Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 small onion, chopped (I just use onion flakes)
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 3 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs, or more as needed (I just smashed up the yummy focaccia croutons from Costco.)

Directions

1. Fill a pan with lightly salted water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through but is still firm to the bite, about 6 minutes. Drain well.
2. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-low heat, and cook and stir the chopped onion for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook and stir the butter, onion and flour for 2 to 3 minutes to make a roux, and remove from the heat. Whisk in the milk a little at a time, stirring constantly, until all the milk has been incorporated, and return to low heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to finish cooking the flour.
4. Temper the egg (whisk it in a separate bowl and slowly add 3/4 cup of the flour mixture to the egg mixture - then add back to the flour mixture) 
5. Whisk in the Cheddar cheese, a few cubes at a time, until all the cheese has been incorporated and the sauce is hot and smooth.
6. Pour the macaroni into the cheese sauce, and stir to combine. Stir, salt, and pepper.
7. Spoon the macaroni mixture into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crumbs are brown and the casserole is bubbling. Let stand for 15 minutes after baking, to set before serving.
    

This is one of our, not so healthy, comfort foods.  Delightful! 

Chocolate Fudge Jr. Mint Centered Cupcakes

Chocolate Fudge Jr Mint Centered Cupcakes

1 box Pillsbury Devils Food Cake Mix

4 eggs

1/2 Cup vegetable oil

1/2 Cup water

1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix

1/2 Cup sour cream

1 Cup chocolate chips

3 - 4 oz boxes Jr Mints 

Homemade Whipping Cream for Frosting

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a stand or electric mixer, add the cake mix, eggs, oil, water, pudding mix, sour cream and chocolate chips.  Mix on medium for 2 minutes or until well combined and somewhat thick.  Scoop into 24 paper lined muffin cups.  Press 3 JR mints into the center of each cupcake center.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick comes mostly clean from center.  Let cool completely and frost with Homemade Whipping Cream and a Junior Mint. 

Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 7 cups thinly sliced pared apples
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 egg white
• Additional sugar

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour and spices; set aside. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add sugar mixture; toss well to coat. Line a 9-in. pie pan with half the pastry. Place apple filling into crust; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie. Cut a few slits in top. beat egg white until foamy; brush over pastry. Sprinkle sugar on top. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Increase temperature to 400 degrees F and bake 10-15 minutes more or until golden.

Dutch Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter
• 7 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Place rack in lowest position in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees F ( 230 degrees C).

1. To Make Topping: Mix 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; cut in butter or margarine until mixture is moist and crumbly, and clumps together easily.
2. To Make Filling: Peel, core, and slice apples into approximately 1/8 inch slices. If you cut them too thick you'll have crunchy apples. In another bowl, toss cut up apples, white sugar, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle in flour, and stir until apples are evenly coated.
3. Layer apple slices in pie shell. You will have a lot of apples, but they will shrink. Layer them higher in the middle. Pour left over juice from apple mixture over apples. Pat the brown sugar topping evenly over apples to make a top crust.
4. Place pie on cookie sheet in oven to catch juice droppings. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake for 45 minutes to one hour; bake until center of pie has no resistance. If top starts to get too dark, cover with piece of foil. Cool on wire rack before serving.

Yummy Carrot Cake

Cake Ingredients:

4 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup apple sauce

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice or pumpkin pie spice

3+ cups grated carrots

Frosting Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter softened

8 ounces cream cheese

4 cups confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. To make cake...In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.  Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and spice.  Stir in carrots.  Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 
4. To make frosting... In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners sugar and vanilla.  Beat until smooth and creamy.  

I made this for Jelissa's Birthday.  It was quite delightful.  We took pictures of it BUT I left my camera at my Mom's House.  I will post it when I grab it.  You really should make it.  Consider it health with all those carrots in it.  You can eat the whole cake.