Smoky Mac & Cheese {from Lynnie}

3 cups uncooked shell pasta

2 ¼ c whipping cream

1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)

¾ tsp course (kosher or sea) salt

2 cups shredded cheese

½ c shredded cheese

¾ lb ground sausage, cooked and drained

¾ c diced onions and green peppers, sauteed

1 or 1 ½ cans diced tomatoes, drained

¼ c sliced green onions

½ c grated parmesan

½c bread crumbs

2 tsp olive oil

1. Cook pasta. Drain, return to saucepan, cover to keep warm
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375*. Spray 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
3. In saucepan, heat whipping cream, mustard, salt, and red pepper to boiling. Reduce heat and stir in 2 c cheese with whisk until smooth. (We couldn’t taste the red pepper, so we might just leave it out next time…or ad more.)
4. Pour sauce over macaroni. Stir in tomatoes, green onions, sausage, and onion/pepper mixture. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle ½ c cheese on top.
5. In small bowl, mix parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Stir in oil (opt – I didn’t use this). Sprinkle over top of macaroni mix.
6. Bake uncovered 15-20 min or until edges are bubbly and top is golden brown

Grace's Cheese Ball

16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 package of Italian Seasoning (dry mix)
Mixed Nuts

Combine cream cheese with the seasoning. Mix well. Place in plastic wrap. Cover with wrap and form a ball. Place in refrigerator until firm. Put nuts in bowl and roll around cheese ball until covered with nuts. Place on plate and serve with ritz crackers.

Broccoli & Cheese Casserole {from Grace}

2 bags frozen broccoli
1 lb. Velveeta cheese
1 c. margarine
1 pack of ritz crackers crumbled

Cook broccoli in microwave until edible. Drain water, put into a 9x13 pan. Melt cheese and margarine together over med/low heat. Drizzle cheese on top of broccoli. Sprinkle crackers on top. bake for 15-20 minutes, at 350 degrees, or until bubbling.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole {from Grace}

6 breasts of chicken
8 thin slices of ham
8 slices of Swiss cheese
1 1/2 cans cream of chicken
1/2 c. melted butter
2 cups stovetop stuffing mix

Put chicken in baking dish. Cover with ham, then cheese, the cream of chicken. In small bowl mix butter and stuffing. Spread on top of chicken. Bake for 1hr at 350. (cover last 15 min if stuffing is too brown)

Taco Pie {from Mom}

1 (8 oz.) package refrigerated crescent rolls

1 lb. ground bef

1 (1 oz.) package taco seasoning mix

1 (16 oz.) container sour cream

8 oz. shredded Mexican-style cheese blend

1 (14 oz.) bag tortilla chips, crushed. 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Lay crescent dough flat on the bottom of a square cake pan and bake according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the taco seasoning and stir together well. When dough is done, remove from oven and place meat mixture on top, then layer with sour cream and cheese, and then top off with the crushed nacho chips.
4. Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Butterfingers {from Mom}

1/4 cup butter         2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cups flour       1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar              2/3 cup milk

Heat oven to 425. Put butter in 9x9 square pan and put in oven while it is heating to melt...remove.
Mix dry ingredients. Add milk and stir to form dough. Turn dough on floured surface and next 7-8 times.  Roll into 8 inch square and cut in half, then cut each half into nine - 4" strips. Dip each strip in melted butter, turn over and put in pan, strips close together. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

*I half this for Dad and I and bake in a bread pan because they aren't that good left over. When everyone was home I 1 1/2 the recipe.

Kent's Corn Chowder {from Meg}

1 - CUP (2 STICKS BUTTER)
1 - SMALL ONION, DICED
1 - CARROT, FINELY DICED
1 - CELERY STOCK, DICED
1 - CLOVE GARLIC, MINCED
1 - 8 OZ. JAR ROASTED RED PEPPERS, DICED
1/2-CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR 
3 CUPS WHITE CORN KERNELS, 1 LB. FROZEN
3 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK 
1 TBL “BETTER THAN BOULLION”
 2 CUPS HALF-AND-HALF
PINCH OF FRESHLY GRATED NUTMEG 
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

MELT 1 STICK OF BUTTER IN A LARGE SKILLET OVER MEDIUM HEAT. ADD THE ONION, CARROT, CELERY AND GARLIC, AND SAUTE FOR 2 MINUTES. ADD THE FLOUR AND STIR TO MAKE A ROUX. COOK UNTIL THE ROUX IS LIGHTLY BROWNED; SET ASIDE TO COOL TO ROOM TEMPERATURE. MEANWHILE, COMBINE THE CORN AND CHICKEN STOCK IN A SAUCEPAN, AND BRING TO A BOIL. SIMMER FOR 10 MINUTES. ADD THE ROASTED PEPPERS, SIMMER 2 MINUTES MORE. POUR THE BOILING STOCK AND CORN MIXTURE, A LITTLE AT A TIME, INTO THE ROUX, WHISKING SO IT DOESN’T LUMP. RETURN THE PAN TO THE HEAT AND BRING TO A BOIL. THE MIXTURE SHOULD BECOME VERY THICK. IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN, GENTLY HEAT THE HALF-AND-HALF; STIR IT INTO THE THICK CORN MIXTURE. ADD THE NUTMEG AND SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE. JUST BEFORE SERVING, CUT THE REMAINING STICK OF BUTTER ONTO LARGE CHUNKS. ADD IT TO ENRICH THE SOUP, STIRRING JUST UNTIL THE BUTTER MELTS. SERVE IMMEDIATELY.

ADD SHREDDED OR DICED ROASTED CHICKEN FOR A MEAL

 {Serves 8-10}

Cookies & Cream Hot Chocolate (in the Blendtec)

2 cups milk

8 tbsp hot cocoa powder (use more or less to make depending on how chocolaty you like it)

4-5 Oreos

Whipped Cream 

1.  Warm milk in the microwave (about one minute) then pour into your Blendtec jar. 

2.  Add cocoa powder and 3 Oreo cookies.  Hit the "soup" button on your Blendtec and let it blend.

3.  Pour cocoa into two mugs and top with whipped cream. Crush the last Oreo over the top of the whipped cream.  Serve immediately.

{Serves 2}

Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup {from Lynnie}

 1 TBSP butter

½ onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced (I use garlic salt)
2 ½ - 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup chicken broth
¼ tsp pepper
Salt to taste
1 C milk
½ C cheddar cheese
1/8 C Parmesan
Broccoli florets, steamed
 1.       Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté til tender. Add potatoes, chicken brother, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes (or until potatoes are tender). 
2.       Meanwhile, steam broccoli
3.       Transfer half of soup to a blender and process until smooth. Return to saucepan.  Stir in cheeses, milk, and broccoli and cook until heated through.  Season with extra salt, pepper, and Parmesan, if desired.
*Delicious in homemade soup bowls!