Gloria’s Glorious Pot Roast Recipe
Ingredients:
2 lbs. Boneless Chuck Roast
3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp. Salt
1 Small Pat of Butter
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup OR Cream of Celery Soup (depending on preference)
One Cup Chicken Broth OR Beef Stock (depending on preference)
½ medium yellow onion
Four medium yellow or red potatoes
Four large carrots
Directions:
Preheat Oven to 325 Degrees
Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Season to taste
Melt small amount of butter in large pan over medium/high heat. Add meat. Brown all sides. Using tongs, sear sides of meat to seal in the juices.
Place seared meat in metal roasting pan. Add water to coat bottom of pan. Cover with lid or aluminum foil.
Cook in oven for 1-1/2 hours.
Remove from oven.
Remove lid and add washed and sliced/quartered potatoes, sliced or baby carrots and sliced yellow onion.
In med bowl, mix cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup, beef broth & flour together. Pour mixture over meat. (Can substitute liquid from roasted meat as broth)
Cover and continue cooking for one hour.
After one hour, check for meat tenderness and check vegetables to make sure they’re tender. *Adjust cooking time based on size of roast and tenderness desired.
Let sit for five minutes and serve.
Serving size: 4-6
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Gloria’s Blissful Baked Macaroni ‘n Cheese
Ingredients:
3/4 box elbow macaroni (A whole box tends to be a little too much & the dish won’t be as “cheesy.”)
1 large or two medium packages of EXTRA Sharp Cheddar Cheese (2-8 ounce packages or 1-16 ounce package. Cut into small cubes.
Salt
Pepper
6 Tbsp. butter
1-1/2 Cups milk (Can use any kind -2% or whole milk, whatever you prefer)
1/8 Cup All Purpose Flour
Directions:
Boil large pot of salted water. Add macaroni to boiling water. Cook until done.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain macaroni
Toss macaroni in 2 tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper to taste.
Pour macaroni in glass baking dish.
In medium saucepan, mix a cup of milk, 4 tablespoons of butter & sharp cheddar cheese.
Stir over medium heat until cheese is melted. Add a small handful of flour. Stir.
Pour cheese mixture over macaroni.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Stir until mixed well.
Add another small handful of flour. Stir.
Add milk to cover 2/3 of mixture (if you put too much milk in, it will boil over and make a huge mess.)
Cover and bake for 1 hour.
Remove cover and bake uncovered for ½ hour. If top isn’t caramelized, turn on broiler. Broil for 2-5 minutes or until crispy.
This Recipe Is Included In My Cozy Mystery Book, “Grandkids Gone Wild”
Grandkids Gone Wild – A Christian Book By Hope Callaghan
Grandkids Gone Wild is a Christian Book and the second book in the Garden Girls Mystery Series by Author Hope Callaghan.
More info →
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Pumpkin Dog Biscuit Recipe
Ingredients:
Brown rice flour gives the biscuits crunch and promotes better dog digestion. Many dogs have touchy stomachs or allergies, and do not, like many people I know, tolerate wheat.
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons dry milk
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
2 1/2 cups brown rice flour *
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
In large bowl, whisk together eggs and pumpkin until smooth. Mix dry milk, salt and cinnamon (optional) in separate dish. Once dry ingredients are blended, add to egg and pumpkin mix. Add brown rice flour gradually, mixing until it forms a firm, dry dough.
Drop onto lightly floured surface. If dough is still tough, briefly knead.
Roll the dough between 1/4 – 1/2″ thick, depending on your dog’s chew preferences. Slice or cut into whatever shape desired. (You can also use cookie cutters to make different shapes.)
Place shapes on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn biscuits over. Bake an additional 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before feeding to you dog.
Makes around 75 small (1″) biscuits or 50 medium biscuits
*Store in airtight container in freezer.
*Treats can last up to 6 months if frozen.
This Recipe Is Included In My Cozy Mystery Book, “Smoky Mountain Mystery”
Smoky Mountain Mystery
Smoky Mountain Mystery is the third book in the Garden Girls Mystery Series. Read more below...
More info →*********************************************************
Dot’s Delicious Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients:
1 Large Whole Chicken (remember to remove the giblets before boiling)
7 Cups Self-Rising Flour
1 Stick Butter or Margarine, softened
3 Tablespoons Season-All Seasoned Salt
Salt to taste (optional. 2-3 teaspoons)
Pepper to taste (approx. 2 teaspoons)
Water (2-1/2 cups to mix with flour)
Directions:
Boil chicken in large pot until done – 30 minutes or it almost falls off the bone. Add pepper and 2 Tbsp. Season-All salt while chicken is boiling (plus additional table salt, if desired).
