Crockpot Mac and Cheese

My daughter's nurse is always giving me great recipes to try. Don't worry there is nothing wrong with Baby Bell, she is just enrolled in a free program for first time moms, The Nurse Family Partnership Program. I don't have family near me, so this was a great program for us. My nurse visits every two week from when I was 6 weeks pregnant till Baby Bell is two. (Which will be in March.) I get free books, toys, clothes, and access to a wealth of knowledge! I don't know what I would do without her!

But anyways, here is one of her fabulous recipes. You can't go wrong with a crockpot recipes. Perfect for those busy days or for a pot luck lunch! I can't believe how cheesy and googy this is! My husband LOVED it.

Crockpot Mac & Cheese
Nurse Tioni

2 Tbsp Oil
8 oz Macoroni Noodles
13 oz Evaporated Milk
1 1/2 C Milk
1 Tsp Salt
3 C Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
2 Tbsp Onion, chopped
2-4 Tbsp Butter

1. Put all ingredients in the crockpot and set to high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.

Buckwheat Bread

This bread is one of my favorites. Baby Bell and I can't get enough of this delighful and flavorful bread. There are three different types of flour in this bread, so the buckwheat isn't overpowering. This bread is great served warm with a big old pat of butter!



Just a side note: If you bake a lot of bread, then it is worth it to buy a bulk bag of yeast. Fill a small empty jar (such a baby food jar) with yeast and place in the fridge until needed. Wrap the rest in tin foil and place in a ziplock bag. Place into the freezer until the small jar needs filled.



Buckwheat Bread (1 1/2 lb Loaf)
Bread Machine Magic Book of Helpful Hints
Linda Rehberg & Lois Conway

1/2 C Instant Potato Flakes
5/8 C Milk
5/8 C Water
2 C Bread Flour
1 C Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 C Buckwheat Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Dark Corn Syrup
2 Tsp Active Dry Yeast

1. Add ingredients to bread pan in the order that is shown. This is VERY important. Make sure to make a "well" for the yeast to go in.
2. Select Light Crust and press start. Remove and slice one hour after cooling. May be store in a ziplock bag for 3-4 days or frozen for 2 months. To thaw sit out for 1 hour in a ziplock bag on the counter.
--OR--
2. Select Dough
3. After dough has mixed and risen the timer will beep. Remove dough and place into a well greased bread pan and place in warm oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour. (To warm oven set to warm for 2 minutes. Then, turn oven off.)
4. Take pan out of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. Wait one hour before slicing. May be store in a ziplock bag for 3-4 days or frozen for 2 months. To thaw sit out for 1 hour in a ziplock bag on the counter.

Herb Bread

Who doesn't love the smell of freshly baked bread? Or the satisifation of knowing all of your hard work paid off? There is nothing like sinking your mouth into a warm, soft, and chewy slice of homemade bread! I've been going crazy baking all kinds of breads, desserts, and other "doughy" creations in my bread machine. I've decided to share a few of my favorite recipes.

What can be more mouthwatering than the scent of herb baking in your home? That is why I LOVE this herb bread. The best part is that this bread makes one mean bag of croutons...that is if you have any of the bread left! Fresh herbs are best, but I've had great success with dried ones. This recipe comes from Bread Machine Magic by Linda Rehberb and Lois Conway. If you own a bread machine Bread Machine Magic and The Bread Machine Book of Helpful Hint, both by the same authors, are you best bets for books out there with easy and fabulous recipes. I keep borrowing mine from the library, but I use them so much that I might just go and buy the books!

Bread machines are nice if you don't have a lot of time to mess around in the kitchen or are planning to go somewhere. However, I've discovered that it is better to use the machine to mix the dough and then bake it in my oven in my own pan. It takes a little more time, but I think it is worth it. The bread is lightier and produces more normal size slices. Make sure to invest in an electric knife. I got mine at a thift store (for $2), but you can find them at Walmart for about $15. I've included both instructions and you can decide which is best for you. Also, I included a instructions on how to make your own bread flour. I find that it is cheaper and works just as well as the store made brands.

