Smoky Mac & Cheese with... BACON!

Smoky Mac & Cheese with Mmmm Bacon!

OK, y'all... I promise I will post the results from the last poll soon - been totally slammed lately! The winner, by the way, was the footprint in the sand keepsake! I owe a few friends this recipe, so I thought I'd post it here in hopes it'll tide y'all over! This recipe is so yummy! I kind of made it up one night and it turned out great!

What 'cha need:
1 LB Macaroni Noodles - or Corkscrew, or whatever you like
1/2 LB Bacon
1/2 Small Onion
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
2 Tablespoons Leftover Bacon Grease (fm above)
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 Cups Sharp Cheddar, Shredded (Medium cheddar, or a blend works fine too!)
3 to 4 Cups of Milk
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Optional: 1/2 - 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Optional: Breadcrumbs

There's a couple of ways you can make this - stovetop (super quick) or baked. Baked is nice when you have a little extra time and want to take it to the next level. Either way, here's how to start:

As you bring a large pot of salted water to boil, cut the bacon into pieces and cook over the stovetop with the onion and garlic until the bacon is nice and crispy, and the onions are translucent. Scoop with a slotted spoon into a bowl lined with paper towels. Keep about two tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan, and add the flour, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper (if desired).

The flour mixture is your "rue" - cook the rue over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk for about a minute to cook off the flour taste. Then add the milk and stir until any clumps of rue are gone and the sauce begins to thicken. At this point, TAKE THE PAN OFF THE HEAT and add the shredded cheese, stirring constantly until smooth.

Tip: if the rue is too hot when you add the cheese, it'll be a grainy, yucky mess, so be sure to remove it from the heat first! Learned that one the hard way...

Once your noodles are al dente (slightly undercooked) drain them, then add them back to the pot with your cheese sauce and bacon bits. Combine and enjoy! And don't worry about the noodles - they will continue to cook in the sauce and it'll be delish - trust me! If you really want to, you can cook them until soft, then enjoy!

Now, if you want to make this extra special... Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Make recipe same as above but whatever you do, DON'T overcook the noodles! You want them to be slightly undercooked when they go into the oven so they don't get mushy. ;)

Once everything's combined, pour into a 13 x 9 baking dish. Top with about a 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs mixed with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Once you remove from the oven, let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Tip: while baking, if the breadcrumbs get too toasty, just cover the dish with foil and finish baking.

I really hope you all enjoy this dish as much as we do! Please let me know if you make it, and what you think!

xoxo,
C

What Should I Make Next?

Cast your vote now! Poll's to the left, folks (or at the bottom of the page if you're viewing this on a mobile device.) Poll ends March 8!

 

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Canvas Silhouettes

Footprint in the Sand

Mini Apple Pies

 

 

Verdict - Creme Brulee Cupcakes

 

Crème Brulee Cupcakes

Two of my favorite things in one - crème brulee and cupcakes! What could go wrong!? Well, in the words of Sweet Brown - "Ain't nobody got time for that!" Look, I'm a busy girl. Aren't we all!? The concept is awesome, but the result is not so great, especially for the amount of time you spend making it.

My suggestion? Take the crème brulee - leave the cupcake. BUT for those of you who just can't let the idea go, here's how to make 'em:

Crème Brulee
6 egg yolks
6 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or, split a vanilla bean and use the seeds - yum!)
1/4 cup brown sugar

Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it is on the verge of boiling. Remove from heat. In a glass mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and the vanilla and beat until well combined and pale yellow. Add the heavy cream to the egg mixture - very important to add the cream slowly at first to temper the eggs. Otherwise, they'll heat too quickly and you'll have scrambled eggs! Add the remaining cream and stir until well combined.

Make a double boiler by adding a couple of cups of water to a saucepan over high heat. Once the water boils, turn the heat down to low, then place the glass bowl on top of the saucepan. It's very important to assure the boiling water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir for 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

You can pour the mixture into any baking dish your heart desires - an 8 x 8, or small ramekins. I'd suggest dividing it up among 6 small, round ramekins. This way you get multiple servings instead of one large one (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake at 325 degrees until the crème brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

If you want to skip the cupcakes, here's the last step:
Remove the crème brulee from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the 1/4 cup of brown sugar and spread evenly on top of each ramekin. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. You can also use your oven's broiler on high for 2-3 minutes, but be sure to watch it so you don't burn your brulee! Allow the crème brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Now, if you're up for it, here's the rest:
To keep it easy, just use your favorite boxed brand - prepare the cupcake batter as you normally would, but when it comes time to fill the cupcake liners, only fill them about 1/4 of the way. Much more than that and you won't have any room for the brulee! Your baking times will also be less - check them at about the half way point, and every couple minutes after until done.