Remove chicken from pot when done and set it aside to cool. Let it cool long enough to handle with your hands for deboning. (approx. 30 min.) Debone when cooled.
Slowly start boiling the broth.
While the chicken is cooling, mix the flour and 1 tbsp Season-All salt in large mixing bowl. Scoop a hole in the center of the flour/salt mixture. Add margarine.
Using your hands, squish it between your fingers and dig into the flour, adding a small amount of water at a time to blend.
Knead the mixture until you have a big ball of dough.
Making the Dumplings
Using the flour mixture, pinch off a piece the size of a silver dollar. Carefully drop in slow boiling pot. Continue pinching off and dropping them in the broth until bowl is empty.
NOTE: You will have to stir often to keep the dumplings from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Add the deboned chicken to the pot of boiling broth and dumplings. (Chicken and broth should be at a slow boil.)
After the chicken has been added, let simmer 10 – 20 minutes.
Remove from heat. Let stand for approx. 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
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Spaghetti Pie
Ingredients:
6 ounce package of spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup spaghetti sauce
¾ cup shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
Directions:
– Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Toss cooked and drained spaghetti with butter or olive oil.
– Mix 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese with beaten egg. Stir into spaghetti.
-Pour spaghetti mixture into lightly greased 10” pie pan. (Glass baking dish works best for this recipe.)
-Press or mold spaghetti into a “crust.”
-Spread ricotta cheese over top of spaghetti crust.
-Spread spaghetti sauce on top of ricotta cheese.
-Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
-Remove from oven. Top with mozzarella or Italian blend cheese.
-Return to oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
-Remove from oven. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
-Cool for 10 minutes, then cut into wedges.
This Recipe Is Included In My Cozy Mystery Book, “Eye Spy”
Eye Spy – A Christian Cozy Mysteries Book
Eye Spy Is A Christian Cozy Mysteries Book By Author Hope Callaghan. It's Book 5 In the Garden Girl Cozy Mysteries Series. Read More Below...
More info →*********************************************************
Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
4 cups sliced apples (about 4 medium)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup quick oats (can substitute w/graham cracker crumbs)
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ tsp. nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, softened
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange apples in greased glass baking dish (8×8).
Mix sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg until blended. Add butter. Blend until mixture sticks together.
Sprinkle mixture over apples.
Bake uncovered 25 – 30 minutes (until topping is brown and firm).
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
*This recipe also works well with mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries & blackberries).
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Banana Nut Bread
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
½ cup shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp salt
2/3 cup sour milk
3 very ripe bananas
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Directions:
*Preheat oven to 325 degrees
-In large bowl, cream together sugar and shortening. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
-In separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt
-Add dry mixture to the creamed mixture of eggs, sugar and shortening, alternating between that and the sour milk and bananas until all are well mixed.
-Add nuts, if desired.
-Pour into two lightly greased bread pans.
-Bake at 325 degrees for one hour or until toothpick, inserted in center of pan, comes out clean.
– Cool for 15 minutes or drizzle with optional topping (recipe below)
Orange Drizzle (optional)
Bake bread as directed above. Let cool for 10 minutes
Mix: 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tbsp. fresh orange juice and 1 tsp grated orange rind. Drizzle evenly over warm bread.
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Margaret’s Magnificent Meatloaf
Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef (I substituted with ground turkey)
1 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
¾ cup soft bread crumbs (I used Club crackers instead)
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp. chopped green pepper
4 tbsp. ketchup
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. sugar (Optional. I think sugar could be omitted. The sweetness from the Club crackers was enough)
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Combine all ingredients: (Set aside 2 tbsp of ketchup.) Ground beef, milk, egg, bread crumbs, onion, green pepper, ketchup, salt and sugar. Mix well.
-Press into 4” x 8” ungreased load pan.
-Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
-Remove from oven. Drizzle remaining 2 tbsp. of ketchup over top of loaf. Return to oven and bake an additional 15 minutes.
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Easy Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients:
1 – 8 oz. container of sour cream (regular or light)
1 – 10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup
3 – Cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 – 2 lb. bag of shredded frozen hash browns (THAWED)
¾ stick melted butter
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients.
