Spinach – bacon macaroni and cheese

3 C. medium shell macaroni, uncooked
1 pkg. (6 oz.) fresh baby spinach leaves
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 Tbs. flour
2 C. milk
2 C. Shredded cheddar cheese
¼ C. grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350.

Cook Macaroni as directed on package, add spinach the last minute. Cook bacon in large saucepan. Remove bacon, save drippings in pan.

Add flour to drippings, cook and stir until bubbly. Gradually pour in milk. Bring to boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 3-5 mins or until thickened.

Stir in 1 C. cheddar cheese and Parmesan; cook and stir until melted. add bacon and macaroni; mix well.

Pour into 1 ½ qt. casserole dish, top with remaining cheddar. Bake 20 minutes.


I left out the spinach this time and the girls thought it was the "real" macaroni and cheese, just with a little bacon. It was a hit.

Sausage and Shrimp in one pot

Kennedy and I have gotten in the habit lately of going downstairs at 11:00 and watching the Rachael Ray show while folding laundry, I am getting a lot of laundry done!! One day last week she made this and I just had to make it, so we went shopping and made it. Kennedy thought it was so cool that we watched Rachael make it then we made it. It is a really, really yummy soup, not too kid friendly. Kennedy liked it because of above, but Tori hated it. It has a little spicyness to it, depending on the sausage you use, next time I will just use regular sausage instead of Italian. Austin and I really liked it though. I hope you enjoy it too.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound hot or sweet bulk Italian sausage or 1 pound of links, split from casings
2 cubanelle peppers, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes or stewed tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1 pound large, peeled, deveined shrimp
A handful of basil leaves, torn or shredded
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, a handful, chopped
1 loaf ciabatta bread (I just made my own French bread and it was good with it)

Heat a large, high-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat with EVOO, a couple of turns of the pan. Add the sausage, crumble and brown 3-4 minutes then add peppers, onions and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes more so the vegetables start to soften.

Add tomatoes, stock and bay leaf, stir and bring up to a boil. Add shrimp and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook 5 minutes, uncover and stir in basil and parsley. Turn off heat.

Crisp bread in the hot oven. Serve stoup in shallow bowls with crusty bread alongside for mopping.

Thanks to Rachael Ray for this one!

Raspberrry Cheesecake Bars

Crust Filling
1 1/4 C flour 2 pkgs. cream cheese (8 oz. each)
1/2 C brown sugar 2/3 C sugar
1/2 C ground almonds 2 eggs
1/2 C butter 1/2 tsp. almond extract
dash of salt 1 C raspberry preserves
1/4 C sliced almonds (opt.)
Combine crust ingredients in food processor for 30 seconds. Reserve 3/4 C for topping and press remaining into a 9 X 13 greased pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Blend cheese and sugar well. Add eggs and extract and spread over hot crust. Return to oven 15 minutes. Spread preserves evenly over hot bars. Sprinkle remaining crust mix (and sliced almonds) over top and return to oven for 15 minutes.

Parmesan Chicken

2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts (I actually did 4)
2 C. finely smashed Ritz crackers (or any buttery crackers)
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 C. wheat germ
16 oz plain yogurt

Put Chicken in between plastic wrap and beat with a tenderizer, I used the back of a ice cream scoop. Mix all ingredients but chicken and yogurt. Dip chicken in yogurt then cracker mixture, making sure it is well coated. Place in baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

Ice Cream Layer2 gallons high-quality mint chocolate chip ice cream
Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll-type pan with plastic wrap. Lightly grease.Soften ice cream until it is easy to scoop, then spread it into an even layer in the prepared pan.Freeze for at least 6 hours, or until very firm.Once it is firm, the pan can be removed and the layer can be stored in plastic wrap.

Chocolate Cake (make 2)

2 cups sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 10×15-inch jelly roll-type pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Leave some paper overhanging the edges of the pan.In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Pour into flour mixture and stir until just combined.Pour hot water (not quite boiling) over batter and stir until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.Bake for about 25 minutes, until cake springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper to transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely. Do not remove parchment paper.

Repeat recipe to make a second cake.

Enchalida very easy

ENCHALIDAS Very easy recipe

Things needed: Beef, tortillas, (2) Enchalida Sauce, cheese, olives-(optional)

Ground Beef in skillett, get tortillas put them in a cooking pan, open enchalida sauce spread sauce on tortillas lay out like 6 or 7 tortillas or whatever will fit, add beef to each of the tortillas, then put ADD cheese and add olives if you'd like, then fold the tortillas and and sauce on top and cheese.

COOK 350 DEGREES FOR 15 MINUTES

CHICKEN CROISSANT

Buy pillsbury croissant you can just buy the chicken in a can or buy chicken breats and cook that, roll out the dough ADD chicken cheese and olives (those our optional) and roll up, you can add cheese on top of the croissant if you want, stick in the oven for whatever the croissant's call for GREAT RECIPE and very easy to make; one of my favorites!!!