Mac n Cheese

 

Recipe adapted from All Recipes.

Ingredients

Macaroni and Cheese:

• 8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni

• 1 small diced onion

• 1 tsp of minced garlic

• ¼ cup salted butter

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 ½ cups milk, or more as needed

• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

• salt and ground black pepper to taste (Optional)

Bread Crumb Topping:

• 2 tablespoons salted butter

• ½ cup dry bread crumbs (panko if the best!)

• 1 pinch ground paprika

• Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 9x13 baking dish.

  2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite; it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain.

  3. While the macaroni is cooking, melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium skillet over low heat with the onion. When the onion is tender add the garlic and cook for 2 min. Whisk in flour and stir until the mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

  4. Gradually whisk 2 1/2 cups milk into the flour mixture, and bring to a simmer. Stir in shredded Cheddar and finely grated Parmesan cheeses; season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup more milk if needed. combine cheese sauce and macaroni and stir until well combined. Transfer to greased baking dish.

  5. Make the bread crumb topping: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs; cook and stir until well coated and browned. Spread bread crumbs over macaroni and cheese, then sprinkle with paprika.

  6. Bake in the preheated oven until topping is golden brown and macaroni and cheese is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Everything Lo Mein

 

Ingredients

Sauce:

3 rounded tablespoons hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons soy, eyeball it

3 tablespoons water, eyeball it

2 teaspoons hot sauce, eyeball it (optional)

Everything Lo Mein:

1 pound spaghetti

Salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided

2 large eggs, beaten

3 chicken breast cutlets, thinly sliced into strips

3 thin cut pork chops, thinly sliced into strips (optional)

Black pepper

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 inches fresh ginger, chopped or grated

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

6 scallion or one small onion, cut into 3-inch lengths then sliced lengthwise

1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped

1 red bell pepper, cut into quarters, seeded, then sliced

1 small can sliced water chestnuts (optional)

4 generous handfuls or 1/2 pound shredded cabbage, your choice

Directions

1. Mix together sauce ingredients and reserve.
2. Bring pasta water to a boil, salt water and cook spaghetti to al dente.
3. While pasta cooks, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large, nonstick skillet over high heat. When oil ripples, add beaten eggs and scramble them to light golden brown, remove and reserve.
4. Season the meat with salt, pepper and coriander. Heat the remaining vegetable oil to a ripple, then add meat and stir-fry 4 minutes, push meat to the side and add ginger, garlic and veggies. Stir-fry veggies 2 minutes, then drain and add pasta and eggs back to skillet. Pour sauce over the spaghetti and toss to combine. Turn off pan. Toss 30 seconds and let the liquids absorb.
5. TIP: You can use stir fry veggies, add snow peas, bean sprouts, etc. 

Egg - Chicken - Ham Salad

I use the same recipe for all three "salads" (minus the everything bagel seasoning).  Great for lunches through the week

INGREDIENTS

• 8 Eggs, or 2 Cans of Chunk Chicken Breast or 4 cups Shredded Baked Ham
• 2 c Mayonnaise
• 4 tablespoon Sweet Relish
• 2 tablespoon Yellow Mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt (table salt)
• 1 teaspoon Pepper (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Everything Bagel Seasoning (for Egg Salad only)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start by making hard boiled eggs.
2. Peel eggs, cut in half and lay them flat side down on cutting board. Chop to desired size.
3. Add chopped eggs or Chicken or Ham, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, salt & pepper to mixing bowl and stir.
4. Taste and adjust flavor as necessary.

TIP  - Go easy on the mustard, definately easier to add more.

CopyCat Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supremes

This is easy enough for a week night meal, Yummy!

Crunchwrap Supreme (Copycat)

 Prep Time15 minutes

 Cook Time15 minutes

 Total Time30 minutes

 Servings6

 AuthorLife in the Lofthouse

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 can of Refried Beans
• 1 jar nacho cheese or Queso cheese dip
• 6 burrito-size flour tortillas
• 6 small corn tortillas - toasted (see below)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 tomato diced
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• cooking spray

Instructions

• In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef and onion until beef is no longer pink. Drain grease. Stir in the taco seasoning mix, water and minced garlic. Continue to cook until it starts to boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 more minutes. Add in one can of refried beans, mix to incorporate.
• Warm the nacho cheese sauce or queso cheese in a microwave-safe bowl. Place the flour tortillas on a large plate. Microwave for 20 seconds to warm them.
• Lay one flour tortilla on a flat surface. Spread 1/2 cup of taco meat onto the center of the tortilla. Drizzle a couple Tablespoons of nacho cheese over the meat. Top meat with one tostada shell or crispy corn tortilla *see notes below. Spread a thin layer of sour cream over the tostada shell. Top with lettuce, tomato and shredded Mexican cheese.
• To fold the crunch wrap, start with the bottom of the flour tortilla and fold the edge up over the center. Continue to work your way around, folding the flour tortilla over the center fillings. There will be a spot left open in the center; if desired: cut a piece of another flour tortilla and tuck it in the center, so it's fully covered.
• Repeat with all remaining tortillas, tostadas and fillings. You'll have 6 crunch wraps total.
• Spray a large, non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Place one crunchwrap seam-side down onto the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden-brown. Carefully, flip over and cook other side until golden-brown. Repeat process with all crunch wraps. Serve immediately.

Notes

*If using corn tortillas, heat oven or taster oven to 400° F. Place corn tortillas on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until crispy.

 

Loaded Reuben/Rachel Totchos

When are appetizers more than just starters? When totchos get a Reuben or Rachel makeover, that's when!

Recipe By J. Hale 

 

Published on January 18, 2023 All Recipes

Prep Time:

 

15 mins

Cook Time:

 

35 mins

Total Time:

 

50 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (32 ounce) package frozen fried potato nuggets

• 6 ounces corned beef or smoked turkey breast, chopped (1 cup)

• ½ cup sauerkraut, drained

• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (4 oz.)

• 1 cup shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz.)

• ½ cup Thousand Island salad dressing

• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard

• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion

• ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Spread potato nuggets on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 28 to 32 minutes.

3. Top potato nuggets with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Colby and Monterey Jack cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes.

4. Drizzle with Thousand Island dressing and mustard. Sprinkle with green onion and caraway seeds.