3 Cheese Macaroni And Cheese With Ham

I had a ton of ham left over from Easter dinner at my house on Sunday. I also had the stomach flu yesterday. So today when my appetite returned, sort of, I wanted something really comforting to eat. This baked ham and macaroni and cheese recipe I created turned out great! It really hit the spot and my husband declared it "possibly the best macaroni and cheese I've ever eaten." He may have been just trying to get the kids to try it. Because heaven forbid you do something radical to the worlds most kid-friendly food, like add HAM to it, or put BREAD CRUMBS on top of it. Now it somehow needs talking-into. Pschaw. Ignore the kids... I swear it's delicious!


3 Cheese Baked Macaroni & Cheese With Ham

(Serves 8)

• 4 oz ham, chopped to bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup onion, diced fine
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 ¼ cups milk
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup) shredded medium cheddar cheese
• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of your favorite cheese, grated or cubed. I like parmesan, gouda, or havarti. Nearly anything will work, but cheeses with more flavor produce a better result.
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs

Directions:
• In a large sauce pan, cook macaroni for 7-8 minutes in salted, boiling water. Macaroni should be slightly al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, fry the ham for 3-4 minutes on medium heat until it begins to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 2 quart casserole dish or a 9x13 inch pan with foil. Spray with no-stick cooking spray. This will make clean-up a breeze. No baked-on cheese to scrape!
• Now it’s time to make the roux. In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and garlic powder and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the edges are beginning to brown. Remove from heat. Whisk in the flour, one tablespoon at a time until smooth (the onions will make it a little lumpy, but you don’t want lumps of flour). Return to the heat. Cook and stir the butter, onion and flour for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens. Whisk in the milk a little at a time, stirring constantly. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook an additional 2 minutes.
• Now add the cheeses. First the cream cheese, cut into chunks. Once that is mostly melted, add the cheddar, half at a time. Once that appears mostly melted, add your final cheese. Stir for another minute or two until the cheese is all melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Pour cheese sauce over macaroni. Stir in ham. Add salt and pepper. Stir well to incorporate.
• Once the whole thing is nicely mixed, pour the macaroni into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs until the surface is lightly covered. (Add more if needed).
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are hot and bubbly. Change heat to broil and cook an additional 2 minutes to brown the bread crumbs.

YUM!

I Used To Be Chicken, But...

Is this what my blog has come to? Posting about recipes for soup with bad puns as titles? YEP. Two kids, one ginormous belly, and serious spring fever (it's 68 degrees today!!!) will do that to you.

So moving right along...

I'm not much of a soup fan. Soup seriously takes way more effort than it's worth. Stew is a maybe. But most soups, especially brothy soups, are just a cheap imitation of a meal. Plus most of it ends up dribbling down your chin. It's not just me right?? Well, maybe I'm not very talented at eating soup. Whatever. Anyway, I generally never eat soup. But yesterday both Daphne and I had yucky-tummy. Nothing sounded good to us except chicken soup. And Campbells, I'm sorry to say, is the worst version of soup because there is hardly anything in it but the mess. That left me no choice but to make chicken soup from scratch, something I (for obvious reasons) have never done.

So I found a recipe on allrecipes.com that had ALL FIVE STARS for its user rating, which rarely happens, so I figured it was sure to turn out well. AND I happened to have all the ingredients on hand. So guess what? It did turn out well! And the best part? The recipe actually called for the half eaten carcass of our rotisserie chicken from a couple of days ago that I had been keeping in the fridge on the off chance that I would need the remaining chicken for something even though I never do and always end up throwing it away a week later. Bonus!

This recipe is for a ton of people. I halfed it and it was plenty for the four of us for dinner and at least 2-3 servings to go in the fridge. I served it with a delicious ciabatta bread from Kneaders, but I have a recipe for amazing homemade ciabatta bread that I would have used if I had known 24 hours ahead of time that I would have yucky-tummy and an chance to actually use up my rotisserie chicken. (It's an easy recipe but you do have to start the dough 24 hours before and let it sit. I'll post it if anyone is interested.)