Herb Bread (1 1/2 lb loaf)
Bread Machine Magic
by Linda Rehberb and Lois Conway

3 Tbsp Butter
1/2 C Chopped Onion
1 C Milk
3 C Bread Flour**
1 1/2 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 Tsp Dried Dill
1/2 Tsp Dried Basil
1/2 Tsp Dried Rosemary
2 Tsp Yeast

1. Saute butter and onion for 8-10 minutes.
2. Allow to cool.
3. Add ingredients to bread pan in the order that is shown. This is VERY important. Make sure to make a "well" for the yeast to go in.
4. Select Light Crust and press start. Remove and slice one hour after cooling. May be store in a ziplock bag for 3-4 days or frozen for 2 months. To thaw sit out for 1 hour in a ziplock bag on the counter.
--OR--
4. Select Dough
5. After dough has mixed and risen the timer will beep. Remove dough and place into a well greased bread pan and place in warm oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour. (To warm oven set to warm for 2 minutes. Then, turn oven off.)
6. Take pan out of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Wait one hour before slicing. May be store in a ziplock bag for 3-4 days or frozen for 2 months. To thaw sit out for 1 hour in a ziplock bag on the counter.

**Bread Flour: To make your own, add 1 1/2 tsp gluten (found at any grocery store) to every cup of flour (all purpose or unbleached). I find that adding gluten to any type of flour, especially whole wheat makes a HUGE difference.

Bruschette

Every year my Aunt Viv has this wonderful Christmas party. We all are foodies who love to bake and eat. There is always a ton of food that takes a week to prepare in addition to all the food that the rest of us bring. Every year my Aunt chooses a theme. This year she chose an Italian theme. I decided to bring an appretizer. We are really tight on money so I needed something quick and cheap. I decided on Bruschette. It was a huge hit at the party and I ended up making it and eating it for lunch everyday for three weeks straight.

This is such an easy thing to make, but it produces such big flavor. I normally can't stand raw tomatoes but I can't get enough of this delightful dish! I ended up buying a fresh basil plant since it was cheaper than buying the just the fresh leaves. Now I am in the process of growing my own herb garden. I've been getting some good information and recipes from Steve of My Indoor Herb Garden.

Well, anyways here is the recipe. Make sure to use fresh basil and to let it sit for a few hours to allow all the flavors to mix in. If you happen to find marinated olives, you can use the oil from that jar instead. I found some at the surplus store and I used that oil to cook with and it is AMAZING. Make sure that the jar is MARINATED olives and not the regular olives you eat everyday.

Bruschette

• 4 Fresh Ripe Plum Tomatoes, diced
• 3 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
• 4-6 Fresh Basil Leaves
• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or oil from marinated olives)
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Black Pepper, to taste
• 6 Slices, thick crusted bread
• Mozzarella Cheese

1. Wash tomatoes, cut lenghtwise, remove seedes, and dice. Place in a small airtight container.
2. Wash basil leaves and tear into small pieces. Add to tomatoe mixture.
3. Add crushed garlic cloves, oil, salt, and pepper and toss. Allow mixture to sit, covered, in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
4. Place spread on slices of bread and add a handful of cheese.
5. Set oven to broil and broil until cheese is melted and mixture is hot. (approx. 3-5 minutes)

Authentic Italian Biscotti

My Grandma Trix bought me "Treasured Italian Recipes" cookbook from the Ascension Church two years ago. Grandma Trix is from an area where there are a lot of Italians, which ironicly she is not. The gals from this church put together this fantastic book with recipes from their own upbringing. My favorite recipe is the one Biscotti recipe by Margaret Gisane. There are several Biscotti recipes in this book but hers is by far the best. I have tried many biscotti recipes in the past and this one is the most authentic I have ever tried. And the best part is that they are super easy to make!

