One Pot Mac and Cheese

Like any other kid out there my child could live off of macaroni and cheese.  

The only down side to my child trying to live off of macaroni and cheese is that packaged crap. I hate it. 

This recipe takes almost as much time to cook as it does to prepare a box of the packaged stuff.

What you need:
macaroni noodles, or noodles of choice(I never measure my noodles out, I just pour it into the pot)
2Tbsp butter
1Tbsp flour
dash of Italian seasoning, garlic powder,

salt, and dry mustard
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Bring your water to a boil and add noodles. If your cheese needs to be shredded do it while you cook the noodles. Cook the noodles until al dente.

Once the noodles are cooked, drain the water and leave the noodles in the colander. Give the pot a quick rinse and return to the stove.

Melt your butter in the pot and then add the flour. Mix until a paste is formed.

Add your seasonings and then slowly add the milk constantly stirring. Once the milk has thickened and bubbly remove from heat. If it's too thick to your liking add a little milk and stir. 

Add your cheese, a little bit at a time, constantly mixing. When all the cheese is well mixed add your noodles. Stir to coat the noodles.

No Bake Chocolate Butterfinger Pie

I love this pie, it's easy, it's quick, clean up is a breeze, and it's delicious.

The beauty of this pie is that it's versatile and you can come up with so many different combinations by changing the flavor of the pudding and toppings.

What you need:

Graham Cracker Crust

1 package 8oz cream cheese, softneded

1 can 14oz sweetened condensed milk

1 package 3 1/2oz instant pudding mix

Whipped topping (I used cool whip)

Whatever topping your little heart desires. I used one king size Butterfinger.

Mix together cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together. It should be creamy and well blended.

This is where it gets a little tricky. Add in the instant pudding mix and mix away. The pudding is going to set very quickly and it's going to get stiff. I added splashes of milk along the way to help it mix. Just eye ball it. It will be ok, you can't ruin this pie.

Pour mixture into pie crust and let it set in refridigerator for 20-30 minutes.

Top with whipped topping and the goodies you choose to go on top.

Return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Chewy Peanut Butter Bars

The other day I let Jayla stay home from school. I think we both just needed a break from the craziness that has been going on. After we lounged in bed all morning she wanted to bake something. I didn't want to go to the store so I had to figure out something to make with items I already had on hand.

After scouring the pantry for supplies we decided to make Chewy Peanut Butter Bars. They are quick,easy, and so addictive. The only thing I don't like about these is, they just never seem to last long enough.

What you need:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs,beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large saucepan, melt butter and peanut butter. Remove from heat. Add sugar and flour. Mix well and then stir in eggs and vanilla. Spread into a greased and floured 13x9 baking pan. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and the edges start to pull away from sides of pan.

You may have to bake yours a little longer. My oven tends to cook a little quicker. Start at 20 minutes and then keep checking every few minutes if needed.

Balsamic London Broil

I pretty much marinate just about any steak with this marinade, but I especially love it on a London Broil! 

What you need:
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce 
a clove of garlic, smashed,
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
2 Tsp brown Sugar
London Broil
  
Add everything into a ziploc bag except for the London Broil. Squish it around to mix the ingredients. Place London Broil into the bag and make sure the marinade is evenly distributed. Lay flat on a plate and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, turning every once in a while.

Before cooking on the grill, remove the London Broil from the marinade and let rest for at least 30 minutes. 

I promise, you will not be disappointed by this marinade! So good!

      

Glazed Strawberry Scones

My local grocery store had strawberries on sale this week and I knew I had to make some scones with them. I am in love with this recipe and it makes me want the Spring weather to get here that much quicker!

Spring fever has hit my household with a force. We are over Winter and ready to bring on the warmer weather.

For the Scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 Tsp salt 
5 Tbsp chilled butter and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
12-14 strawberries, hulled and quartered
3/4 cup half and half  

For the Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup half and half
1/2 Tsp Vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
 
2.  Combine flour,baking powder,sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and cut in with a pastry blender. The mixture should look like crumbs.

