Yummy Mac and Cheese

We added macaroni and cheese to our Thanksgiving menu and it was SO yummy! I found this Paula Dean recipe on the Food Network. We will be making this more often!

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk

**I added crushed red pepper and paprika to my version- about a tablespoon of CRP and a few shakes of paprika on top.**

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired.

Corn Pudding remix

One of my favorite side dishes is a corn pudding recipe I found in Cooking Light several years ago. We have added it to our Thanksgiving menu BUT have modified it for crockpot cooking since the oven is pretty full. (In my next house, I will have a double oven). Basically, same recipe as the oven version with this bolded modification at the end:

1 bag of frozen corn

1/4  cup  chopped fresh chives

1  tablespoon  chopped fresh thyme

3/4  teaspoon  salt

1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2  cups  1% low-fat milk

1/2  cup  egg substitute

2  tablespoons  1/3-less-fat cream cheese

1  large egg, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

Combine corn, chives, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Combine milk, egg substitute, cream cheese, and egg in a medium bowl. Add the milk mixture to the corn mixture, and stir well to combine

Pour into sprayed crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Oven-baked Chicken Parmigiano

So I made up this recipe- it is really easy AND it takes really good.

Ingedients and directions:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been pounded (or use a rolling pin like I did since I could not find the proper kitchen utensil) to about 1/2 there beginning thickness. Then cut in half.

I cup of italian bread crumbs

2 tablespoons crushed red pepper

Add a few shakes (or more if you like) of black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and dried basil.

1 egg beaten in a bowl that is big enough to dip chicken in.

Your pasta of choice

Jar of marinara sauce (I have been using Trader Joe’s Organic Marinara)

Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

Dip chicken breast in egg, then dip in bread crumb mixture.

Place in ungreased baking dish

Bake on 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and spoon some marinara sauce over each chicken piece and top with mozzarella cheese. Put back in oven for 15 more minutes.

Serve with pasta and remaining marinara. Great as leftovers!

Sugar Cookie Recipe

This is a really easy and really good sugar cookie recipe:

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour plus extra for rollnig and cutting

Directions

1. In large bowl with electric mixer- cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.

2. Add egg and beat well

3. Mix in vanilla.

4. With mixer on low, slowly add flour and mix until incorporated. Do not overmix.

5. Divide dough in half, put on sheet of plastic wrap, flatten to 1/2 inch thick disk and then wrap and fill until firm (at least 2 hours).

6. Put chilled dough between wax paper sheets and roll out until 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Chill again until firm (15-20 minutes)

7. Loosen dough from paper and used floured cookie cutters.

8. Bake in 350 degree oven for 7-12 minutes until edges are golden brown. Cool on sheet and decorate.

Sweet Potato Casserole

This is a Thanksgiving favorite. YUM!

Ingredients:

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1/2 melted butter

Topping ingredients:

1/2 brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Combine first 6 ingredients. Pour into a buttered 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish. Mix remaining imgredients together and sprinkle on top. Bake a 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until hot and browned. Serves 6 to 8.

Pumpkin Pound Cake

I made this for our work Thanksgiving today and it was really easy and turned out great!

The recipe is:

1box of Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix

1cup of canned pumpkin

1cup of water

2 eggs

1/2 cups of almonds or pecans (optional)

Mix all together, pour into greased bundt pan, bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes and then transfer to plate to finish cooling.