Mac & Cheese

This is a pretty different take on this dish. It's good!!

Here is what you will need:


4 cups cooked macaroni or cavatappi
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 finely diced red onion
Equal amount diced red bell pepper
1 finely diced jalapeno ( I used a green bell pepper instead)
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 cup frozen corn
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup cream
1 generous cup grated Pepper Jack cheese (I used cheddar this time)
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Pepper

*Boil pasta until al dente

*In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute garlic and vegetables over medium heat for a couple of minutes

*Add in canned chilies and stir around

*Drain pasta and add it to skillet

*Pour in cream, add cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste and stir gently

*At the end, add 2 tablespoons butter and stir again. Check seasonings and serve.

Potato Soup

This is a Kraft recipe that I actually didn't change up at all- very easy and fast in the microwave! The total time it takes to make is about 30 min.!

You will need:

1 lb. baking potatoes (about 2), cubed
1 can chicken broth
1 cup milk
3 slices Bacon, cooked, crumbled and divided
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
1 green onion sliced, divided
1/4 cup Sour Cream

* Microwave potatoes in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 5 min., stirring after 2-1/2 min. Stir in broth and milk. Microwave 10 min., stirring after 5 min. Carefully crush potatoes with potato masher.

*Reserve 2 Tbsp. each bacon and cheese and 1 Tbsp. onions for topping. Stir remaining bacon, cheese and onions into soup. (I actually add all the bacon and onions at the end)

*Serve topped with reserved bacon, cheese, onions and sour cream.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

You will need:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound)
3 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
2 cups Chunky Salsa
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Crisp
Tortilla Chips

*Brown chicken
*Stir the broth, cumin and rice in the saucepot. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes
*Stir the corn, salsa, cilantro and lime juice in the saucepot. Cook until the rice is tender
*Serve with chips

Mexican Pizza

This is very easy to make and a frugal way to feed a whole group of people! This makes about 16 of them.

You will need:

2 cans refried beans, heated to make them easier to spread

1 lb of ground beef or turkey, cooked and seasoned with taco seasoning.

shredded cheese, either cheddar or colby jack
taco sauce
chopped tomatoes

tostada shells

*Place tostada shells on a cookie sheet or a similar pan. Spread beans on top of each shell.

*Spread a layer of meat on top of beans and then sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top of meat. Place another shell on top of that. Spread taco sauce on that shell.

*Place tomatoes on top of taco sauce. Then place more cheese on top of that.

*Bake at 400 for about 8 minutes or until heated through.

first layer

Rum Cake

This is so good and pretty easy to make.

You will need:

FOR THE CAKE:
1 box(es) (about 18 Oz.) Yellow Cake Mix
1 package (3.5 Oz.) INSTANT Vanilla Pudding Mix
4 whole Eggs
½ cups Cold Water
½ cups Canola Oil
½ cups Rum (dark Or Light Is Fine)

GLAZE
1 stick Butter
¼ cups Water
1-½ cup Sugar
¾ cups Rum

*Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a bundt

*Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour batter into pan . Smooth out until the top is even. Bake for 1 hour, or a little less if the pan is black.

*Glaze: While cake has ten minutes to go, make the glaze.Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off flame and pour in rum. Stir to combine and reheat for 30 seconds.

*Remove cake from oven. Immediately drizzle 1/3 of the glaze on the bottom (top) of the cake. Allow to sit for five minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Prick surface a hundred times with a fork (gently, please.) Slowly drizzle remaining rum glaze all over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Cool to room temperature before serving to ensure glaze has soaked in. (Note: The first time I made this I drizzled 1/3 of it on the bottom of the cake, I had a very hard time getting it out of the pan. The second time I drizzled it all over the top and it soaked up most of the liquid by itself.)