Pack ingredients into 8-1/2 x 11 glass baking dish.
Bake uncovered for one hour.
*You can also add ½ cup chopped yellow onion. For less bitter taste, sauté onion and then add to mixture before baking.
**I haven’t tried it but, I think bacon bits would taste great!
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Debbie’s Delicious Christmas Cookie Recipe
Cookies – Ingredients List #1:
2-1/2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
*Mix dry ingredients in large bowl
Cookies – Ingredients List #2:
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
*Mix wet ingredients
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix both wet and dry ingredients together.
Roll cookie dough on floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters.
Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 6 – 10 minutes (depending on thickness)
*You can add more flour if the mixture seems “doughy”
Frosting
½ cup solid vegetable shortening
½ cup softened butter (not melted)
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp. milk
food coloring
Cream butter & shortening
Add vanilla
Slowly add sugar
Add milk
Beat on high until fluffy. (This recipe will test your mixer. I recommend using a heavy-duty mixer, but not required. Just keep an eye on the mixer so that it doesn’t overheat.)
*You can also add a little extra milk, a tablespoon at a time.
Separate frosting into bowls. Add drops of food coloring until color desired is achieved.
Frost cooled cookies. Decorate with sprinkles, etc.
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Lobster Bisque Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup diced yellow or red onion
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk (or substitute w/reduced fat milk)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons tomato puree (optional – for color)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound cooked and cubed lobster meat
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
Directions:
In a small frying pan place 1/4 cup chicken broth and the onion. Cook over a low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
In a medium size pot over medium heat melt the butter. Slowly whisk in flour. Whisk until a creamy mixture is blended.
Gradually pour in remainder of chicken broth, whisking constantly.
Whisk in milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, onion, garlic powder, lobster meat, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, tomato puree (optional).
Simmer soup for one hour
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Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler
Ingredients:
1 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup milk
¼ cup melted butter
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Topping:
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup chopped pecans
1-1/2 cups very hot water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium-sized bowl, blend flour, spices, baking powder, sugar and salt.
In a smaller bowl, mix pumpkin, melted butter, vanilla and milk. Once blended, pour this into dry ingredients (above). Mix well.
Pour mixed wet and dry ingredients into 8-inch casserole dish with high sides. (I used a glass pie dish & it worked great.)
In a separate bowl, mix topping ingredients: sugar (granulated sugar and brown sugar), and chopped pecans) until blended.
Spread these dry ingredients evenly over the top of the batter. Pour the hot water over the entire surface. (NOTE: DO NOT STIR!)
Bake for 40 minutes or until the middle sets. (TIP: Place a baking sheet under the dish in case it bubbles over.)
Cool 5 – 10 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Yield: 8 servings
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Annette’s Amazing Breakfast Bake
Ingredients:
1 pound ground pork sausage (or turkey sausage)
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
8 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
2 stalks chopped scallion (optional)
7 cups frozen hash browns
8 ounces mild Cheddar cheese, shredded (or sharp cheddar)
Directions:
Crumble sausage into a medium skillet. Cook over medium heat until evenly brown; drain.
In a medium bowl, mix together mustard powder, salt, eggs and milk. Add the sausage, hash browns, cheese, and scallion and stir to coat evenly. Pour into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cover and bake 45 to 60 minutes. Uncover, and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until set.
*My husband,aka the foodie’s, substitute directions:
Crumble sausage into a medium skillet. Cook over medium heat until evenly brown; drain.
In a medium bowl, mix together mustard powder, salt, eggs and milk. Add the sausage, half of the cheese, scallion and stir to coat evenly. Pour into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
Sprinkle frozen hash browns on top of the egg/sausage mixture. Top with remaining cheese.
Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cover, and bake 45 to 60 minutes. Uncover, and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bake for an additional 30 minutes. Broil for a couple minutes to crisp top.
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Made-From-Scratch Biscuits
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (for a more “buttery” flavor, use butter)
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt into a bowl. Use a pastry cutter to chop vegetable shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Whisk egg and milk together in a separate bowl and slowly add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring as you pour, until dough is moist.
Using large spoon, drop dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. (It will be a bit sticky.)
Bake in the preheated oven until biscuits have risen and are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
Tip: If using butter, grate the butter into the flour mixture and stir.