3. Add the strawberries and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Add half and half. Fold gently until it begins to form a soft dough. More cream can be added if needed. DO NOT knead or over mix the dough.
 
4. Place dough on a floured surface and pat into a 1-inch thick rectangle. With a sharp knife, cute the rectangle into 6 squares. Then cut the squares on a diagonal to make 12 triangles. Place scones on the baking sheet. Bake 16-18 minutes or until they are cooked through and golden.

5.Place parchment paper under your cooling rack and let the scones cool for about 10 minutes.

6. Make the glaze by adding the powdered sugar,vanilla, and half and half into a small bowl and mixing until smooth. If the glaze is thick add more cream by the tablespoon. If the glaze is thin and more powdered sugar by 1/4 cup until you reach the desired consistency.

7. Dip the tops of the scones into the glaze and return to the cooling rack. This is where you will be glad that you put parchment paper under the cooling rack. the glaze will drip down. Once the scones are completely cool the glaze will firm up.  

Oven Fried Chicken

I have been making Oven Fried Chicken for a few years now and it is still as big of a hit now as when I first made it. I have seen tons of recipes for Oven Fried Chicken but this one is by far my favorite because it taste the closest to actual fried chicken.

What you need:
Chicken with the bone in 
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup milk
a few tablespoons butter,melted
Spices you want for your chicken. Have fun and experiment. I usually use Italian seasonings, paprika, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil.
In one bowl pour your milk, and in another bowl mix the flour,cornmeal,and seasonings together.
Dredge chicken in the milk and then coat in the cornmeal/flour mixture.
Place chicken on foil lined baking pan and drizzle melted butter on the chicken.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until juices run clear.

         

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

Today I am joining The Pinspiration Project to share with your my little discovery from Pinterest.
 
Every now and then I will get in the mood to cook my little family a Sunday breakfast of some sort. I came across Cinnamon Roll Waffles on Pinterest and knew I had to make them SOON!! They were quick,easy, and really didn't make a mess in the kitchen. 

What you need:
1 package of Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla.

Heat waffle iron and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
 Place one cinnamon roll in the center of the waffle iron and cook for about 3 minutes or until the waffle is cooked through and golden brown.
In a small bowl mix together the icing, powdered sugar, milk,and vanilla until the glaze is smooth.
Drizzle the glaze over the hot waffles and enjoy!

 

Parmesan Potato Wedges

This recipe is one of my favorite ways to prepare potatoes. My picky little eater will not eat potatoes unless they are cooked like this. 
If you have a small family, I would cut the recipe in half.

What you need:
6 medium baking potatoes
1/3 cup butter,melted
1 clove garlic,minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese or a little more if you like a lot of cheese :)
1 tsp of Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking pan with foil. Cut each potato into wedges and place into a large bowl.

Add the melted butter,garlic,Parmesan cheese,and Italian seasoning to the bowl of potatoes and stir well to the potatoes.

Place the potatoes onto the foil lined baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until tender. You may have to scoop some of the yummy cheese off the bottom of the bowl and spread on top of the wedges.

Enjoy!

 

Easy Cheesy Garlic Pinwheels

 Not only are these quick and easy, but they are yummy with all of the gooey, cheesy and garlic goodness. Even my picky child who lives off of chicken nuggets loves these.

First you will need to soften a couple tablespoons of butter in a small bowl or ramekin. Add some fresh minced garlic and Italian seasonings to your butter. Mix well.

Next, take a package of regular pizza dough and spread it out into a rectangle.Now smear all of your buttery-garlic goodness all over your pizza crust. Now grab some shredded Mozzarella or any cheese you have on hand and sprinkle it all over that bad boy. You can use homemade pizza dough but I normally don't have time for all of that. 

Then you just roll it up into a log.

 Then slice it up and place into a well-loved baking dish. If you are adventurous like I am, go ahead and sprinkle some more cheese on top.

Bake at 400 for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!