BLT Mac & Cheese

I just made this last night and it was sooooooo GOOD! It came from The Pampered Chef's "29 Minutes

 to Dinner" cookbook, so this recipe is only supposed to take 24 minutes. However, it took me like 40 minutes, and it was pretty easy.
5 cups water
8 slices of bacon
4 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese
1 oz. Parmesan cheese
4 oz. cream cheese
1 lb. uncooked cellentani or cavatappi pasta
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1 large leek (white and green portions only)
3 large plum tomatoes

To start pasta mixture, bring water to a boil in 8-qt. stockpot.

Meanwhile, slice bacon crosswise into thin strips. Place into 10-in. skillet; cook over medium-high heat 8-10 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet to paper towel-lined plate.

As bacon cooks, grate cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Add pasta, cream cheese, grated cheeses, salt, and black pepper to boiling water in stockpot. Cover and simmer vigorously 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

As pasta mixture cooks, slice leek in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/2-in. slices. Place into small batter bowl and swish in cold water to remove dirt; lift leeks out of water and stir into pasta mixture. Cook, uncovered, 5-7 minutes or until pasta is cooked to desired tenderness and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cut tomatoes in half lengthwise; remove cores and scrape out seeds. Dice tomatoes; reserver 1/4 cup for garnish. Remove stockpot from heat; stir in remaining tomatoes and half of the bacon. Spoon pasta mixture into serving bowl and garnish with reserve tomatoes and bacon. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

Heidi Rogers

Salt Lake City, UT

Soy Sauce Roast

Good alternitive to a regular roast. We ate it up.

Ingredients:
3-4 lb beef roast
a few potatoes
however many carrots you want

Marinade
1 c water
1/2 c soy sauce
1/3 c dark brown sugar (lt brown will work too)
1/4 c vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 chicken boullion cube

Directions:
Brown roast on all sides in 1 Tbsp oil.

Place browned roast into crock pot. Top with marinade and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Add potatoes and carrots 1 - 1 1/2 hours before serving.


April White

Chocolate Lava Cakes

This is from the kraft food website, but too heavenly not to share. I asked my husband if it was a recipe to be repeated and he said yes, can you do it tomorrow. You do need to have ramekins or baking custard cups for these, but it is well worth it just buy four. This would be deilicous with raspberry sauce too.


4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Blend in eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk. Stir in flour. Divide batter among prepared custard cups.

BAKE 13 to 14 min. or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 min. Carefully run small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes. Serve immediately, topped with whipped topping.

note: I didn't have semisweet baking chocolate so I used semisweet chocolate chips and just guessed on the amount. I am sure it is better with exact amounts, but it was still good.

April White (but really kraft foods)

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Okay..these are amazing! I waitied all season to make them and finally did. I wished I had done it earlier and then eaten more. So good. I think you could even make some in January, because they are so tasty.

Ingredients:
Cookies:
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. dutch process cocoa powder (I used reg)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter, room temp
1 egg

frosting:
1/2 c. margerine, melted (I used butter)
1/4 c. evaporated milk
4-5 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. peppermint extract
red food coloring
1/2 c. broken peppermint candies

Directions:
Cookie:
Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl. In large bowl mix butter and sugar. Add egg. Add dry ingredients until blended. Refridgerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookies sheets with parchement paper. Measure cookies into level tablespoonfulls and roll into balls. Lay on cookie sheet about 2 inches and press with glass. Edges will split. Bake until cookies no longer look wet and an indention appears when you press it (about 7 or 8 min). Let cool 5 min on cookie sheet and then move to cooling rack.

Frosting:
Mix margerine (butter), powdered sugar, and evaporated milk, until fluffy. Add extracts and food coloring. Spread or pipe (I piped using a plastic bag) onto cooled cookies. Sandwich cookies together and press a little so frosting comes out a bit on the edges. Roll in crushed candy for decoration.

Eat up!!! Delicious.

April White (I think this is from a magazine called simple living)