well!



Another design. I should have taken the pictures before I bagged them!



Piping the edges.



Fooding them with the royal icing.



All bundled up and ready to go!


Rolled Sugar Cookies-taken from Cookie Craft

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla* or 1 teaspoon vanilla plus zest of 1 lemon
food coloring (if cookie design calls for it)

*Instead of vanilla, you can use other extracts such as almond or peppermint.

1. Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl.

2. Using your mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla (and lemon zest, if you're using it) or your extract of choice and mix until well blended.

3. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until the two are thoroughly blended.

4. If your cookie design calls for adding food coloring, do so now, and continue blending until desired color is reached and is evenly incorporated.

5. Turn out dough onto work surface and divide into two or three equal portions, Form each one into a rough disk. Click here for step by step and visuals of how to roll out dough and attain cookies of the same thickness.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7. After you have rolled and cut the dough and the cookie shapes are on parchment-lined cookie sheets, bake them in the middle rack of the oven for 12-16 minutes or until the cookies start to turn slightly golden around the edges.

8. Cool cookies completely on a rack before icing or decorating.

Yield
2 1/2-inch cookies--about 30
3 1/2-inch cookies--about 16
4 1/2-inch cookies--about 12


Antonia74’s Royal Icing Recipe
Ingredients:
6 oz (3/4 cup) of warm water
5 Tablespoons meringue powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 kilogram (2.25 lbs.) powdered icing sugar

Directions:
In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand until it is frothy and thickened…about 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds more. Pour in all the icing sugar at once and place the bowl on the mixer. Using the paddle attachment on the LOWEST speed, mix slowly for a full 10 minutes. Icing will get thick and creamy. Cover the bowl with a dampened tea-towel to prevent crusting and drying. Tint with food colourings or thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency.

30 meals in 1 day

ATTENTION WORKING MOMS (this means me, too!) The hardest part I am finding about working nights is that my kids end up eating top ramen, or quesadillas. There are nights that I am at work feeling sad that I didn't have the energy to make something before I left...but NOT any more! There are some pretty cool websites out there that help Mrs. working Mom! Go HERE for recipes and HERE for a fun calender and 'how-to'



So needless to say tomorrow I am going to dig in my two freezers to gather ingredients to start baking for the month, it is actually perfect timing because this week I am working every night except Friday. :)

Cinnamon roll sugar cookies

I wanted to make something different to have for Keagan when she came home from her first day of school, and this was definetively it! The kids loved them, and they were good in a cinnamon roll way :)

**Yes, I fogot to take a picture of them...but go HERE to see Picky Palate's picture.

2 Cups sugar
1 Cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup sour cream
6 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons softened butter, (slice 2 Tablespoons 6 times totaling 12 tablespoons)
1 1/2 Cups packed light brown sugar, divided into 1/4 Cups
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon, divided
Frosting
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons milk, to thin icing
1. In an electric or stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well combined. Slowly add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.
2. In 2 batches, place in plastic wrap in a disc shape and chill for at least 2 hours for best results.
3. Once chilled, cut each disc into thirds and roll into a 1/8 inch thick oval, about 12 inches X 5 inches. Spread each rolled pieces of dough with 2 Tablespoons softened butter, 1/4 Cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Start rolling from the long end closest to you, rolling into a log shape. Using a sharp knife, cut 1/2 inch pieces of dough then placing onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet.
4. To prepare frosting, beat the cream cheese until softened and smooth, slowly add powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency. Frost cookies then place in refrigerator until ready to serve. These are 100 times better chilled, trust me!!
Makes at least 6 dozen

From Picky Palate

Crunchy peach cobbler

I went to Bakerella looking for a yummy dessert, she had LOTS to choose from, so I tried the peach cobbler one. It was so sweet and yummy, I recommend eating this with vanilla ice cream.


(this picture is from bakerella.com)


Go HERE for the original post and the 'how to'.