Baked Macaroni and Cheese

If you know me you know my track record with baked macaroni and cheese is not stellar. So when I found this recipe a few months ago I wrote it down and then tucked it away for later. Maybe one day I would give it a whirl. Well that day came the night one of my dearest friends stayed over at our house. I have to admit this recipe required some labor in order to grate all the cheeses but it was worth it in the end. I had to tweak it from the original recipe because my local grocery store did not carry all the cheeses it called for. Also, this recipe made so much I probably will make half of it next time. Nonetheless, this baked macaroni was AWESOME.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

1lb box elbow macarnoi
5 eggs
1/2 cup cubed Velveeta Cheese, melted
1 stick butter, melted
2 cups half & half
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated white cheddar
3/4 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup grated asiago
1/2 cup grated gouda
1/2 cup grated monterey jack
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp pepper

Grate cheeses and set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 F. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. Keep warm.

Whisk eggs in a bowl until frothy. Add melted Velveeta, butter, and 1 cup of half & half to bowl with eggs. Whisk until smooth.

Add the warm pasta and toss until smooth. Add remaining half & half and 1 cup of sharp cheddar, remaining cheeses, salt and pepper. Toss until mixture is completely combined.

Pour mixture into a greased 13x9 baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Top with remaining cheddar and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Serve warm.

Cheesecake Anyone?

I have had a few people asking me for this recipe so I decided to add a special post just to share it. While I make no denial about how unhealthy cheesecake can be for you I can assure you that this one will have your taste buds jumping! Enjoy!

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Homestyle Cheesecake

6 whole graham crackers, crushed

1 cup + 3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp butter, melted

2 1/2 packages low fat cream cheese

1 1/2 tbsp flour

1/2 tbsp vanilla

1/2 cup low fat sour cream

2 eggs

1 pint of fresh strawberries

Heat oven to 325 F. Mix crumbs, 3 tbsp sugar, and butter. Press into bottom of pie pan. Bake 10 minutes. Let cool.

In a large bowl beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, flour, and vanilla until blended. Add sour cream and mix well. On low speed add eggs one at a time and mix until blended. Pour mixture over crust.

Bake 35 minutes or until center is almost set. Edges will be more set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Chill for at least 4 hours. Top with fresh strawberries.

Sunday Lunch

I have a confession to make. I LOVE Hamburger Helper. When I was in college I used to make this delightful dish as often as possible. It didn't matter what variety - Cheeseburger Macaroni, Lasagna, Chili Macaroni - you name it. They were all delicious. I could even make it blindfolded (Trust me...it's been proven.).

I could probably eat HH every day if I didn't have to please my husband's palate as well as mine. Not to mention the fact these delightful little meals in a box are not the most healthy thing on the planet.

So in my never ending quest to find something new I found a recipe for Skillet Beef & Mac on the Campbell's Soup website. I tweaked the recipe slightly to give it a different flavor and to remove some of the extra fat. We loved it! This recipe has all the flavor and less of the sodium and preservatives of the real stuff. So if you find yourself craving the deliciousness of HH give this recipe a whirl instead. Enjoy!

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Skillet Beef & Mac

1 lb ground turkey

1 small onion, finel chopped

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tbsp minced garlic

1 can (10.75 oz) low sodium tomato soup

1/4 cup water

3 cups elbow macaroni, cooked as directed on package

1/4 cup low fat grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup low fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt to taste

Directions:

In a skillet cook turkey, onion and Italian seasoning over medium-high heat until turkey is browned. Drain. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Stir in soup and water and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta and parmesan. Cook until mixture is hot and bubbly. Top with mozzarella before serving.