Easy Stove-Top Macaroni & Cheese

The first time I made Mac & Cheese was in 2012. It was amazing to go back through my blog and see where I was then as opposed to where I am now.  I really loved that recipe, it was the only recipe I 'd seen for homemade Mac and Cheese. So I decided to look for other recipes and do a little trial and error until I found the one I loved the most! This version of the recipe is one I've wanted to make for a very long time. I found it a long time ago on food.com. Why the fascination with Mac & Cheese? Well, I used to eat lots of Kraft Mac & Cheese when I was a kid. I remember loving those boxes. Then I grew up and realized that the stuff in those boxes wasn't exactly the healthiest thing in the world. Since having my baby I've decided to really make everything from scratch, from the baby food to everything that he's eating right now. Recently homemade macaroni and cheese has had a resurgence in popularity. Lots of restaurants are even making fancy versions of this classic dish. So I decided to make this recipe at home, relive some of my childhood joy and share it with my son. The result was that he loved it! Hope you guys love it too! I will probably be making some personal versions of this recipe pretty soon. Enjoy! Until the next one!

Ingredients:

8 oz. elbow macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 dash black pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or 8 oz. (by weight) cheddar cheese


Procedure:

Cook macaroni according to package directions.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour, salt and pepper, slowly add milk.
Cook and stir until it begins to bubble.
Stir in cheese. Keep stirring until fully melted.
Drain macaroni and add it to the cheese sauce, stir to coat.

Measure 8 oz. of macaroni.

Shred the cheese.

Measure out your cheese.

Cook macaroni according to package directions.

Put the butter in a medium saucepan.

Melt butter over medium heat.

Measure your flour.

Add the flour, salt and pepper.

Keep stirring.

Stir in the milk.

Cook and stir until it begins to bubble.

Stir in cheese.

Keep stirring until fully melted.

Drain macaroni and add it to the cheese sauce.

Stir to coat.

They are done!

Enjoy!

Top with a little cheese!

Pork Chop Stewed Rice

Lately I've been experimenting with stewed rice. I'm not usually a big fan of rice. I'll eat the ones cooked by me, my mother, or my grandmother. My husband on the other hand loves it and begs me to make it, so I promised I'd start making different versions of this dish. Last night I decided to begin my experiments so I took some pork chops I'd left seasoned in the fridge, remove the bones and chopped them up to incorporate them into the rice. The recipe isn't difficult, but at least for me, it's important to have everything chopped and measured ahead of time so everything goes smoothly. I must admit it was delicious and my hubby and my kiddo loved it. Hope you guys enjoy it too! Until the next one!

Ingredients:

Cooking ham (to taste)
Bacon (to taste)
2 large pork chops
1 tbsp. of salt
2 cups of white rice
3 cups of water
1 tsp. of tomato paste
1 tsp. of olives (dressed in capers)
2 tsp. of Sofrito
Sweet red peppers (to taste)
Olive oil


Procedure:

Preheat the pot to medium. Cut the ham, bacon, and pork chops.

Put the chopped ham and bacon into the pot.

When they begin to cook and change color add the pork chops.

Stir the meats with a spoon and add 1 tbsp. of olive oil.

When the pork chop looks almost cooked add the Sofrito.

Stir to combine well.

Add the sweet red peppers and the olives and stir again.

Add the tomato paste and stir again.

Add the 2 cups of white rice.

Mix it until combined.

Pour 3 cups of water and season with salt. Stir to combine.

Let it cook over medium high heat until the water begins to steam and evaporate. Once the water has evaporated stir the rice again and drop the heat to low. Allow it to cook for another 20 minutes on low heat.

After the 20 minutes take off the lid, and stir all the rice one last time.

Final product, ready to serve. Enjoy!

Stuffed Bread

I was browsing through the internet and found some recipes for stuffed bread. Let me tell you, there are a lot of versions and variations! I was interested in trying this out so I decided to make my own version. In my version I use a lot of things I just love to combine. This is not the healthiest recipe, but once in a while I love indulging. Be creative and create your own version! Hope you guys like it! Until the next one!

Ingredients:

Soft bread

Korean ground turkey

Spreadable cream cheese

Mexican style cheese

Plantain 

Salami

Bacon 

Procedure:

Put your bread on a slicing board.

Slice your bread in half.

Spread the cream cheese.

Add the salami.

Add the cooked ground meat.

Add the plantain.

Add the cheese.

Close the sandwich

Wrap it in bacon.

Set a large piece of aluminum foil over a cookie sheet or baking pan.

Put your loaf onto the aluminum foil.

Wrap up your loaf in the foil.

Bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Unwrap the aluminum and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the bacon looks cooked.

Remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool.

Set your loaf out on a cutting board.

 Cut it.

Enjoy!!