you just can't be too cheesy

i have to admit that dairy is probably my favorite food group.

 i honestly don't know if i could survive without cheese and ice cream. 

must be my french heritage coming out.

i will say that the 2 recipes that i am about to post are not recipes that we eat on an every-day basis, or even monthly,  although i wish that i could eat them more frequently without seeing their results. ;)

crazy good 

bacon mac n cheese

this mac n cheese recipe has evolved over the past couple years.

and i must say that we have definitely enjoyed the 'experimental' process that i have gone through to come up with the {likely not so} final product.

just looking at this picture makes me want some... it's SOOOO good!

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups skim milk

One 12 oz can evaporated skim milk (evaporated milk keeps the egg and milk from curdling)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted & cooled to room temp

3 large eggs

1 tsp salt

3 cups (12 oz) shredded cheese 

(I used 2 cups Italian blend and 1 cup cheddar)

1/2 pound macaroni [i prefer the corkscrew pasta], par cooked and drained 

(*cook the pasta for about five minutes until tender but not completely cooked)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. ground mustard

1 tsp. tabasco sauce or 1/4 t. cayenne pepper (optional)

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

3 green onions, sliced thinly

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

paprika

directions

{for slow cooker- i.e. crockpot}

1. Spray the inside of your slow-cooker with cooking spray or grease it with olive oil. Combine milk, evaporated milk, eggs, butter, and salt in slow-cooker and whisk until until smooth (or you can use an immersion blender to do the whisking for you).

2. Add the shredded cheeses (not the Parmesan) and pre-cooked pasta, sprinkle with black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, ground mustard, and tabasco or cayenne. stir well.

Add green onions and bacon . Stir gently with a spatula to coat evenly.

Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top and a little paprika then cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes

After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to LOW and cook for 2 hours, until custard is set in the center and the pasta is tender. The macaroni and cheese may sit in the cooker on the KEEP WARM setting for 30 minutes before serving.

it looks something like this.

in the slow cooker version, the edges browned a little more than my liking (although it did not burn).

so i decided to try it in the oven.

i baked it at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. 

i made it in the dutch oven and in a glass 9" x 13" pan and both turned out beautifully! 

  

serve as a main dish or as a side at your next cookout.

my family told me that it goes great with barbeque sandwiches 

{unfortunately... i am a disgrace to my southern upbringing

and i do not like barbeque.

 but my mom made bbq and i made mac n cheese and everyone seemed happy} 

YUM!!!

cheesy stuffed mushroom bread

i originally got this recipe from my aunt deb when i was in jr. high.

and with some minor changes, this is the most insane cheesy bread that you ever put in your mouth!

yes, it looks about as ridiculous as it actually is, but it is A-MA-ZING!!!!!

ingredients:

1 loaf italian bread

2 sticks margarine, melted

1/2 lb. baby swiss cheese {or cheese of your choice}, shredded

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced and sauteed (or a small can of mushrooms)

1/4 c. c chopped onion (about 1/2 of a small onion)

2-3 T. chopped fresh chives

2 T. poppy seeds

1 T dijon mustard

directions:

1. place bread on sheet of foil on a cookie sheet. slice bread horizontally.

2. mix cheese, mushrooms, onions, chives, poppy seeds, and mustard.

then pour the melted margarine over the cheese mixture.

mix the buttery, cheesy mess gently 

stuff the bread with the cheesy mushroom mixture.

seal inside the foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

let cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

slice into 12-15 pieces.

beware of food coma!!! 

happy fall y'all!

it's been a while since i posted, but that doesn't mean that i haven't been busily cooking, baking and creating, but simply that life has gotten in the way of my blogging.

 that and the fact that i tend to forget that i have a blog; pioneer woman i am not. ;)

as the weather has been getting cooler and i have been transitioning my wardrobe and my decor towards fall, i have been craving all of the traditional fall foods (some of them making me curious why they are considered "fall foods", but things that i don't really crave in the spring and summer months). i had my first Starbucks PSL (pumpkin spice latte),

a splurge that will most likely not happen again this season as they are now a whopping $4.91. YIKES!! but it was delicious none-the-less.

