Macaroni and Cheese with Garlic Breadcrumbs

I've always been a lover of mac-n-cheese, all my life! Shoot me, but I have always loved and still love the Kraft boxed extra-cheesy. But then I also love me some decedent gruyere and fontina man-n-cheese with garlic breadcrumbs on top...just like this one. The whole fam loved it, even my two year old nephew, so I think it was a success! 

Macaroni and Cheese with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Ingredients:

11 oz. Cavatappi Pasta
1/4 c. Butter
1/4 c. Flour
3 c. Cream
1 c. freshly grated Cheddar Cheese
2 c. freshly grated Gruyere Cheese 
2 c. freshly grated Fontina Cheese
1 tsp. Salt
3/4 tsp. Pepper
1/4 c. grated Parmesan Cheese 
1 c. Breadcrumbs
2 cloves Garlic
2 T. Parsley
Olive Oil


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large stock pot heat water for the pasta over high heat till it comes to a boil. Salt the pasta water then add the pasta and cook for the time given on the box for it to be al dente.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together over the medium heat for a couple minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Then add 1 cup of the heavy cream and whisk together. Let thicken for about 30 seconds and then add 1 more cup of the heavy cream. Once again whisk it together and then let cook and thicken for 30 seconds or so. Then add the last cup of heavy cream and do the same with that. Now add all the cheese and mix with a wooden spoon till the cheese is mixed in well and he sauce is nice and thick. Add the salt and pepper and mix together. 

When the pasta is done, drain it and then add the pasta back to the now drained stock pot. Pour in the cheese sauce and mix together over a low heat. 

Then pour the macaroni and cheese into a 9x13 glass pan. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta.

In a food processor with a blade attachment, pulse together the breadcrumbs, garlic, and parsley. In a small non-stick skillet pan, drizzle in olive oil and heat over a medium heat. When hot, add the breadcrumb mixture and drizzle some more olive oil over the top. Mix with a wooden spoon a cook a minute or so till the breadcrumbs are coated with the olive oil. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the pasta and parmesan cheese, evenly.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Ultimate S'more Cake

Behold the Ultimate S'more Cake! I made this for this month's dessert club. Absolutely the tallest most fantastic off the wall cake I've ever had...not to mention delicious, layers and layers of delicious! Check out the recipe, it's definitely worth a try!: Ultimate S'more Cake

- Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Shallot Butter -

I'm really excited to share this recipe with you. Everything work so perfectly together and the fam said it was delicious, so it's two thumbs up and I hope you enjoy!

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Shallot Butter

Ingredients for the Shallot Butter:

4 T. Butter, at room tempurature
1/2 a Shallot, minced
pinch of Salt
crack of Pepper

Ingredients for the Chicken:

4 chicken breasts
pinch of Salt
pinch of pepper
3 T. Olive Oil
6 T. Goat Cheese (try to get one with mixed flavors like herbs or something like that. The one I used was a locally made cheese with peppers and chives)

Directions:
Mix together the butter, shallots, salt and pepper. Then place the soft mixture in the center of a rectangle of wax paper, at the very edge. Roll up the butter in the wax paper, than twist the side to create a log of butter. The log should be about quarter sized around. Put into the freezer while you make the chicken.

In a large nonstick skillet pan heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Salt and pepper all the chicken breasts with a pinch of salt and pepper one each side. Once the oil is hot, turn down to medium/low heat and add the chicken breasts. Cook them for 8 minutes on each side (if you have large chicken breasts they may need to cook for longer). When the juices run clear and there is no pink inside the chicken when cut in to, it is done. Remove from heat and dab the chicken with a paper towel to help dry them off. On a cutting board, place the chicken breasts, and, using a sharp knife, come in from the side, cutting the chicken almost in half from one side to the other (sort of creating a pocket in the chicken). Do this to all the chicken breasts. Then put 1 1/2 T. of goat cheese in each of the chicken breasts. Arrange on a plate.

Now remove the shallot butter from the freezer and remove from the parchment paper. Cut off the rounded ends. Then cut four, half inch slices. Place each slice on top of a breast of chicken and serve immediately. 

Enjoy!

- Peanut Butter Frosting -

Perfect for those fudgy chocolate cupcakes!

Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

1 c. Peanut Butter

3/4 c. Confectioners Sugar

Pinch of Salt

Dash of Vanilla

1/4 c. Milk

Directions:

In an electric mixer, beat together peanut butter and confectioners sugar till there are no lumps of sugar. Add the salt and vanilla and mix on till incorporated. Add the milk and beat on medium speed till blended and smooth. Spread on top of cupcakes. 

Makes enough for 12 cupcakes.

Enjoy!

- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake -

Cheesecakes are the bomb. Really, a cheesecake is probably the only dessert that can satisfy me without having a lick of chocolate in it. But come on, if you add chocolate, doesn't it just make everyone MORE satisfied? So today I present to you my Cherry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. It was family approved, so I can share it with ya'll. ;) Enjoy!

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

For the crust:

1 pkg. of Graham Crackers (I used about 8 graham crackers)

2 T. Granulated Sugar

1 1/2 T. Cocoa Powder

pinch of Salt

5 T. Butter, melted

For The cheesecake:

2 eight oz. pkgs. Cream Cheese, at room temperature.

1 c. Granulated Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 c. Sour Cream

1/4 c. Flour + 2 tsp. of Flour

pinch of Salt

1 2/3 c. of pitted and halved Sweet Cherries

1 c. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor grind up the graham cracker. Add the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt and pulse till combined. Turn on the food processor and slowly pour in the melted butter. Scoop out the mixture and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring-form pan. Bake in the oven fro 10 minutes. Set aside to cool a bit.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Meanwhile in a electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese. Add the sugar and mix together on medium speed till well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and scraping down the side of the bowl after each addition, then add the vanilla and the sour cream, mixing well. On medium speed mix in the flour and salt till combined and there are no lumps, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again till everything is well combined. In a small bowl, mix the chocolate chips with the 2 tsp. of flour. With a spatula, fold the cherries and chocolate chips into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the batter into the crust in the spring-form pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then, without opening the oven, turn the temperature down to 300 degrees and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the sides of the cheesecake are set up and the center still jiggles slightly. A butter knife should come out clean if inserted in the middle. Let cool completely and then refrigerate overnight. Will be perfect the next day!

Enjoy!

- Frozen Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream Cake -

Hmmm...what to eat on a hot 4th of July... ice cream of course! My mom, who isn't a big fan or oreos, decided to make us happy by making this delicious Frozen Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream Cake for dessert. It was delicious! Oreos, chocolate pound cake, vanilla ice cream.... it is IMPOSSIBLE to go wrong with all that, right!? Try it, I guarantee you'll be happy.

- Skillet Steak with Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese -

I was a picky eater when I was a kid...you know, the type that didn't eat salad, or broccoli, or mustard...the type that didn't want anything other than a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich for lunch...every day. Yeah, that was me. So naturally, even into my teen years, I had never touched a caramelized onion. It was one of those things everyone raved about, but I was too afraid to try. I knew they were good, they even sounded amazing, but still, I do believe tonight eating this dish, that this was the first time I ever really ate caramelized onions, that I can recall. Okay, shoot me now! They were amazing! "How could anyone have ever gone so long without them?" That's what your thinking right? Well I'm thinking that too. And I urge anyone who hasn't ever tried them to just do it, man. AND they go awesome with steak and blue cheese. Try it!

Skillet Steak with Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese

Ingredients:

For the Caramelized Onions:

3 onions
drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of granulated Sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 T. Butter

For the Steak:

1.5 lb. Sirloin Steak (Give or take, mine was about 1 lb. 7 oz.)
Salt and Pepper
Good drizzle of Olive Oil
1 stick of Butter
2 cloves of Garlic,
sprinkle of dried Thyme
sprinkle of dried Rosemary
3 T. Crumbled Blue Cheese

Directions:

For the Caramelized Onions:
Peel and chop onions. Chop the onions in half and then in 1/8 - 1/4 inch slices. In a small non-stick skillet pan drizzle some olive oil and turn on heat to very low. Add the onion slices and stir frequently with a spoon. Stir more in the beginning so you don't brown the onions, and then stir every five minutes or so afterward. Cook these onions on a very low heat for 1 hour 20 minutes or until well caramelized. Yes, it takes a while. Then add the sugar and salt and stir. Turn off the heat and add the tablespoon of butter, stirring till all melted.

For the Steak:
About 20 minutes before the onions are done, on another burner, place a skillet pan and drizzle in some olive oil and heat over a medium heat. Sprinkle each side of the steak with kosher salt and cracked pepper. When the oil is hot (when the steak sizzle when it touches it), put in the steak. Turn heat to medium/low and cook for 10-12 minutes on each side (this will get it well-done, so adjust time if you like a different degree of done-ness). While the steak is cooking, melt the stick of butter in a bowl in the microwave. Take out and add the garlic (2 cloves chopped in half), thyme, and rosemary to the butter and stir together. Pour into the bottom of an 8-8 sided pan. When the steak is done, place in the garlic butter. Spoon some of the butter mixture over the steak and then cover the pan with foil and let sit for 5 minutes. Then cut the steak into 3 sections and top each with caramelized onions and a tablespoon of blue cheese. Enjoy!

Serves 3