Five Star Chicken Soup

First you make the base:
2 quarts chicken broth
1 quart water
1 store-bought roast chicken
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, cut into medium dice
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds or half rounds, depending on size
2 large stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Directions
1. Bring broth and water to a simmer over medium-high heat in a large soup kettle. Meanwhile, separate chicken meat from skin and bones; reserve meat. Add skin and bones to the simmering broth. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer until bones release their flavor, 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Strain broth through a colander into a large container; reserve broth and discard skin and bones. Return kettle to burner set on medium-high.
3. Add oil, then onions, carrots and celery. Saute until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add chicken, broth and thyme. Bring to a simmer. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days in advance. Return to a simmer before adding the extras of your choice.)

3 cups egg noodles (I let the kids choose the shape. They went with bow ties.)
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Add 3 cups egg noodles, then simmer until tender, 10-20 minutes: (I only simmered mine as long as the noodles said to, which was 7 minutes)
3. Before removing from heat, stir in: 1 cup (5 ounces) frozen green peas and 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley. (The peas will be fully cooked by the time the soup is served.)
4.Final touch: Add salt and pepper, to taste.

So there you have it. Delicous! And very good for a yucky tummy. And actually it was quite easy, but the de-meating and simmering parts take a while, so make sure to start this soup well ahead of time. Also, if anyone wants my recipe for amazing crusty artisan bread with a chewy center, let me know.

Non Dairy-Assult Moon Cake (Not To Be Confused With Non-Dairy Assault Moon Cake, which has no dairy in it and may cause broken glass.)

In case you didn't read my post from yesterday, where a near disaster involving whipped cream, a mixing bowl, and my wall, was barely averted, click here.

If you did read it and would like the recipe, the REAL recipe (not the one that caused the baking crisis that forced me to break the 4th commandment), here it is. I promise it's delicious! Just let me give you a piece of advice: Buy INSTANT pudding. Oh, and get the right size. Also make it WAY ahead of time, just in case. That's a lot of advice. But trust me, follow it!


Moon Cake (Also known as Eclair Cake. But not the same as lots of people's Eclair Cake online, I found out when looking for this recipe. Also not the same as Chinese Moon Cake, which looks good but is nothing like this.) (I'm starting to realize this dessert really needs its own name. I think I'll rename it now: 4th Commandment Cake. How's that?)

4th Commandment Cake

• 1 cup water
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 3 3.4oz packages vanilla INSTANT pudding
• 3½ cups milk
• 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened extensively
• 8 oz. Cool Whip (or whip up 1 pint of heavy whipping cream with 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Tastes better.)
• Chocolate syrup
• Toasted Sliced Almonds (optional)

CRUST
Bring water and butter to a boil. Add the flour. Remove from heat and stir until a paste forms. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each egg into the dough individually (by hand). Spread dough into greased jelly roll pan and bake @ 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool completely. (The crust will be very high and lumpy when it comes out of the oven, like the surface of the MOON, hence the former name.)

FILLING
Make sure cream cheese is very soft. I even like to pre-beat it in the mixer first to get it smooth. Remove it from the mixer to a separate bowl. Combine pudding and milk in a large mixing bowl. Mix on high until blended. Add in the cream cheese. Mix for 3-4 minutes or until pudding is smooth and begins to thicken. Spread onto cooled crust. Place in the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours.

TOPPING
If you have not thrown your whipped cream at the wall, spread it evenly over the pudding layer now. Drizzle chocolate syrup over whipped cream in straight rows about 1" apart. Drag a knife through the rows in alternating directions to create a marbled look.
If you want to add nuts, roast 1 cup of sliced almonds in a pan on low heat with 1 tsp butter until they begin to brown. Sprinkle over dessert just before serving.


I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. And if not, I happen to know that Harmons sells a decent cheesecake.

Menu Monday

I am going to start posting a favorite recipe on Mondays. 'Cause I am generous like that. Besides, most are stolen from my sister. (But I'm going to share them like they're my own anyway, because, really, who actually makes up their own recipes? They're all stolen from somewhere, right?) And if you'd like to share one back, feel free. I'm always up for a new recipe.

Today's recipe falls under the Appetizer/Looks Slightly Like Baby Food category.

