Gran's Mac and Cheese

I am a mac and cheese lover, but not a mac and cheese snob. I am just as happy eating Kraft mac and cheese as I am eating homemade. I just love it, either way!!
My mom makes a cheese sauce first (which can also be used on top of broccoli), then adds it to cooked pasta and covers it in shredded sharp cheese. Bake it and you have some easy mac and cheese!!

Macaroni and Cheese
Cheese sauce:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup whole milk
1 heaping cup of sharp cheddar cheese (sharp or extra sharp- anything less will be bland)
salt and pepper to taste
elbow macaroni or any small pasta
more shredded sharp cheddar cheese for top

Melt the butter in a saucepan.

Add the flour and stir to combineSlowly pour in the milk and stir until it thickens up. Add shredded cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
That's it!!!! Now you have a yummy cheese sauce to pour over vegetables,
or use it instead of Hollandaise for Eggs Benedict.
I cooked a package of medium shells and mix with the cheese sauce.
Pour into a baking dish and top generously with shredded sharp cheddar (Seriously. Use the sharp cheddar. Mild cheddar just does not have enough flavor for this dish)
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until cheese has melted.

Fried Pork Chops with Potatoes and Onions

This is some comfort food for you!! My best friend's mom made the best pork chops growing up, and I had lunch with that best friend recently and she told me exactly how her mom made those great pork chops!! I've made them twice since I let with her a few weeks ago :)
It's a simple dish, but they are full of flavor. Marinate the pork chops in Italian dressing for at least 30 minutes, then dredge them in seasoned flour. Fry 'em up and you have some yummy chops!!!

Fried Pork Chops
pork chops (I used boneless, but you can use bone-in. You need to butterfly them if they are too thick)
Italian dressing
flour
salt and pepper

I butterflied the chops, and seasoned them with salt and pepperMarinating in the Italian dressingI seasoned the flour with Lawry's season salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Dredge the chops well in the flourFry up in the hot oil, about medium heatGet nice and golden
Pork Chops, Part 2:
I made these again last night. For my husband's chop, I stuffed his with ham and Gruyere cheese after they had marinated in the dressing. Then, I dredged them and fried them like the others.
I cut up potatoes and onions, and cooked them in the same pan that I cooked the pork chops in.
I told you this was comfort food for you!Sooo yummy! Crispy on the outside, with all the yummy flavor from the pork chops. Don't forget to season the potaoes and onions with salt and pepper.

Roasted Garlic

I love garlic. One of my favorite smells, not just food smells- any smells, is garlic sauteeing in the pan. It smells SO good!! Roasted garlic is really yummy. Garlic gets sweeter as it cooks, and when you roast it, it gets soft and sweet. It's really good to simply spread on bread, or add it to your mashed potatoes. You could absolutely set it out as part of your appetizer tray with bread or crackers.

Roasted Garlic
head of garlic
olive oil
salt

Cut the end of the garlic head, so it is exposed.

Place garlic head(s) on a piece of foil. Sprinkle with salt and olive oil.

Wrap and place in hot oven- 400 degrees. Roast for 45 minutes.
Open and let cool. Squeeze out the garlic.
Spread on bread or add to mashed potatoes.

Potato Salad

I am not a potato salad fan. I always thought it would be something I would like, so I have continued to try every potato salad passed my way. My uncle brought some potato salad to a family get-together from a barbeque restaurant- Red, Hot and Blue. I tried it, because I always try it, and it looked different. It was not yellow and mushy. AND, I saw hard-boiled eggs in it. I LOVE hard-boiled eggs. Well, it was just about one of the best side dishes, not to mention the absolute BEST potato salad, I had ever had.
I had brisket sandwiches on the menu for this week, and was trying to think of a side dish. I thought, "you know what I really want?? That totally awesome potato salad from Red, Hot and Blue" (a restaurant I have never actually been to)
I went to the internet and up came several posts and forums from foodie sites about this exact salad!! I was so excited! I looked at almost every recipe, and came up with a consensus recipe.
This is easy, and oh-so-good. No mustard, not mushy and served at room temperature.

Red, Hot and Blue Potato Salad
8 new potatoes, steamed
4 hard-boiled eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/4 tsp. celery salt
salt and pepper to taste

I set 4 large red potatoes in the steamer basket. They took about 30 minutes.

Hard boiled 4 eggs
(I only used 2 for the salad. I made deviled eggs with the other 2. I know- I have a problem.)

