Shaq's Mac n Cheese

Get ready!  I saw this recipe for Shaqille O'Neal's mother's Mac 'n Cheese published a few years ago in Parade Magazine.  I IMMEDIATELY made it and it was INCREDIBLE!!  My beef with most homemade mac 'n cheese recipes is that they dry out easily and just aren't very cheesy.  This recipe is super moist and creamy and stays that way even reheated the next day.  This makes a huge recipe so it's great for a party, but it can also be cut in half easily.

Oh and if you ever want to pamper yourself in the morning, mix a spoonful of this mac n cheese in with your scrambled eggs!  Amazing.

Shaq’s Mac n Cheese

From Shaquille O’Neal (actually his mom) 

 

1 16 oz box elbow macaroni

1 stick margarine

1 TBL flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 egg

1 16 oz package velvetta cheese – diced

 

2TBL sugar

1 16 oz shredded cheddar cheese – divided

1 cup bread crumbs or crushed potato chips

 

Prepare macaroni as directed.  Drain and set aside

In a large sauce pan, melt butter.  Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute until bubbly.

Add milk and egg .  Whisk  and cook for 1 minute.

add sugar.

Slowly add Velvetta cheese and half the cheddar cheese, stirring regularly   Do not let unmelted cheese rest on the bottom of the ban, or it will burn. 

Cook on low heat until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. 

 

Pour cheese sauce over cooked noodles and stir to blend.  It will seem like you have way too much sauce  for the noodles, but don’t worry, it will all get absorbed.

Pour mixture into a 13”x9” glass pan. 

 

Top with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs/potato chips.

 

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.   Let cool slightly before serving (but don’t wait too long or else it might get dry) 

Chicken Marsala

I'm glad to see that cooking is coming back in style.  Back in the 90's it seemed like no one was interested in cooking anymore.  People just ate out or got carryout.  But thanks to lots of new cooking shows (and possibly the economy)  cooking is making a comeback.  I love the in-store chefs at the grocery store.  I always swing by their booth for a taste.  A few years ago, the Schnucks Cooks chef was whipping up this little gem.  It comes together quickly for a light yet flavorful spin on chicken.  Great for a weekday meal.  Given the gooey sauce, I recommend pairing with a plain vegetable and rice.   Enjoy! 

Chicken Marsala

Inspired by Schnuck’s Cooks

 

3-4 boneless chicken breasts – cut into thirds or fourths – you may need to cut the thicker pieces length-wise to  have more consistent thickness

½ cup seasoned bread crumbs

Olive oil

1 pint fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup onion – chopped

½ cup chopped thin sliced ham

½ bottle lemon/white wine finishing sauce (found in marinade aisle)

 

½ cup white wine  (make sure you pour some for yourself – quantity not included)

2 TbL lemon juice

2 cups fontina or other white creamy cheese – divided

 Sauce

In a skillet, saute onions and mushrooms until tender and mushrooms no longer weep  (about 10 minutes) .  Add chopped ham and saute an additional 2 minutes. 

 

 

 Add finishing sauce, lemon juice and white wine.  Simmer until sauce reduces by ¼ and thickens (appx 15 minutes) .  Set aside.

Chicken

Roll chicken in bread crumbs

Heat olive oil in skillet until sizzly

 

Cook chicken pieces in skillet appx 5 minutes then turn, turn heat down and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Turn only once and do not cover.  Chicken should be almost done – fairly firm when pressed in center., but not rock solid.  Do not over cook.

Transfer cooked chicken to 13x9” baking pan.  Top with half of the cheese.

 

 

Pour the mushroom sauce over the chicken.  Top with remaining cheese.

 

Bake  uncovered at 300  for 20 minutes or until sauce is gooey and bubbly. 

Again, do not over cook as chicken may dry out.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bacon Potato Chowder

Now that the weather is turning cooler, I am excited to share some of my favorite soup recipes.  This chowder is from an old cookbook that I received from my wonderful friend Katie Luby.  It has been a staple at our house for years. 

Bacon Potato Chowder

From : Treasury of Country Recipes

 

 

8 oz carton sour cream

11/4 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp thyme leaves

 2-3 TBL sugar

 

 

8 slices of bacon, cut into 1” pieces

2 cups cubed new red potatoes

1 cup onion – chopped

 

8 oz can whole kernel corn, drained

 

 

In a 3-quart sauce pan, blend and heat cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream and spices.   Heat on low. 

 

 

Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon until 3/4 cooked.  

 

 

Remove bacon and add to soup.  To bacon grease,  add potato and onion. 

 

 

Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender (15-20 minutes).  Remove from grease and add to soup.  Add corn.  

Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until heated through (10-12 minutes)

 

 Serve with some awesome bread! 

Roasted Tarragon Potatoes

I received this recipe from my wonderful neighbor, Sheila O'Toole.  Sheila's children used to baby sit for my children, and then my children baby sat for her grand children.  It's a wonderful circle of life. 

These potatoes  are very yummy, with crispy edges and just hint of tanginess.  A perfect compliment to grilled meat and a saucy vegetable. 

Roasted Tarragon Potatoes

From Sheila O'Toole

 

4-5  Medium Sized Red Potatoes

3 TBL olive oil

2 TBL lemon juice

Salt n Pepper

2TBL Sugar

1 TBL  dried, crushed tarragon leaves

 

Clean potatoes (leave skins on)

Cut in long wedges

Place in large mixing bowl

 

Pour in olive oil, lemon juice and remaining spices.

Tumble potatoes until well coated.

 

Spread potatoes on a non-stick cookie sheet or jelly roll pan in a single layer.

 

 

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Turn over and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until potato sides are sizzling and potatoes are tender.

These can be held in a 200 oven for about 30 minutes before serving.

 

 

Homemade Cannelloni

This is another classic Beth Mosher recipe.   It has been in our family as long as Beth has!  I don't know about you but I was always confused between Manicotti and Cannelloni.  In my mind, Manicotti should have a meat filling (M) and Cannelloni should have a cheese filling (C),   but, no, it is the opposite.   So our family refers to this recipe as Manicotti, but the correct name is Cannelloni. 
Either way it's a good one.  Another great Martha and Mary meal that travels well and can hold in the refrigerator for several days before baking. 

TIP:  As tempting as it is, don't over cook the noodles.  follow the package direction.  The times I have over cooked them they split when you try to stuff them. 

Cannelloni  (Manicotti in the Book of Knowledge)

Inspired by Beth Mosher

1 Pack large tubular noodles

 2 lb ground beef

1 onion - diced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

 

3 TBL sugar

3-4 slices white bread

½ cup milk

1 egg - beaten

3 cups mozzarella cheese – shredded - separated

 

1 jar prepared spaghetti/pasta sauce

¼ cup sugar

 

Prepare noodles as directed on package. 

Warm pasta sauce on the stove with sugar.

Brown ground beef with onion

Drain and place in large mixing bowl

Add spices and mix well

Break up bread and stir into meat

Add about 1 to 11/2 cups cheese and stir

Add milk and stir until mixture is well moistened but not too mushy

 

Carefully stuff cooked noodles with stuffing mixture.  This is a little tricky because noodles split easily.  If they do split , no worries, just place stuffed noodles in greased pan split side down.

 
 

Pour pasta sauce over stuffed noodles.

 

Top with remaining shredded cheese.

 

 

Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes at 350.

 

serve with cheese bread. Super yummy!