I posted this recipe about 2 years ago, but I'm pretty sure no one who reads my blog now was reading it then, so I'm posting it again. It's probably my most requested recipe. It's delicious! It's easy on the tomato, which I like, and the Italian dressing blends the flavors nicely. This is a party-sized recipe, so if you're making it just to nibble on yourself, you might want to half it.



Avocado Salsa
3 large ripe avocados (or 5 small)
3 Roma tomatoes
3 TBS green onion
1 can white shoepeg corn (it's a smaller sized can in the canned corn aisle)
1 can black-eyed peas, hey ya
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix (plus oil, vinegar, water)

Dice avocados, tomatoes, and green onions. Add to a large bowl. Drain the corn and peas/beans and add them. Follow directions on the dressing packet. Pour the dressing over the veggies. Stir well. Serve with Scoops corn chips.

Easy peasy!


If you'd like to post your favorite appetizer recipe, you may link it below. (Click on the blue text.)

Recipe Exchange (Beuller? Beuller?)

Ok, so either not a single one of my readers cooks, or you are all selfish recipe hoarders who want my family to die of food boredom, or else (hopefully) it was just a busy week and everybody but Jennifer (you wonderful woman) had a hard time getting back to my post.

Whatever the case, the Recipe Rejection Syndrome is kicking into full gear. I can hear the Ranch dressing and ketchup calling my name: "USE ME! USE ME IN EVERYTHING!" You don't want my poor family to suffer that way, do you? So please, I'll beg one last time, please share a recipe?!

Here's how to play:

1) Make a new blog post titled "Recipe Exchange" and post a recipe you love on your blog. (Include instructions for others to play along.)
2) Post the link to your recipe in my comments.
3) Check back to my comments often to see the links others have posted to their recipes.
4) Click on their comments to get even MORE links.
5) Start cooking! And be sure to report back to me (oh, and them) if you liked what you made.


I'll even post one more of my favorite recipes for good measure.

Homemade Cinnamon-Vanilla Pancakes
(Makes 8-10 pancakes. Double the recipe if your family needs more.)

1 1/3 cup flour
2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
4 TBS melted butter + butter for the pan
1 cup milk

In a medium bowl, mix together with a whisk: flour, baking powder, sugar, and cinnamon. Add egg, vanilla, and nearly all of the milk (reserve a few TBS). Whisk together. Pour in melted butter and whisk until smooth. Check the consistency of the batter-- it should drip from the whisk in globs but should not be runny. If it is too thick, add more milk, 1 TBS at a time. (Add flour 1 TBS at a time if too runny).

Heat large square frying pan or griddle to medium heat. Add 1 TBS butter to the pan and spread around. When butter begins to sizzle, drop batter to desired size. Cook until edges begin to firm up and bubbles appear in the center of the pancakes (or until edges are lightly browned). Flip and cook until the bottom is lightly brown. Add more butter for additional pancakes.

YUM!


Ok, seriously though. Now I've shared two of my very favorite, delicious, and easy recipes. You should feel extremely guilty not reciprocating. You should be haunted every time you open the fridge or the pantry by the thought that I'm anxiously checking my blog for shared recipes while you Scrooge yours away. Waiting...waiting...waiting......


Beuller?

Recipe Exchange Reject

Have you ever gotten an email to join an online recipe exchange? It's where you email a recipe you really like to the two people whose names are at the top of the list in the email. Then you delete them, put your own name at the bottom, and forward it on to ten people. Then, like the elusive chain letter that is supposed to earn you millions of dollars, dozens of wonderful recipes should come flooding back to you in a few days.

Well, I've gotten several of these. Five or eight at least. And guess how many recipes I've ever gotten back? ZERO. For some reason the people I send my emails to (and I try to pick them based on people I know enjoy cooking) never follow through. Or else their friends never follow through. Or else their friends don't. Somewhere along the line, the chain always breaks and I am left with the same old recipes I've always used. Oh sure, I could look up new recipes online or get a cookbook. But I am always wary of things I haven't tried. Or someone I know personally hasn't tried. I want something with rave reviews from someone whose judgement I trust.

Enter you guys!