 i wore my boots and leggings for the first time, and now feel as though i need several more pairs of boots as i had forgotten how comfortable and warm they are. here are a few of my current favs:

steven by steve madden bolerro

nine west kedan

lucky aida

jessica simpson tustiny

and these adorable desert bootie wedges:

dolce vita pura

and pulled out several jackets and sweatshirts. 

i had very mixed emotions, because i will be honest, i DETEST being cold. but the thought of "new" (stored away) clothes, new foods,  and an approach to thanksgiving and Christmas (my all-time FAV!!!) could not make me happier. therefore, i have decided to embrace fall.

topher (my husband) made the most incredible suggestion that we have soup night every week. i was so excited since i have been pinning soup recipes on pinterest (which if you have not yet discovered pinterest you need to stop everything and head right over there).

*warning*- it is very addictive!

wednesday night has been deemed soup night at our home and

i selfishly decided to start our soup night tradition with my favorite soup- french onion!!! and it was, as always, absolutely heavenly.

Here is the recipe that i concocted up for ours:

French Onion Soup

3 pounds yellow onions, cut into 1/8" pieces

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (or margarine)

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

2 Tablespoons sugar

8 cups chicken broth

2 Tablespoons flour

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 tsp. fresh), ground finely

1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)

8 ounces Gruyere (or cheese of your choice. i also like it with provolone or swiss) cheese, sliced or grated.

1 crusty baguette

It is a little difficult to slice the onion to 1/8" slices, so i will show you how my mother, who is the best cook that i know, taught me how to slice onions many years ago... it's the best method that i have ever seen.

 begin by cutting off both ends of the onion (the "root" and the "stem ends)

 cut through one of the onion "layers" and peel that layer off with the "skin"

cut the onion in half down the center

turn each half on it's side and starting at one side cut into 1/8" slices. the "rings of the onions will then fall apart into thin strips.

like this.

and just a little hint, if you store the onions in the refrigerator and cut them while they are cold, your eyes won't water much, if at all.

melt the butter at medium heat in dutch oven (or a large pot)
*if i haven't yet mentioned it, i am loving every opportunity to use my Le Creuset 'french oven'.

add the onions to the melted butter

 add the salt and sugar

toss to coat onions evenly with butter, salt and sugar. cover and cook for 10 minutes.

remove cover and cook, stirring frequently, for an hour and 1/2. onions will caramelize and turn a lovely brown color. make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the dark "caramel" that is forming

once onions are an even brown color add flour and stir for 2 minutes

it will look something like this (although possibly without that eerie looking smokey haze)

add the chicken broth 

add the thyme and bay leaves and bring to a boil.

lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes

[if adding wine, add and simmer 10 more minutes.

add more salt if needed.]

and your soup is ready!!!

at this point ladle soup into oven-safe bowls or small crocks. 

if you like your onion soup with the bread floating on top (which i don't), place a slice of the crusty bread on top of the soup and then grate or place a slice of cheese on top of the soup.

place in the oven under the broiler until the cheese is browned slightly and bubbly.

 enjoy!!!!

happy fall y'all!!!

salsa recipe

With much encouragement from my sister and my mom over the past few months I finally decided to make my first post. :)
The past few saturday mornings my boyfriend and I have gone to our local Downtown Farmers Market. It had been about 3 years since I had gone and I was more than pleasantly surprised by how much it has grown. We picked up a few things each time, but one of my favorites is definitely the salsa recipe that I sampled while we were there. I made a few adjustments, but it is so easy and completely addictive. I have made 2 big batches already. It's been a great way to use up some of the fresh tomatoes from my porch "garden".

Fresh Salsa Recipe
1 pound fresh tomatoes
1 small onion (I used red onion)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
3-4 jalapeno peppers (or any variety) hot peppers, seeds and veins removed
juice from 1/2 fresh lime
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
2-3 cloves garlic
1 t. salt (or to taste)
dash of pepper

Combine all ingredients in food processor and puree. Chill for about an hour for flavors to combine. Enjoy!