Easy Cheesy Mac & Cheese

Easy Cheesy Mac & Cheese

 

Hi everybody :)

I would like to share the Eeesssssssasy Mac and Cheese Dish ever! The sauce is what make this so easy. I use Southwestern Mills Cheddar Cheese Sauce Mix, if you can not find it in your area go here. I LOVE this sauce. I talked about it once before here.

This make THE CREAMIEST AND CHEESIEST MAC & CHEESE. The next time you make mac & cheese try this one, you won't regret it, I promise.

What You Need:
1 pound (16 ounces) Macaroni Noodles
1 package Southwestern Mills Cheddar Cheese Sauce Mix
1/2 cup Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Cheese-Flavored French Fried Onion

Cook noodles according to package. Drain all but 1/2 cup of water. Measure 1cup cold water to mix with sauce mix, mix well and add to noodles along with sour cream, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons butter. Mix well, pour into a greased casserole dish or foil-lined pan. Top with extra cheese and fried onions.

Bake at 375 until golden brown on top and cheese is heated through about 25 minutes.

Before Baking

BTW,  I'm not being paid by Southwestern Mills producers to say this about their product, this is my own opinion.

ENJOY! Come again...

Shared with: 
Chef In Training's Tuesday Talent Show # 51 
 Milk & Cuddles Mommy Club Link Up

Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafer Crumble

Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafer Crumble

Hi everybody :)

One of my favorite dessert is banana pudding. I love it with lots of cookies in the pudding. Homemade pudding is the best, instant is okay too, but hubby refuse to eat it. He can be picky at times :)

While browsing in the library one day, I saw this cookbook called Dam Good Sweet so I just had to check it out. I'm so glad I did. I stumbled across this recipe for banana pudding. It sounded very interesting because they crumbled the wafers and coated them in a cinnamon-sugar mixture before adding it to the pudding, just reading this got me all excited, so I knew I had to try it. Well; here we go...

Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafer Crumble adapted from Dam Good Sweet

The Pudding
5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons banana liqueur (or 1 teaspoon banana flavoring)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ripe bananas

The Crumble
1 cup vanilla wafers (about 15 cookies)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

To Make the Pudding:
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and whisk a little at a time into the egg mixture. Once the bottom of the bowl is warm, slowly whisk in the remaining hot milk. Pour the mixture back into a clean medium saucepan (cleaning the saucepan prevents the pudding from scorching), add the banana liqueur, and whisk over medium-low heat until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Cook while constantly whisking until the pudding is glossy and quite thick, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pudding to a clean bowl.

Pudding Mixture

Add the vanilla and butter and gently whisk until the butter is completely melted and incorporated. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

To Make the Crumble:
While the pudding sets, heat the oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place the wafers in a resealable plastic bag and seal (make sure there is no air in the bag prior to sealing). Using a rolling pin or a flat-bottomed saucepan or pot, crush the vanilla wafers until they're coarsely ground. Transfer them to a small bowl and stir in the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Use a spoon to evenly stir in the melted butter, transfer to the prepared baking sheet, and toast in the oven until brown and fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

1/2 whole and 1/2 crumbled

To Serve:
Slice the bananas in half crosswise and then slice in half lengthwise so you have 4 quarters. Slice the banana quarters crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces and divide between 6 custard cups or martini glasses (sprinkle with a squeeze of lemon juice if you like—this helps prevent browning). Whisk the pudding until it is soft and smooth, about 30 seconds, and then divide it between the custard cups. Top with the vanilla wafer mixture and serve.  Serves 6

What I Did & Think:
Being the southern girl I am, I triple the crumble mixture, left half of the cookies whole. :) I love a lot of cookies in my pudding. I follow the direction for the pudding mixture.

I  also wanted a whipped topping for my pudding, so I whipped one up. You know, I just had to flavor it with some banana liqueur. The recipe I used is below, make sure to use a cold whip or beater, bowl, and heavy cream. DO NOT OVER WHIP or you will end up with butter instead, whip just until stiffed.

OOOOHHH THE TASTE, THIS IS THE BEST PUDDING EVER!! I love, love, love the crumble mixtures and the pudding was wonderful. I layered this just before serving so that the crumble mixture will stay crisp. Oh my... oh my... oh my... this is definitely a REPEAT.

Whipped Topping
1/4 (2 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon  banana liqueur
3/4 cup heavy cream, cold

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar salt, vanilla and liqueur until smooth. In a cold mixer with cold whip attachment and cold bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cream cheese mixture.
Refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving. 

ENJOY! Come again....

Shared with:
 Melt In your Mouth Monday Recipe Blog Hop # 80 ,   
Chef In Training's Tuesday Talent Show # 51   
This Week Cravings: Mom's Crazy Cooking 
Flour Me With Love: Mix it up Monday!

Old World Kolaches - Breakfast Is Served

Old World Kolaches - Breakfast Is Served

Hi everybody :)

Well it's Sunday again, and keeping with my theme; welcome to another Breakfast Is Served Sunday. In case you missed it, Creamy Grits and Perfect Scrambled Eggs were last Sunday breakfast.

While browsing through my collection I came across this recipe. It looked pretty simple and I had all the ingredients, so I thought, why not give it a try...

This recipe is from Land O Lake Treasury of Country Heritage Meals and Menus.  Kolaches also pronounced Kolachi and Kolachkes have both Polish and Czech roots. They are filled pastry-like cookies or buns. The fillings may varies from jams, nuts, cream cheese or poppy seeds. 

Old World Kolaches

















1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115°F)
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup whipping cream
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 (10 ounce) jar fruit preserves (see NOTE)

In small bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. In large bowl combine flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly.

Flour, salt, and butter

Stir in yeast, whipping cream and eggs.

after adding yeast, cream, and eggs

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth (2 to 3 minutes).

dough before refrigeration

 
Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover, refrigerate until firm (6 hours or overnight).
1. Heat oven to 375°.
2. Roll out dough, 1/4 at a time, on sugared surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch squares. Spoon 1 teaspoon preserves in center of each square

Bourbon Cherry Jam

Peach Jam

Cherry Jam

3. Bring up two opposite corners to center; pinch firmly together to seal.

4. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

What I Think:
Despite the fact that dough was a little difficult to work with, these were the MOST delicious pastry biscuit-like things I EVER tasted. The buttery airy pockets, the sweet sugary top....oh boy, oh boy. NOTE: The only thing you should remember when making them is to use a thick jam or filling or it will run off, and  please send me some when your done, hee hee :)

ENJOY! Come again...

I was featured on  Flour Me With Love!

Linked to:
 Yeast Spotting
 Melt In your Mouth Monday Recipe Blog Hop # 80
 Flour Me With Love: Mix it up Monday!