Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Yield:

12 servings

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Times:
Prep
5 min
Inactive Prep
--
Cook
3 hr 0 min
Total:
3 hr 5 min
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (an 8-ounce box isn't quite 2 cups)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stuck) butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally

Orange and Raspberry Cake

Yield:
8 to 10 servings

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Times:
Prep
15 min
Inactive Prep
1 hr 15 min
Cook
32 min
Ingredients
Cake:
Butter, for greasing the pans
Flour, for dusting
1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
1 large orange, zested, about 1/4 cup
1 1/3 cups no pulp orange juice
3 egg whites
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Frosting:
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup creme fraiche
1 pound powdered sugar
1/4 cup raspberry jam
Water, as needed

1/4 cup raspberry jam
1 (6-ounce) container fresh raspberries
Directions
For the cake: Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of 2 nonstick, 8-inch round, baking pans. Set aside.


In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the cake mix and orange zest. Mix for 20 seconds at low speed until the zest is incorporated. Add the orange juice, egg whites, and vegetable oil. Blend at low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 to 32 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour.


For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and creme fraiche at high speed until smooth, about 10 seconds. With the machine running at medium-low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar until incorporated. Add the raspberry jam and increase the speed to high. Beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable, adding water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed.


To assemble the cake: Arrange 1 cake layer, flat side up, on a cake stand. Using a spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting on top leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spread 1/4 cup of raspberry jam on top of the frosting. Arrange the other cake layer on top. Using a spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with fresh raspberries. Cut the cake into wedges with a slightly wet knife and serve.


Store the cake in a plastic container in the refrigerator. Allow the refrigerated cake to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream Sandwiches
Yield:
8 to 9 servings

For the Magical Peanut Butter Cookies:
nocoupons
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry Ice-Cream:
nocoupons
1 cup whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups diced strawberries
For assembly:
nocoupons
6 tablespoons strawberry preserves
Peanut butter chips or chopped peanuts, optional
For the Magical Peanut Butter Cookies:
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.

In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, the egg, and vanilla, and stir well with a spoon. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. With a fork, dipped in sugar to prevent sticking, press a crisscross design on each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven, and sprinkle the cookies with some of the remaining sugar. Cool slightly before removing from pan.

Strawberry Ice-Cream:

In a small bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients. Puree the strawberries in a food processor and add to cream mixture. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker. After freezing in the ice cream maker, transfer to a container and place in the freezer, to freeze solid, for 6 hours before serving.

For assembly:

Spread the strawberry preserves on a peanut butter cookie. Top with a small scoop of strawberry ice cream and cover with another cookie. Roll sides in peanut butter chips or peanuts, if desired.

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Chipotle Bacon Burger

1 pound of ground sirloin
2 tablespoons of Chipotle seasoning (I used a William and Sonoma mix of Chipotle and Red Pepper Flakes)
1 tablespoon of Red Pepper flakes (I used a William and Sonoma mix of Chipotle and Red Pepper Flakes)
1 clove of Garlic
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire
1/2 tablespoon of horseradish
Salt and Pepper to tasting

Cook burgers until doneness.

Brown Sugar Bacon:
as many slices of bacon that you want
Spray slotted tray or cookie sheet with cooking spray
Lay bacon out on slotted tray
Sprinkle with brown sugar
Cook at 375 until done (approximately 10 minutes) but be careful it might burn with the brown sugar.

Horseradish Mayo
1/2 cup mayo
2 tablespoons of Horseradish
salt and pepper to taste

BBQ Ribs

I made BBQ ribs. As many ribs as you'd like. Cut so that there are no more than 3 ribs together (makes it easier to fit in crockpot). Add bottle of BBQ sauce, I use Sweet Baby Ray's. Cook on low for 6 hours or until complete.

Tracie's Couscous Salad

From Paula
Recipe courtesy Tracie Farmer

.Prep Time:10 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:5 minLevel:
EasyServes:
6 servings. Ingredients
•1 box flavored couscous (garlic or Parmesan), cooked
•1 can chickpeas
•1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
•1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped
•1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
•1 tomato, chopped
•1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
•1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
•Salt and freshly ground black pepper
•1/4 cup olive oil
•2 to 3 limes, juiced
Directions
In a large bowl, toss all the ingredients with the olive oil and lime juice, to taste.

Ratatouille in a Crock Pot (Veggie-Mania!)

Ingredients:
· 1 eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
· 1 large onion. julienne
· 2 large zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
· 3 garlic cloves, minced
· 1 large red pepper, julienne
· 1 large green pepper, julienne
· 1 tomato, diced
· 6 ounces tomato paste
· 1 teaspoon basil
· 1 teaspoon oregano
· 1 teaspoon sugar
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
· 1 tablespoon parsley
· 1/4 cup olive oil
Directions:
1. Starting with the onions, layer the vegetables into your crockpot only using half of the amount you have.
2. Add the herbs, spices, and the tomato paste.
3. Layer the remaining vegetables into your crockpot.
4. Cover the vegetables with the olive oil.
5. Cook on low for between 7 to 9 hours.

5 cup fruit salad

8oz can pineapple chunks – drained – reserve 1 tbsp juice
11 oz mandarian oranges – drained
1 cup coconut
1 cup tiny marshmallows
8oz carton sour cream
2 tbsp chopped pecans

Stir pineapple, pineapple juice, oranges, coconut, marshmallows, and sour cream together in bowl
Refrigerate 2 -24 hrs
Before serving – stir in pecans
It says it makes 6 servings - I doubled this recipe for cooking club

Tuscan Lemon Chicken

2008, Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics, All Rights Reserved

Prep Time:20 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:40 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
2 to 3 servings

Ingredients
1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken, flattened
Kosher salt
1/3 cup good olive oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved
Directions
Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold it flat. Pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning it in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken 2 or 3 times while marinating.

When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on 1 side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the chicken on the cooler side, skin side up, and weigh it down with the dish you used for marinating. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves

Lemon Blossoms

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Prep Time:12 minInactive Prep Time:1 hr 0 minCook Time:12 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
5 dozen

Ingredients
18 1/2-ounce package yellow cake mix
3 1/2-ounce package instant lemon pudding mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Glaze:

4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray miniature muffin tins (would be great in MINI muffin tins) with vegetable oil cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and blend well with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour a small amount of batter, filling each muffin tin half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel


To make the glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil, and 3 tablespoons water. Mix with a spoon until smooth.

With fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they're still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible, or spoon the glaze over the warm cupcakes, turning them to completely coat. Place on wire racks with waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Let the glaze set thoroughly, about 1 hour, before storing in containers with tight-fitting lids.

Printed from FoodNetwork.com on Sun Sep 19 2010© 2010 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

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