Potatoes on the Side

Scalloped Potatoes:

2 T unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt and black pepper
8 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
6 ounces cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 375. Butter a 9x13 baking dish. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add cream, milk, bay leaf, thyme, nutmeg, 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and bring to a boil.

Add potatoes to saucepan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 20-25 minutes.

Discard bay leaf and transfer potato mixture to prepared baking dish, sprinkle with cheese.

Bake until bubbling and golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

Cheezy!

Paula Deen got this recipe from the former Mrs. Billy Joel's book, "The Comfort Table," and I'm now sharing it with you!

Pimento Cheese Spread:

4 cups shredded sharp cheddar (can substitute using Velveeta)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped pimentos
1 tablespoon pickle relish
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Assorted crackers or bread

In food processor, pulse cheese until it resembles a fine meal. Add mayo and process until creamy. Add pimentos, relish, onion powder, salt, hot sauce and pepper. Process until blended. Serve on crackers or bread.

Just a Kid At Heart

This recipe comes from a blog that I frequent. Though I have tried countless varieties of macaroni and cheese, we liked this one a lot and will make it again. The picture does not do it justice. Trust me, and try it yourself.

California Mac and Cheese:

16 oz rotini pasta
8 oz Velveeta cheese
1 1/2 C heavy cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Cook pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut velveeta cheese into cubes and add it to the cream and butter in a large sauce pan. Cook on low heat, stirring often. Drain pasta and add to cheese mixture, stirring gently to evenly coat.

Valentine's Dinner for Two

This is yet another recipe that I have made several times. It comes from The Sister's Cafe. This was hubby's request for our Valentine's Day Dinner. He absolutely loves pasta, and we both like to stay home as opposed to fight the crowds for the holiday. Needless to say, we were, once again, quite pleased with the result.
I made slight adjustments to the amounts.

Fettuccine Alfredo:

1 stick butter
12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. fettuccine noodles

Boil the noodles. Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt the butter with the evaporated milk over medium heat. Add the grated Parmesan, stirring frequently as to not clump the cheese. Once noodles are done, pour sauce over them. Toss with tongs until all noodles are coated evenly. Serve with side salad. Enjoy! We sure did.

Say Cheese!!

Fig’s Cheese Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded colby-jack cheese
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter (I used salted)
Whisk together dry ingredients, then stir in cheese.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, and butter together. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a spoon to combine.
Bake in greased muffin tins at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

This comes from the Pioneer Woman.

Lasagna, Pioneer Style

This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman. I made a few modifications to the original recipe.

Lasagna...

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 pound breakfast sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2, 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
2, 6-ounce cans tomato paste
2 T dried parsley
2 T dried basil
1 tsp. salt

Cheese Mixture...

3 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 T dried parsley
1 tsp. salt

1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1, 10-ounce pkg. lasagna noodles

Bring large pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, in large skillet, combine ground beef, sausage and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain the fat. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, basil and salt, and simmer on low for 30-45 minutes. In medium bowl, mix ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, parsley and salt. Stir together well. Set aside. Cook lasagna noodles. To assemble, arrange 3-4 cooked lasagna noodles in bottom of baking pan. Spoon half of cheese mixture over noodles. Spread evenly. Spoon half the meat mixture over the top, followed by a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat, ending with meat mixture. Sprinkle top with mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Biscuit Break

Bacon-Cheddar Biscuits:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose soft-wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 T shortening
Crumbled bacon strips
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup whole milk
2 T melted butter, divided

Preheat oven to 475. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Add bacon bits and cheese, tossing to combine. Add milk and 1 tablespoon butter. Stir lightly until well mixed, being careful not to over mix. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface. Knead dough 4 or 5 times. With floured hands, pat out dough to approximately 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter without twisting. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush hot biscuits with remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

Dip Into Christmas

This recipe is one that has been known to be served during the holidays in our family. It is my aunt's recipe, and it is really good. If you are trying to come up with something to serve next week to your family and friends, you should give this a try. Serve it with Bugles or Dip Frito's.

