The Best Macaroni and Cheese

If you have never tried macaroni and cheese in the slow cooker, you are missing out!  This is my absolute favorite macaroni and cheese!  My parents have been making this for years.

Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 lg can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 c butter, melted
2 tsp oil
1 tsp salt
8 oz macaroni, cooked and drained
Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Grease crockpot with butter.  Pour mixture into crockpot, cover with extra cheese.  Cook on low 4 hours.  Can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated, cook 5 hours.

Spring Chicken Salad

I've always liked chicken salad, but not enough to ever really order it anywhere.  I guess because I'm not a big fan of celery.  So, I attempted to create my own and it turned out really good!

Chicken Salad

3 chicken breasts
1 granny smith apple
1 cup slivered almonds
12-15 red grapes
pinch onion and garlic
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Chop all ingredients and mix.  Add mayo a little at a time, stirring to determine consistency.  Add more mayo as desired.  Serve on croissants.

Cheeseburger Casserole

This recipe is one my parents made when I was growing up.  It is a little different, but very good.  Enjoy!

Cheeseburger Casserole

1 lb ground beef
8 oz mozzarella slices
1 can biscuits
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 c ketchup
1/8 tsp pepper
Brown ground beef and drain.  Add tomato sauce, ketchup, pepper; heat.  In a small casserole dish, layer meat, cheese, meat, cheese.  Spread biscuits on top and around edge of dish.  Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

Hot Bacon Cheese Dip

This is a recipe from our church's cookbook.  It is SO good served in a bread bowl with crackers.  It has a very different taste from most other cheese dips.  Enjoy!

Hot Bacon Cheese Dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c sour cream
2 c shredded Cheddar
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 pkg real bacon bits
3/4 c chopped green onion
1 whole bread bowl (I usually buy sourdough or pumpernickel)
Slice a round top off of the bread bowl.  Scoop bread out of the inside, set aside (goes well with the dip also).  Mix softened cream cheese, sour cream, cheese, and Worcestershire.  Stir in bacon bits.  Add chopped green onion.  Fill bread bowl with mixture; put top on.  Wrap in aluminum foil.  Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.  Serve with crackers.

Double Breaded Fried Chicken Tenders

The past few weeks have been beautiful here in the South!  The trees are blooming, and I'm ready for Spring!  In honor of the beautiful weather, I am posting a great picnic recipe:

Double Breaded Fried Chicken Tenders

2 c flour
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp dry mustard
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp grill seasoning
2 tbsp thyme
1 1/2 cups milk
Mix all dry ingredients.  Dip chicken tenders in milk then dry mix.  Dip chicken in milk again then roll in dry mix a second time.  Fry in hot oil until browned and chicken is no longer pink.

Blueberry Crisp

Today is Brent's 27th birthday!  So, first off, I would like to wish my amazing husband a very happy birthday.  In honor of his birthday, I am making some of his favorites.  For dinner, I am making lasagna which has already been posted.  For dessert, it's blueberry crisp!  Thanks again to my mother-in-law for this recipe.

Blueberry Crisp

2 cups blueberries
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 stick butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
Mix blueberries and lemon juice.  Place in bottom of 8x8 glass dish.  Mix together all dry ingredients.  Blend in butter with a pastry blender (I've found that a potato masher or 2 knives also works well).  Sprinkle over the blueberries.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Chicken Tetrazzini

This is my take on chicken tetrazzini.  This dish is a great way to hide some veggies in a delicious casserole!  It was adapted from a recipe in the cookbook "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" by Ree Drummond.  Check out her website for some other great recipes, or pick up her cookbook, it's a great one! 

Chicken Tetrazzini

2 chicken breasts

8 oz whole wheat angel hair pasta

2 oz pimientos, drained
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp olive oil

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Boil chicken about 20 minutes until done.  Set aside 1 cup of chicken broth.  Shred with a fork and knife, set aside.  Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.  Saute chopped onion and green pepper with 1 tsp olive oil until tender.  In a large bowl, mix chicken, pasta, 1 cup cheddar, cream of mushroom soup, onion, pepper, drained pimientos, and spices.  Pour into 2 quart baking dish.  Top with remaining 1 cup of cheddar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

After a long day of standing, sometimes I need to get off of my feet while cooking!