What I particially liked about this recipe is that you don't have to roll it into a log. It is baked in a 9x13 inch pan and is very soft the first time you make it. At first that worried me, but after slicing and baking the cookies for a second time it turned out perfectly. I dipped mine in dark chocolate on the one side and gave them away as Christmas presents. They were a HUGE hit. I will definitly be making these again and again.

Biscotti
by Margaret Gisane

• 4 eggs
• 1 C sugar
• 1 C oil
• 2 C Flour
• 2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp Lemon Extract
• 1 Tsp Anise Extract
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Cinnamon

1. Mix ingredients in order given, beating well after each ingredient.
2. Put into a greased 9x13 inch pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Slice into 1/8 inch slices.
5. Take out of pan and place onto greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees until cookies are lightly browned on each side.

Perfect for dipping in coffee or tea! Almond extract (2 teaspoons) may be substituted for anise and lemon extracts.

January---A New Month; A New Cheese

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year all!!!! Sorry, it took so long. I'm still getting over allegeries or sinus infection or whatever weirdness I have!!! There is still plenty of time to join this month's challenage.

The people have spoken and Ricotta is what we will all be sampling this month. Thanks for voting and make sure to vote for next month's cheese too! Remember that you can always make more than one dish and make anything from desserts to soups to dips to anything your heart desires!

Please don’t forget to e-mail me when you are done. Thats_so_cheesy@yahoo.com

What is Cheese of the Month? Go here to find out: http://adventuresingluttony.blogspot.com/2008/07/cheese-of-month-challenge.html
Good luck fellow cheesians! I look forward to reading about your delicious creations!

Havarti Results

Well, December proved to be a most challenaging month. On top of all the parties, baking and shopping, I was still suffering from allegeries...and am currently still not well. So sorry it took so long to post my results.

Havarti is now one of my favorite cheeses. I always see people purchasing the cheese and now I can see, or shall I saw taste, why. Sliced it tastes like a cross between munster and colby. It is delightful on crackers or sandwiches and to DIE FOR melted.

December must have been a busy month for a lot of people, because there was only one other person who was able to participate. The ever faithful, Cristine from Cooking with Cristine.
Cristine always amazes me with not only her dishes but ablitetly to find time to do them. Since she lives in Germany she decided to make Spaetzle (German egg noodles/dumplings). I, being part German, was thrilled. This recipe looks very simple and very yummy!

Baked Spaetzle Casserole
Recipe from Recipezaar

Spatzle:
5 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 dash nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter

Casserole Ingredients:
1 lb bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
8 ounces havarti cheese, shredded
salt and pepper

1. For the spatzle, mix eggs, water, salt and nutmeg well. While mixing slowly add flour until it is mixed and smooth.

2. Using a spatzle press or colander press small batches of dough into boiling water when it floats to top mix it once and continue to boil about 5 minutes (or once it floats,keep in very hot but not simmering water in separate pot, while cooking the rest).

3. Remove it from water with long tongs and put it in casserole. Cook the rest of the dough adding to the casserole or hot water. Use butter to keep them from sticking together.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F.

5. Cut bacon into small strips and saute with onion, add garlic for the last few minutes. Drain off fat.

6. In big mixing bowl add cooled spatzle, bacon mixture, shredded Havarti add salt and pepper to your taste.

7. Spray 9x13 casserole with cooking spray and pour spatzle mixture in it.

8. Cook about 30 minutes; just until it begins to brown.

I decided to go with something simple this time since I was so busy. I'm a big fan of fondue and last year my mother gave me a really nice set for Christmas. It almost a year later to find the heating source needed, though. But anyways, I decided to try melting the Havarti cheese with a half cup chicken broth. The problem was even though it melted, it was more like melted mozzarella in texture. We still had a blast scooping bread slices into it. So, Havarti isn't a fondue cheese but it was amazing melted and I will definitely melt it on some turkey or roast beef sandwich.