Let potatoes cool a bit. Cut into large, bite-size pieces.
Chop boiled egg (whites only) into chunks.
Put chunked potatoes and eggs in bowl.
Season with salt and pepper. Add mayo, chives and celery salt.
Mix well.
IT'S SO GOOD!!! I am bringing it to a get together this weekend, and my husband is demanding it become a staple (and not many things get "staple status"). MAKE THIS!! It's really great and different from most potato salads- I really loved it and I hope you will try it!

Easy Cheese Balls

We had my grandmother's 80th birthday party at our house this weekend. We were smart and did in between mealtimes, so we just had a few snacks, cake and punch. I made my mother-in-laws cheese balls, which are super easy!!

Cheese Balls
2 lb. Velveeta
8-oz cream cheese

toppings for cheese ball- your choice!!
Some favorites are: bacon bits, chopped pecans, paprika, garlic salt, dried herbs

Put softened cream cheese and chunks of Velveeta is large bowl.Beat until combined.Separate into 2 balls (or 4 smaller logs). Cover and refrigerate.
Before party, bring balls (or logs) back out and roll in toppings. I did one in paprika, and one in dried herbs. I did a combo of dried herbs- just what I had on hand.
Thyme, Herbs de Provence and oregano. Refrigerate again until ready to set out. Serve with crackers.

This is a side view of the bar where we had all the food. We purchased the cake (I am NOT a cake decorator). The punch was great! Two 2-liters of ginger ale (or 7-UP), 2 quarts of lime sherbet and one large can of pineapple juice. Easy, but yummy! My kids had about 10 cups and were asking for more this morning when they woke up!!!

Roasted Chicken and Veggies

My favorite thing to do with potatoes and carrots are to roast them, and that has been well documented on this blog. But, last summer- I did a whole meal roasted. It's a favorite summer meal of mine- and I will repeat it often this season. One of the foods I get the most excited about this season is corn on the cob. I LOVE corn on the cob. I could eat it everyday. I always wrapped mine up in foil with butter and salt and cooked it in the oven- it's great, but it takes about 40 minutes. My mother-in-law showed me how she does hers...in about 6 minutes. She puts her ears in a gallon baggie and closes it, then cooks it in the microwave. After the bag pops and the corn is hot- it's ready. It is so crisp!!! I am so excited now to have a quick way to do corn.

Roasted Chicken and Veggies
chicken tenders or chicken breast cut into large chunks (I just marinated the chicken in a little olive oil and a dry herb blend)
corn on the cob, shucked and cleaned
carrots, peeled and sliced thick
potatoes (preferable gold or new, but I used russet because that's all I had), chopped
*Use whatever veggies you like- these are our favs

The veggies are clean and chopped, the oven is preheated to 375
You will need 2 baking sheetsOn one baking sheet, toss the carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper
Place the chicken on the other end of the baking sheetPotatoes on the other baking sheet- also tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper

Put a pat of butter and sprinkle salt on the corn, wrap up nice and tight in foil
Place them in oven, no need for a baking sheet

The potatoes and corn go in first- they will each take about 40 minutes. Then after 20 minutes, put in the carrots and chicken. They only take about 20 minutes. And- you're done!!!!

GG's Deviled Eggs

I never really knew how much I liked Deviled Eggs, until I had GG's. My stepmom- who my kids call GG- makes fabulous deviled eggs. I requested them for our Easter get together, and told her that I was going to take pictures of her doing it and post it. I have never attempted deviled eggs before- OK, that's a lie. I did one time, and they were almost unedible... So I needed to watch her do it- I'm a visual learner.

The prep:
boiled eggs, yolks removed and cut in halfyolks smashed with fork, seasoned with salt and pepper
The filling:
mayo (Or miracle whip), mustard, chopped sweet pickles, finely chopped onion
salt and pepper, and vinegar (not pictured)Miracle whip (about 1/2 cup for 14 eggs- 28 halves), mustard (1 tsp.), vinegar (JUST a splash)
Mix wellAdd mayo mixture to yolks
Add chopped sweet pickles (1/4 cup), and onion (just a tsp or 2)
Season with salt and pepper, mix well
Fill in egg halvesThere you have it!!!
I had always heard of adding sweet relish, and then after thinking about it, I like the sweet pickles by themselves better. The relish is very runny, and would make the filling more liquid, which makes it harder to fill and work with. I think the sweet pickles is the way to go!
THANKS, GG!!