Swiss Bacon Dip:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped green onions
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 slices crumbled bacon

Mix all together in a baking dish. Crush one sleeve of Ritz crackers to cover the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Touch of Italy

Fettuccine Alfredo:

1 stick butter
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces fettuccine noodles

Slice cream cheese into small pieces. Mix cream cheese with milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cut butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and add to mixture. Stir frequently until smooth. Boil fettuccine noodles until tender. For last 10 minutes of cooking time for the sauce, add grated Parmesan cheese, and stir frequently until well combined. Pour sauce over fettuccine noodles and serve.

Day After Dinner

It's an annual tradition that we make this meal the day after Thanksgiving. I can't remember a year where I didn't have this.

Ham Au Gratin:

4 T margarine or butter
5 T all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups chopped ham
2 T chopped onion
4 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced

Melt butter over heat. Add flour, salt, pepper and stir. Remove from heat. Whisk in milk until mixture is smooth. Return to heat and cook until mixture thickens. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese. Stir until smooth and melted. Grease a 13x9 casserole dish. Alternate layers of potatoes, onions and ham. Pour cheese sauce over the top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove and sprinkle top with remaining cheese. Return to oven until new cheese is melted.

Non Traditional Mac N Cheese

We are officially in the spirit of cleaning out the refrigerator and the pantry so that we can prepare for Thanksgiving. Our kitchen is fairly small, so we need all the space we can find. Today we made two dishes that stem from the beginnings of a cleanout, but I will share this one first.

Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Macaroni:

1 lb. elbow macaroni
1 jar Bertoli Basil, Garlic, and Olive Oil tomato sauce
1 lb. Velveeta


Boil and drain the elbow macaroni. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sauce with sliced Velveeta. Stir to combine and allow 10 minutes for it to melt entirely. Be careful to not let this burn. Pour the drained noodles into the sauce. It was different, but we would make this again.

Bread En Espanol

This recipe comes via a close friend of mine. We are making chili again tomorrow night. This is a perfect companion to the chili. There are so many varieties of this bread, but we like this one quite well.

Mexican Cornbread:

2 jalapenos, chopped finely (can use diced ones from the jar)
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup milk
1 can cream style corn
2 eggs
1 cup finely grated cheddar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, with the oil and eggs. Stir in the milk and corn until well blended. Add the salt and the baking soda, combining well. Fold in the cheddar and jalapenos. Bake in a greased square baking dish for 40 minutes.

Party Starter

I am sharing a recipe for an appetizer that many of you probably already make. I do not get through the holidays without making this, and sometimes we make it twice. It shows up at almost every family gathering we go to for my side of the family. It is quick, easy, fun to make, and tastes good. You can always change it up to meet your needs or suit your taste. The best part about this is that you can make it even when it is not the holiday season.

Cheese Ball:

2 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 Tbsp. chopped pimiento
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of salt
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the cheddar and all remaining ingredients with the exception of the pecans or walnuts. Mix well, and form into a large ball. If this mixture is too large for you to handle, then divide it into 2 sections. Chill for at least 1 hour. Roll evenly in the chopped nuts of your choice. I have used both pecans and walnuts and either work fine. Serve with your favorite crackers.

Is it Buffalo or is it Chicken?

One of my close friends at work refrerred me to a recipe that her family recently enjoyed. On the way through my search to find the recipe, I came across this instead. It looked so good that I had to post it. By the way, in an upcoming post, I will also give you the other recipe that I was originally looking for. For now, enjoy this! You can also find this recipe in the current issue of Family Circle.

Buffalo Chicken Dip:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
6 Tbsp. hot sauce
8 oz. cream cheese, sliced into 1 inch chumks
1/2 cup Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Shred the cooked chicken. Place it in a skillet over medium heat along with the hot sauce. Heat through. Then add the cream cheese and dressing. Heat until well blended. Add 1/2 shredded cheese, stirring until melted. Place mixture in a serving dish. Top with remaining cheese. Serve warm with your choice of crackers.