Soooo, I'd like to propose a blog version of the recipe exchange. If you like to cook or bake, and you like getting new tried-and-true recipes to try, then this is for you. I can't promise you a million dollars, or even a million recipes, but maybe, just maybe a few dozen good ones will come in to your blog soon. And you don't even have to use a stamp!

I'm also thinking, if people like the recipe exchange idea, maybe I'll make it a monthly thing. Maybe I'll even make it themed! Like Mexican Night, Crock Pot Favorites, Skunk Cabbage Delights, etc.

Here's how to play:

1) Make a new blog post titled "Recipe Exchange" and post a recipe you love on your blog. (Include instructions for others to play along.)
2) Post the link to your recipe in my comments.
3) Check back to my comments often to see the links others have posted to their recipes.
4) Click on their comments to get even MORE links.
5) Start cooking! And be sure to report back to me (oh, and them) if you liked what you made.


I hope that made sense. I also really hope this works. I'm not sure I could take more recipe exchange rejection. I might be doomed to eat Chicken Casserole and Tacos over and over for the rest of my life!


Pasta Carbonera - I love this recipe because it is easy and quick and I almost always have everything on hand.

Ingredients:
2 cups shell noodles (or whatever you have on hand)
1/2 onion, diced
8 slices of bacon, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup parmeasan cheese
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper


In a large pot, cook noodles to al dente (slightly firm). Drain and return to pan ( no heat). Meanwhile, brown the bacon and onions until crisp. Drain and set aside. In a blender, combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper until thoroughly mixed. Pour egg mixture over cooked noodles and return to medium heat. Toss in peas. Add bacon/onions and begin slowly turning the mixture over continuously with a spatula, scraping the bottom as you go. (Don't stir or you will turn the noodles to mush). As eggs begin to become lumpy, add the cheese. Continue turning mixture until eggs are nearly cooked through but are still slightly glossy (3-5 minutes). Turn off heat, but leave on stove until ready to serve.
Enjoy!

Now it's your turn. What have you got for me?




Daily Weight Loss: 0.8 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 9.4 lbs

The Breakfast Of (HCG) Champions

On the HCG diet, along with 200 grams of lean meat, one is supposed to eat two servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit a day. She can eat them together, at a meal, like Halibut, cucumbers, and oranges. Or separate, as a snack or for dessert. For me, I like to have my first serving of fruit for breakfast, in the form of a smoothie. So I thought I'd share my smoothie recipe. Because even if you're not on this diet, you will love how delicious, nutritious, and low-cal this breakfast or snack is.





Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie

Throw in the blender:
5-6 strawberries, cut in quarters (leaves removed)
1 TBS non-fat Greek yogurt (you can also use regular non-fat yogurt, but the Greek yogurt is so much creamier. You can also use vanilla yogurt for extra flavor).**
2 TBS water
3 packets Truvia (or 2 TBS sugar if you like getting fatter)*
5 ice cubes
optional - 1/2 orange (add one extra ice cube)
Blend until smooth.

Enjoy this 42 Calorie Breakfast, dessert, or snack!




* Truvia is an all-natural, 0 calorie sweetener. It's made from the sweetest part of the Stevia leaf, (Stevia is a member of the crystanthemum family). Stevia has been used for sweetening foods and drinks in Paraguay for over 200 years. And did I mention ZERO calories!?!
** Yogurt is not officially on the HCG diet. However, I have been using 1 TBS in my smoothies in lieu of the permitted 1 TBS non-fat milk for most of my diet and haven't noticed any difference in my weight loss. I find that it adds a lot of flavor and creaminess to the smoothie, so I'm sticking with it. Feel free to substitute it with non-fat milk if you're following the HCG diet exactly.



Daily Weight Loss: 0.4 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 5.2 lbs.
(Yesterday I had a .2 gain. Thanks a lot, birthday cake.)

Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Diet Brakers

I had so many requests for this recipe after my status update yesterday on Facebook....Ok, two people requested it....that I thought I'd post it. For those of you who aren't on a diet. And also for those of you who are doing Biggest Loser. Hey, cheap shots are the only chance I have! So, here goes....

Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Truffle Cookies
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (you could use milk chocolate chips if you don't like your cookies super rich)
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla

1. Melt the unsweetened chocolate, 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, and butter in a medium sized bowl in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until the mixture is smooth. Put aside to cool slightly.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Combine the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl and, with an electric mixer, beat on high speed until they are thick and pale, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chocolate mixture on low speed until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips. Place bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes (or up to 6 hours) to let the dough firm up. Preheat the oven to 350.
4. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets (I think this is unnecessary if you have non-stick cookie sheets) leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake until the tops are cracked and shiny, 10-12 minutes. Carefully transfer the whole parchment paper to cooling wracks. (If you don't use parchment paper, let them cool on the cookie sheet a few minutes until they are firm). Allow cookies to cool completely.

Hope you ruin your weigh in this week enjoy them!

Divine White Wheat Bread That I am Taking Credit For

So I am totally going to flat out steal this recipe and rename it as mine. And not cause I'm a thief. It's because I have had to make so many modifications to this so-called recipe ("so-called" because it gives you so little actual direction) that it barely even resembles the one I started with. Sorry, Sister Sampson.

So for those of you who expressed interest in trying this really good bread recipe, here you go:

(Learned the hard way tip: It is really important to use freshly ground whole wheat flour. The reason that wheat bread tends to have a bitter taste, especially the crust, is that whole wheat contains oils. Once it is ground, it only takes about 3 weeks for the oils to go rancid. So most whole wheat flour that you buy at the store has already gone rancid. If you want to make wheat bread that doesn't have that bitter taste, you'll have to grind your own wheat, or get someone you know to grind it right before you make it. And if you're collecting wheat in your food storage, you are going to have to eat that wheat at some point, so why not invest in a wheat grinder now? Maybe request one for Christmas?)


DIVINE WHITE WHEAT BREAD by Arianne
(Makes two 9x5 loaves)

2 1/2 cups hot water or hot milk (I like it with milk. More flavorful. If you do the milk, microwave it until it is steaming, about 1 1/2-2 minutes).
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey or 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
5-7 cups freshly ground hard white wheat flour
1 TBS gluten
1 TBS dough enhancer
1 TBS yeast

Hook up an electric mixer with the bread hook attachment. Then pour 2 1/2 cups of flour in the bowl with the yeast an stir it together with a spooon. Next add your hot water/milk and stir it up. Then add all the rest of the ingredients, minus the flour. Stir it all together with a spoon. Now add 3 cups of flour and turn on the mixer on low. Once the dough is uniform, start adding flour 1/2 cup at a time. Your goal is to get the bread to pull away from the sides of the bowl and make a big lump in the middle of the mixer. So after you add each 1/2 cup, let it mix in completely. If it starts to stick back to the sides as it mixes, add another 1/2 cup. But as soon as it pulls away and doesn't stick back to the sides as it mixes, stop adding flour. Now mix for 7-8 minutes on low. Since the bread will be in a glob, you'll have to push it off the hook now and then. Now make a very clean spot on your counter. Pour a dollop of oil on the counter and spread it around. Drop the dough onto the oiled counter. Divide the dough in half. Get a little oil on your hands and begin forming the dough into a loaf shape. You do this by tucking the dough under itself, like you're pulling the sides of the blob down and then under. After you have done this a few times and the blob is smooth, stretch it into an oval and place it into a buttered bread pan. Set on the stovetop, and repeat with the other blob. Now cover the loaves with a cloth. Turn the oven on 350. Let the bread rise until it is at least doubled in size. (Learned the hard way tip: the bread should rise until it looks about how you'd want it to look as a finished loaf.) This may take 20-45 minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is. Bake 25-30 minutes, until the top is nicely brown. Brush the tops with butter, remove from pans, and cool, covered, on cooling racks.

The End!


Don't be discouraged if it doesn't turn out well the first time. For me, the keys were making sure I had good yeast, making sure I added just enough flour to form a blob (not too little so it was still gooey), and letting it rise until it was very high before baking it. I also had better success with glass/pyrex bread pans than metal ones. My bread rose higher and faster and cooked more evenly in my pyrex pan. The good thing about making bread is that it isn't very expensive. So if you have to try again, it won't cost you much. Once you figure this recipe out, you can double it for a larger family. Enjoy! (And let me know if you made any modifications that were helpful.)