*Makes a dozen medium-size biscuits.
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Pepperoni Pizza Pie Iron Recipe
Ingredients:
Spray butter OR softened butter
1 Loaf of White Bread
15 oz. Pizza Sauce
16 oz. Mozzarella Cheese
1 Package Slice Pepperoni
Directions:
-Place slice of bread, butter side down, on lower half of cooker. Spoon pizza sauce on center of bread.
-Top sauce with mozzarella and pepperoni.
-Place second slice of bread, butter side up, on top of fillings.
-Latch handle; trim off excess bread if necessary.
-Toast over campfire, fireplace or bbq until golden brown on both sides. (Roughly 4 – 6 minutes depending on level of heat.) Check at three minutes and turn to other side for even cooking.
*You can substitute with pie filling, or even hot ham and cheese using ham slices, cheese and Dijon mustard to taste.
**The pie irons (when new) must be seasoned before using.
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Campfire Banana Splits
Ingredients:
6 large ripe bananas
1 package mini marshmallows
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or (pieces of) Hershey’s milk chocolate bar
Directions:
-Spray six pieces of aluminum foil (large enough pieces to wrap the banana).
-Slice the banana peel from top to bottom, cutting through to the banana.
-Gently squeeze both ends of the banana so that it is wide enough to stuff pieces of chocolate and marshmallow inside.
-Line the inside of the banana, alternating pieces of chocolate and marshmallow.
-Wrap the banana inside the aluminum foil.
-Place wrapped banana directly on top of hot coals or on grill grate.
-Leave on heat until chocolate and marshmallow melt (est. 5 minutes).
-Remove from heat. When slightly cooled, remove banana from aluminum foil and eat the banana, using spoon. -Discard peel when done.
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“Stick to your ribs” Goulash
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef (can sub ground chicken or ground turkey)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups water
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes-including juice
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons Italian herb seasoning
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (or shells)
2 tablespoons salt (add additional salt to taste)
Directions:
In large Dutch oven or large saucepan, cook and stir the ground beef over medium-high heat, until brown (about 10 mins).
Skim off excess fat. Stir in onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook and stir the meat mixture until the onions are translucent, about 10 more minutes. (Make sure the garlic doesn’t burn)
Stir in water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, sugar and pepper (everything else except the pasta).
Bring mixture to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Stir in pasta. Cover and simmer over low heat until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. (About 20 minutes.) Remove from heat.
*If you substitute ground chicken or ground turkey, add a small amount of vegetable or olive oil (approx. 2 tablespoons) to brown the meat, then stir in pepper, onion and garlic so that it doesn’t stick.
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Creamy Bacon Potato Salad
Ingredients:
5 lbs. red potatoes, cooked, cooled and cut into wedges (can sub yellow potatoes)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups sour cream (regular or light)
4 eggs, cooked, cooled and chopped
10 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled (reserve a couple tbsp. of the grease!)
1 cup sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 pieces scallion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery finely chopped (optional)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped eggs, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, chopped scallion, celery, and salt and pepper in large bowl. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of bacon grease. Blend.
Add cooked potatoes and mix well.
Refrigerate after mixing.
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Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti
Ingredients:
12 oz spaghetti
1 (28 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb lean ground beef (can substitute w/ground chicken or ground turkey)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz. package of cream cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium skillet, brown the ground beef. Drain grease and add the spaghetti sauce. Set aside.
Cook the spaghetti noodles according to the package directions. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add cream cheese, Italian seasoning, 1/2 cup mozzarella and garlic to spaghetti noodles. Stir until the cream cheese has melted and the noodles are coated.
Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch dish. Spread spaghetti on top of the sauce and top spaghetti with remaining sauce. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
Bake for 25 minutes until bubbly and heated through.
Remove from oven. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese on top. Put in warm oven for five minutes or until cheese melts.
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Chicken Tortilla Casserole
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons chicken broth or water
8 ounce carton of sour cream or plain yogurt
10 ¾ ounce can cream of mushroom soup
16 ounce jar mild, medium or hot chunky salsa*
12 flour tortillas cut into strips
4 cups diced and cooked chicken or turkey
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Grease 9”x13” baking dish.
-Spoon water or broth into dish.
-In bowl, mix sour cream, mushroom soup and salsa.
-Layer 1/3 of the tortilla strips, 1/3 of chicken, 1/3 of soup mixture and 1/3 of cheese. Repeat two times.
-Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
-Let stand 10 – 15 minutes before serving.
*To add some extra heat, substitute ¼ of the salsa with Texas Pete.
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Wonder Cookie Bars
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup melted butter
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
2 cups (12 oz package) semi-sweet chocolate chips or butterscotch chips
1-1/3 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnut or pecans
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat a 13×9 inch glass baking dish with no-stick cooking spray
Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom of the greased baking dish.
Pour sweetened condensed milk over top of graham cracker mixture, making sure to cover evenly.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over graham cracker crust.
Sprinkle coconut over chocolate chips.
Sprinkle chopped nuts over coconut.
Press lightly with fork.
Bake 25 – 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
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Italian Stuffed Shells Recipe
Ingredients
1 lb. Italian sausage browned (OPTIONAL)
1 (16 oz.) package of jumbo pasta shells
4 cups small curd cottage cheese (I used 2 cups ricotta + 2 cups small curd cottage cheese)
12 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. Italian spice mix
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 (26 oz. jar) spaghetti sauce
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook shells according to package directions. After finished cooking, place in cold water and then drain.
Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In separate bowl, mix spaghetti sauce with (optional) Italian sausage.
Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in bottom of 13×9 glass baking dish.
Stuff mixture into cooked shells. Place filled shells, open side up, close together, in pan.
Spread remaining spaghetti sauce over top.
Sprinkle remaining ½ cup grated parmesan cheese on top.
Bake at 350 in preheated oven for 20 minutes (covered.) Uncover and bake an additional 15 – 20 minutes.
*This made more than a 13×9 pan, and I ended up using an extra 9×9 baking dish and another ½ jar of spaghetti sauce plus extra grated parmesan cheese for top.
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Gazpacho Recipe
Ingredients:
4 cups tomato juice
1 yellow onion, minced
1 green bell pepper, minced
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 cups chopped tomato
2 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic
¼ cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used lime)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon white sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In blender, mix onion, bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, garlic and basil. Add 1 cup of tomato juice for better blending. Blend to desired consistency and pour into bowl.
Add the rest of the tomato juice, lemon or lime juice, vinegar, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, sugar, and salt and pepper.
Chill.
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Creamy Pesto Panini Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Creamy Pesto:
1 cup fresh basil, packed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 ounces cream cheese (whipped works best)
For the Panini Sandwich Recipe:
8 slices sour dough bread
Softened butter
16 slices thinly sliced smoked turkey
12 slices cooked bacon
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and pulled apart (optional)
Directions:
-Preheat a Panini press to 300 degrees F. Add the ingredients for the creamy pesto to a food processor. Puree until smooth.
-Butter one side of the slices of bread. Flip them over and spread the creamy pesto on the opposite side.
-Place 4 slices, butter side down, on the Panini press. Layer each slice (the side with the creamy pesto) with a small handful of artichokes leaves, 4 pieces of smoked turkey, 3 slices of bacon, and a handful of mozzarella cheese. Place the other slice of bread on top, butter side up.
-Close the Panini press and grill for 3-5 minutes.
-Serve warm.
*4 Servings
(You could substitute green olives for the salt.)
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Cherry Cream Cheese Surprise Dessert
Ingredients:
From Scratch Pie Crust: (8 or 9 inch pie crust)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening (Crisco) OR 1/3 cup lard
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
Steps: Cut shortening into flour and salt until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 tablespoons water can be added, if needed.)
Gather pastry into a ball. Flatten the ball on a lightly floured cloth-covered board. (A hard, floured surface will also work.)
Roll pastry 2 inches larger than inverted pie plate using floured rolling pin. (Note: I use a lightly floured spatula to loosen the piecrust from the surface.)
Fold pastry into quarters, unfold and ease into lightly greased pie plate, pressing firmly against bottom and sides of plate. Trim overhang excess and then press fork tines along rim of pie plate.
Cream Cheese Layer:
8 ounces whipped cream cheese
½ cup white sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Mix ingredients and spread on the bottom and sides of the piecrust.
Mix 1 tablespoon brown sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon together and sprinkle over top of cream cheese mixture.
PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 DEGREES.
Cherry Pie Filling:
4 cups fresh or frozen cherries, thawed (if frozen, make sure to drain juice after thawing)
¾ cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch or
Mix ingredients and pour on top of cream cheese/brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Topping:
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup oats
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup margarine or butter, softened
Mix ingredients and sprinkle over top of cherry mixture.
Bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees.
*For a quicker, easier version, substitute with a refrigerated (ready-to-bake) pie crust and 2 cans of cherry pie filling.
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Bow Tie Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream Recipe
Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, crumbled (can substitute turkey sausage)
*½ tsp. red pepper flakes (OPTIONAL)
½ cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style tomatoes
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup green olives, chopped
2 tsps. Garlucci family secret Sicilian seasoning
1 cup Italian blend cheese (OPTIONAL)
Directions:
-Bring large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 8 – 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain.
– While pasta is cooking, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage and (optional) red pepper flakes until sausage is browned. Drain grease if necessary.
– Stir in onion and garlic until onion is lightly browned.
– Stir in tomatoes, cream, salt, green olives and Carlita’s secret Sicilian seasoning. Add pasta.
-Simmer until mixture thickens, 8 – 10 minutes.
*Alternative recipe:
-While mixture simmers, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
– After mixture thickens, add ½ cup Italian blend cheese, pour into 9×13 glass baking dish. Top with ½ cup Italian cheese blend and bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese melts.
*The red pepper flakes add a bit of heat so if you don’t like spicy foods, skip this ingredient.
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Garlucci Family Secret Sicilian Seasoning Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried marjoram
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried savory
1 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoons dried sage
Blend for one minute in food processor. Store in dry container.
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Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken breasts (bone in)
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1 small diced potato
½ cup celery diced
1 small yellow onion chopped
¼ cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt, plus ½ tsp
1 tsp black pepper, plus ¼ tsp
¼ tsp celery seed
1-3/4 cup chicken broth (reserved from stock)
2/3 cup milk
2 – 9 inch unbaked pie crusts
Directions:
Add thawed chicken breasts PLUS 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper to boiling water. Cook for ½ hour (at boiling).
Add carrots, peas, potatoes, onion and celery. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, cool. (To speed it up, we removed chicken and placed in a bowl of cold water.
Debone chicken, cut into cubes. Add back to broth/veggie mixture. Mix and heat.
Remove from stove.
Strain juice/broth. Set aside.
*Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk.
Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened. Remove from heat, set aside.
Place piecrust in bottom of ungreased pie pan.
Spread the chicken/veggie mixture in bottom of piecrust.
Pour hot liquid (broth) mixture over top. (If the mixture gets too thick, add extra broth – until “pourable”.)
Cover with top crust, seal edges and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in top to allow steam to escape.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
*We covered the edges of the piecrust with tinfoil so that it wouldn’t burn and then removed the tinfoil halfway thru baking.
*Makes one 9-inch homemade pot pie.
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Rose’s Black-Eyed Peas Recipe
Ingredients:
8 cups water
1 pound dried black-eyed peas (rinsed)
12 ounces ham, diced
6 slices bacon, chopped
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 med. onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced, (seeded and stemmed)
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt to taste
Directions:
Pour the water into slow cooker.
Combine black-eyed peas, ham, bacon, garlic, onion, bell pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin and salt. Stir to blend ingredients.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours until the beans are tender.
Serve over bed of white rice with a hot buttered cornbread muffin.
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Carlita’s Linguine Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid, chopped
12 Castelvetrano olives, chopped
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp, Italian seasoning
8 oz. of linguine pasta
Grated or shredded parmesan
Fresh basil
Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil with garlic over medium heat.
When garlic starts to sizzle, pour chopped tomatoes and chopped green olives into mixture.
Add salt and Italian seasoning. Stir.
Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While tomatoes simmer, bring large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta 8-10 minutes or until al dente.
Add cooked pasta to saucepan. Cook 3 – 4 minutes or until sauce begins to boil.
After plated, sprinkle grated/shredded parmesan on top. Garnish with fresh basil.
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Hummingbird Cake
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 cups canola oil
3 eggs
1 – 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained (reserve ½ tsp for frosting – optional)
2 cups mashed bananas
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 – 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
¼ lb. butter (one stick), softened
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
In large bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt and ½ tsp cinnamon.
In smaller bowl, combine oil, eggs, pineapple, bananas, ½ tsp vanilla and ½ cup chopped nuts (keep other ½ cup to sprinkle on frosting).
Pour batter evenly into the greased/floured cake pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes (or 1 hour) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven, set aside to cool.