After they've cooled, spoon chilled crème brulee on top of each cupcake, then add the granulated/brown sugar mixture from above. Melt the sugar with a torch, or oven broiler. Let the brulee cool/set again before serving.

Enjoy!
C



Extra! Spiced Pecans

Spiced Pecans

These are to die for! I first had them at a Christmas party - a perfect recipe for the holidays! However, after making them several times, I think they're great year round. Thanks to KB for sharing her recipe! You know who you are... =)

Spiced Pecans

4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Combine above ingredients in a saucepan. Heat until sugar has dissolved - just takes a few minutes. Remove from heat, then add:

3 tablespoons Worcestershire
Dash Tabasco

In a medium bowl, pour sauce over 4-5 cups of pecan halves and coat thoroughly. Place on a prepared baking sheet (Silpat is great) in a single layer before placing in a 300 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. TIP: stir occasionally - every 5 to 7 minutes. Also, be sure to stir them every few minutes as they cool to prevent them from sticking together. Yeah, this recipe's a but high maintenance, but soooooo worth it!

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container or Ziploc.

Yummo!
C

Extra! Gamma Sam's Cheesy Bread

Gamma Sam's Cheesy Bread

OMG. OMFG this is SO good! And that's all I really have to say about it =)

1 lb medium or sharp shredded cheddar cheese
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 small can green chilies
1 small jar pimentos (I found them in the canned veggie section, top shelf)
1 1/2 cups mayo

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for a couple of hours prior to cooking. When ready to serve, spread on top of sliced french bread and broil on high until light brown and bubbly!

A big thanks to "Gamma Sam" for so graciously sharing this recipe with me - and all of you!

Disclaimer: this makes a lot so you may want to either save it for a large party, or 1/2 the recipe.

Enjoy!
C

What Should I Make Next?

I'm going to post a few "freebies" this week - new recipes to share that I think you all will love! In the meantime, the latest poll is up. What'll it be next???


Crème Brulee Cupcakes

DIY Votive Holders

Pretzel Crusted Chicken

Peppermint Thumbprints

Verdict #2 - Thumbprint Pendant

Thumbprint Pendant

Remember our tie? Here's the results!

I'm sorry to say this did NOT work as expected! This project calls for homemade salt dough that is baked then painted to get the above effect. The salt dough is easy enough to make and shape, but the thumbprints didn't "bake into" the dough. #fail

This would be perfect for homemade Christmas ornaments, however. After baking, you could totally paint them. Here's the salt dough recipe:

1 cup salt
1 cup of flour 
1/2 cup of water (may add more) 

In a medium bowl, combine the salt and the flour. Add water then knead until smooth and shape into a ball. When not in use, wrap in plastic or store in an airtight container.

 

Bake your crafts at 200 degrees for about 2 hours. Paint after cooling completely.

p.s. if anyone has been able to make thumbprint pendants from salt dough, please share how you pulled it off!

xoxo,
C

Verdict - Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork

Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork

I was really looking forward to making this because, seriously, it looks delish! And after a minor (major) snafu, it all worked out beautifully! See, what had happened was.... I had the tenderloin cooking away in the crockpot on a Saturday afternoon and we left the house to run some errands. Upon returning home, I realized the crockpot had mysteriously been unplugged! Ack! My sweet, sweet 5 year old then went on to explain how it is dangerous to leave the "oven" aka crockpot on when you're not home! Doh! The meal was cooked but cold, and after a quick reheat we were back in business!

This one's easy folks:

1 (2lb) boneless pork tenderloin

Rub
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed

Glaze (make ahead of time if you wish)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:
Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in crockpot with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done (ahead of time works too), combine the ingredients for glaze in a small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

Wondering what to make with this? Well - mashed potatoes are FABULOUS! The only other tip I would add is make the glaze ahead of time. It's just easier!

Enjoy!
C