Mexican Meal

Does anyone else dread Sunday night and Monday morning as much as I do? I have panc attacks just thinking that Sunday night is nearing. My sweet husband has worked diligently to try and make today different from the usual Sunday in every possible way. One thing we decided to do was "throw together" a Mexican meal. We eat Mexican food quite a bit. So, this is what we ended up with.

Mexican Casserole:

2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 pkgs. taco seasoning
1 cup water
2 10oz. cans enchilada sauce
1 pkg. Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 pkg. flour tortillas
1 bag Doritos

Brown and drain the ground beef with the onion. Warm the enchilada sauce in a skillet. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking dish. Return drained meat to the dutch oven. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and combine with water. Lightly dredge the tortillas in the enchilada sauce. Overlap 2 tortillas in botom of casserole dish. Top with meat. Add cheese. Repeat layers 3 times. Lightly spread remaining enchilada sauce on top layer. Top with crushed chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Be carefuil not to burn the chips.

Burger in a Bowl

This recipe was adapted from The Crockpot Lady. Although she made it in the crockpot, we did not. The crockpot was already home to another meal for later in the week. This was quite different.

Cheeseburger Soup:

1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 lb. lean ground beef
4 cups chicken broth
1 bag microwaveable carrots
2 potatoes
1 cup milk
16 oz. Velveeta

Brown the ground beef with the chopped onion and bell pepper. Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven, combine chicken broth with diced potatoes and carrots. Once meat is fully cooked, drain and combine with broth and vegetable mxture. In a skillet, combine milk with Velveeta that has been thinly sliced. Once melted, pour cheese mixture into the beef mixture. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve topped with crumbled bacon.

*We added a few dashes of tabasco sauce along with some pepper to taste.

Really Cheesy

This is another recipe that floats around my family. I believe it came from a magazine. We all love it a lot. It is perfect for dinner on a cool night.

Vegetable Chowder:

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup diced celery
3/4 cup sliced carots
1 cup cubed potatoes
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 17 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. diced pimiento
2 cups shredded cheddar

Combine 1st 6 ingredients in large durch oven and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in the corn. Remove from heat. Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add the milk. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook just until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Gradually stir cheese mixture into vegetable mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.

Darn Good Dip

This is another recipe that is good for football nights. This comes from a recipe book that myself and my co-workers put together to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Nacho Beef Dip

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 cup taco sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 1/4 cups Cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine cream cheese and sour cream. Beat until smooth. Brown and drain the ground beef. Combine the meat with the sour cream and cream cheese mixture. Stir in the taco sauce, taco seasoning, and 3/4 cup of each of the cheeses. Spoon mixture into lightly greased 12x8 inch baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

Kicked Up Casserole

This recipe really screams "glorified chicken tetrazzini". It makes a ton of food.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti:

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 16 oz. pkg. Velveeta, cut into bite sized pieces
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 tsp. salt
1 16 oz. pkg. spaghetti

In a large Dutch oven, combine butter with onion and bell pepper. Cook until tender. Add 2 cups reserved chicken broth, cheese, tomato sauce, soups, and salt. Stir in chopped chicken. Let simmer until cheese is thoroughly melted. Combine noodles with cheese sauce, mixing well. Pour into lightly greased 13x9 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Fun Finger Food

Hubby and I found this recipe about a year ago. Even though they are appetizers, you could have them as a light meal with soup or a salad.

Cheddar Ham Cups:

2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 pkgs. thinly sliced deli ham, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup bacon bits
3 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tube (10.2 oz) large refrigerated flaky biscuits

In a large bowl combine cheese, ham, mayo, bacon bits, and mustard. Split biscuits into thirds. Press onto bottom and up the sides of ungreased mini muffin cups. Fill each with 1 Tbsp. of cheese mixture. Bake at 450 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is melted. Let stand for a couple of minutes before removing from pans. Serve warm.