Homemade Mac n' Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

2 T. cornstarch

1 t. salt

1/2 t. dry mustard (I don't add this)

1/4 t. pepper

2 1/2 C. milk

2 T. butter

2 C. cheese

1 3/4 C. - 2 C. macaroni noodles (more or less depending how saucey you want it to be.)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook macaroni, drain and put in 8x8 baking dish. Set aside. Combine cornstarch, salt, dry mustard (yuck), and pepper in pot, and stir in milk. Add butter and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Stir in cheese until melted. Pour over macaroni noodles and stir up. Sprinkle extra cheese on top to cover noodles. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.

SUUUUPER good. Probably one of my favorite side dishes and my kids LOVE it too. Whoopee!

Apple Crisp

INGREDIENTS:

4 C. sliced apples (granny smith are the best)

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 C. water

7 T. butter (softened)

1 C. sugar

3/4 C. flour

DIRECTIONS:

Butter the baking dish (i use a round glass dish, or my 8x8) and add in the apples. Add the cinnamon over the apples, and then pour the water over also. (fact: I use WAY more than a t. of cinnamon. I don't measure it, I just use the container to sprinkle it all over the apples till I feel like it's evenly spread. I like cinnamon.)

Work together sugar, flour and butter with fingers until crumbly, and spread over apple crud and bake uncovered for 90 minutes at 325. (I don't think mine usually takes the full 90 minutes, but I cut my apples real small. Just keep any eye on it around an hour till the top is browning a little, and try poking a knife or something in the apples to see if they're soft and gooey.)

I LOVE THIS STUFF. And you better have vanilla ice cream to go with it or else it's boring. Hooray!

Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Bites

these are owesome. even katie likes them!

Ingredients

• 8 slices uncooked bacon
• 1 T Olive Oil
• 1 Lg. red bell pepper, diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (3 oz)
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 can crescent dinner rolls (8 rolls)

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray large cookie sheet with CRISCO® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray, or line with cooking parchment paper.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp. Remove from skillet; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside.
3. Discard bacon drippings. Add oil to skillet; heat over medium heat until hot. Add onion and bell pepper; cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Place mixture in food processor bowl with metal blade. Cover; process until smooth. Or blend in blender on medium speed about 30 seconds, stopping once to scrape sides, until smooth.
4. In small bowl, mix goat cheese, cream cheese and parsley until smooth.
5. Unroll dough; separate into 4 rectangles. Press perforations to seal. Cut each rectangle into 8 (1 1/2-inch) squares. Place squares on cookie sheet. Spoon rounded 1 teaspoon red pepper mixture on each square, spreading slightly. Spoon slightly less than 1 teaspoon cheese mixture on pepper mixture on each square. Top each with about 1/4 teaspoon crumbled bacon.
6. Bake 15 to 22 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Serve warm, or refrigerate and serve chilled.