Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 pound pasta, such as cavatappi
• salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups shredded cheese..i used a mix of asiago, swiss and cheddar
• 1 cup crushed potato chips
  5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
  1/2 cup grated Parmesan, for topping

Directions

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water 1 to 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain, rinse with cool water, and return to pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons salt; bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in cheeses until smooth. Pour over pasta; toss to coat
3. Transfer to all purpose pan..or 13x9 pan
4. Sprinkle the chips, bacon and Parmesan on top and bake uncovered to hot and bubbly in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes

cheesecake stuffed strawberries

24 large strawberries, hulls removed
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar (add gradually, to taste)
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
Place cream cheese in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, or until soft. Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar. (Add the sugar gradually)
Use a sharp knife to make a hole in the center of each strawberry (going as deep as you can without hitting bottom).
Spoon or pipe the filling into each hole. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top!

melting snowmen cookie balls

1 pkg. (8 oz.)  Cream Cheese, softened

24 NUTTER BUTTER Cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)

2 pkg. (6 squares each) BAKER'S White Chocolate, melted or 1 pkg white choc chips melted

48 Mini OREO Bite Size Cookies

2 Tbsp. decorating icing

MIX cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended.

SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls; place in single layer in shallow pan. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in chocolate; place in shallow waxed paper-lined pan, allowing excess chocolate to pool at bottom of each ball. Decorate with remaining ingredients as shown in photo.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Keep refrigerated. 

 

Sun Dried Tomato & Goat Cheese Appetizer

2 cans Pillsbury refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2oz. (1/2 cup) crumbled goat cheese

1/4 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried onion flakes

1 teaspoon dried pesto seasoning

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375°F. Separate biscuits;  cut each evenly into 2 layers, making 24 dough rounds. Press each in ungreased miniature muffin cup.  In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, goat cheese, tomatoes, onion flakes and pesto seasoning. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise mixture into each dough-lined cup. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 16 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from muffin cups. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

 

apple scone pie

2 cups AP flour

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:

1 pound Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch chunks

2 tablespoons white sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Glaze:

Milk or Cream

Granulated white sugar

Instructions:

Apple Scone Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Butter (or spray with a non stick vegetable spray) a 9 inch glass pie plate.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. In a separate small bowl whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract and add to the flour mixture, stirring just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then divide the dough in half. Roll or pat one half of the dough into a 9 inch circle and transfer to the pie plate and pat onto the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.

In a separate bowl toss together the cut apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Spread the apples evenly over the bottom of the dough in the pie plate.

Roll the remaining dough into a 9 inch circle, on a lightly floured surface, and gently place the dough over the apples. With your fingers seal the edges of the top and bottom crusts.

Brush the top of the dough with a little milk and sprinkle with white sugar. Cut a slit in the center of the dough to allow the steam to escape.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 - 45 minutes or until the pastry is nicely browned & a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.