Prepare frosting: Blend cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, ½ tsp. vanilla and ¼ tsp. cinnamon until smooth. Add pineapple juice (optional.)
Remove cooled cakes from cake pans. Center one cake on round plate. Spread icing on top and sprinkle a few nuts on top. Place second cake on top of first frosted cake. Frost top and sides, and then sprinkle with remaining walnuts.
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Annette’s Super Easy Ooey Gooey Chocolate Melting Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
¾ cup (6 oz.) dark chocolate chips (I used Nestle’s 53% cacao chips)
¾ cup (6 oz.) butter
4 eggs – room temperature
¾ cup (6 oz.) white sugar
1/8 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (2 oz.) all-purpose flour
Powdered sugar*
*Use 8 oz. ramekin baking dishes. Makes 4 servings.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Melt chocolate and butter in small saucepan. Cool 10 minutes.
While chocolate and butter is cooling, whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla in medium size bowl.
Add flour to eggs/sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly.
Mix chocolate with other ingredients. Mix well.
Fill ramekin dishes ¾ of the way full with chocolate batter.
Bake for 14 minutes. Do not overcook. Outsides should be firm (cakelike) and middle should be gooey.
Remove. Cool for a couple moments and serve with vanilla ice cream.
*Optional: sprinkle top with powdered sugar after baking.
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Gloria’s Super Simple 4 Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Fudge Recipe
Ingredients:
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup sliced almonds
Directions:
Place milk and chocolate chips in double boiler*. Stir until melted.
Remove from heat. Add coconut and almonds. Mix well.
Pour into a greased or lined 9×9 pan. Let cool. Cut into squares.
*If you don’t have a double boiler, place 1 cup water in medium saucepan. Boil water. Place glass or stainless steel bowl on top so it sits just inside saucepan. (Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t bubble over.)
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Carlita’s Homemade Minestrone Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage, sliced thin (we used turkey sausage)
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups finely shredded carrots
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 small zucchini, cubed
16-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
16-oz can cut green beans (optional)
2 – 16 oz. containers of beef OR chicken stock
3 cups finely chopped cabbage
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
16-oz can Great Northern Beans, undrained
Directions:
Brown sausage, onion and garlic in oil.
Stir in carrots and Italian spice blend. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add zucchini, tomatoes, beef stock, cabbage, salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
Add Great Northern beans and green beans, and cook another 20 minutes.
Serve with crusty Italian bread.
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Wet Burrito Recipe
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef (can substitute ground chicken or turkey)
½ cup chopped yellow onion
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 – 4.5 oz. can diced green chile peppers
1 – 16 oz. can refried beans
1 – 10 oz. can Rotel
1 – 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
4 – 8 inch flour tortillas
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
½ cup chopped green onion
Directions
-Cook ground meat over medium high heat until browned. Add onion. Cook and stir until the onion is translucent. Drain grease, if necessary.
-Season with cumin, salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly.
-Stir in green chile and refried beans until blended. Remove from heat.
-In a small saucepan, combine rotel and enchilada sauce. Heat thoroughly.
-Place a warm tortilla on plate. Spoon ¼ of the meat mixture along center of tortilla.
-Top with lettuce and tomato.
-Roll tortilla.
-Spoon a generous amount of sauce over top of rolled burrito.
-Sprinkle cheese and scallion over top of sauce.
-Heat in microwave for 30 seconds, or until cheese melts.
-Repeat steps for other three tortillas.
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Sharky’s Atomic Salsa Recipe
*NOTE. The original recipe called for ghost peppers. Ghost peppers can be lethal so I substituted the ghost pepper with jalapeno.
Ingredients:
1 jalapeno, diced
4 chopped/drained tomatoes
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 small can black olives, chopped
1 small can green chiles, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp. white vinegar
¼ cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
-Mix ingredients.
-Refrigerate one hour or for best flavor, overnight.
-Serve with chips
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Gloria’s Breakfast Bomb Recipe
Ingredients:
1 tube refrigerated biscuit dough (8 count)
1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. diced green pepper
8 eggs
¼ cup milk
3 tbsp. chopped chives
8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (can substitute cooked, crumbled sausage or diced ham)
1-1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. poppy seeds
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
– Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
– Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
– In large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
– In a large, nonstick skillet, melt 1 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Sautee chopped green peppers.
– Pour egg mixture into skillet with the chopped green peppers, stirring occasionally until reaching desired consistency.
– Season with salt and pepper.
– Remove from heat. Fold in chives (or green scallion)
– Flatten each biscuit round to about ¼” thickness.
– Top each round of dough with scrambled eggs, bacon (or meat) and cheese.
– Bring edges of the dough together and pinch to seal.
– Place on baking sheet, seam side down.
– Brush tops with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and poppy seeds.
– Bake 20-25 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.
– Serve warm.
*Makes 8 breakfast bombs.
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FRESH PASTA DOUGH RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup semolina flour (pasta flour)
2 whole eggs, at room temperature
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and the semolina. Create a well in the center and add the eggs and egg yolks. Using a fork, break up the eggs then gradually start to draw flour from the edges of the well into the mixture.
If the dough gets too firm to mix with the fork switch to mixing with your hands. Continue to work in flour until the dough no longer sticks to your hands; you may not need to incorporate all of the flour. (I used a bit more than what the recipe called for.)
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes or until it is smooth and pliable. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.
If using a pasta roller: Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Starting with the machine set to the widest setting, pass the dough through the rollers. Fold the dough into thirds and pass it through again 2 more times. Continue passing the pasta through the machine, reducing the setting a few notches each time. You may need to dust a bit with flour if the dough sticks to the rollers at all. Once you reach your desired thickness, use the cutting attachment to cut the pasta sheet into fettuccine. Dust the cut pasta with more flour to prevent sticking and repeat with the remaining dough.
If using a rolling pin: Divide the dough in half. Dust your surface with flour and sprinkle generously on your rolling pin.
*Roll out the dough as thin and as evenly possible, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. Use a paring knife (a pizza cutter works great!) to cut your dough into even ribbons, then set aside, dusting the cut pasta with more flour. Repeat with the remaining dough. (At this point, the pasta can be transferred to a sealable plastic bag and frozen for up to 3 months; do not defrost before cooking.)
Cook the pasta in a large pot of generously salted boiling water, checking for doneness after just 1 minute; fresh pasta cooks very quickly. As soon as it is al dente, no more than 3 or 4 minutes, drain, reserving some of the cooking water if desired for saucing the pasta. Toss with your sauce, loosen with some of the reserved cooking water as needed and serve immediately.
*Note: You must get the dough as thin as possible and cut them into small strips, otherwise, it will be too thick and end up having the texture of dumplings.
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Garlucci Family Secret Pasta Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups pureed tomatoes
1-1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 pound fettuccine
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook until tender about 3 minutes.
Add in tomato paste and pureed tomato, stir.
Season with basil, black pepper and salt.
Stir until everything is blended.
Add the heavy cream and let it simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Add cooked pasta.
After plated, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
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Baked Apple and Walnut Tart Recipe
Ingredients:
1 – 8 ounce sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 Cortland, McIntosh or Empire apple, sliced and cut in ½-inch long pieces
½ cup walnuts, chopped
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons water
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Melt butter in medium saucepan.
-Add sliced and cut apples. Sauté for five minutes.
-Add 3 tablespoons water. Sauté for another two minutes.
-Mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Add to apples. Stir thoroughly.
-Remove from heat. Add walnuts.
-Cut the puff pastry into four squares. Line 4 cups of greased muffin tin with the squares, allowing the corners to stick out.
-Divide the apple mixture among the puff pastry squares and bake until golden brown (20-25 minutes.)
-Let cook before removing from tin.
-While tarts cool, beat the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar with hand mixer until soft peaks form.
-Serve with tarts.
*Makes 4 servings.
*A special thanks to my friend, Cindi, for giving me some great pointers for an awesome apple tart!
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Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese Bites Recipe
Ingredients:
12 slices thick bacon, cooked
1/2 box of elbow macaroni (about 8 ounces)
¼ cup milk
3 tbsp butter
4 cups extra sharp shredded cheddar cheese
Salt
Pepper
¼ cup breadcrumbs
Directions:
– Line a greased muffin pan with slices of precooked bacon.
– Bring water to a boil, add macaroni and cook for 8-10 minutes. Drain water.
– Add milk, butter, and shredded cheddar cheese, reserving ½ cup of cheese for top. Thoroughly mix together.
– Divide the macaroni and cheese between the cups in the muffin pan.
– Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and more cheese.
– Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until bacon reaches desired crisp.
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