Something Old, Something New, and Something??????

Everyone loves Mac and Cheese! Kids of all ages love that creamy taste of mac and cheese. I have seen macaroni and cheese made all different kinds of ways. It even comes in many different types at the grocery store. From the cheap Kraft Mac and Cheese that we all ate as kids, to the Velveeta brand that has shells and cheese. Now days they even have broccoli or bacon added flavors. Every Thanksgiving we always have Mac and Cheese. I think it is actually the star of the meal not the Turkey, and every year I have tried to beat my dads Mac and Cheese it is like a contest every year. He makes his version which I until this year did not know the ingredients to. So last year I did the shredded cheeses. I had like four different types of shredded cheese mostly cheddar, evaporated milk, and butter. Then you would put more butter, cheese and cracker crumbs on top. My dad won of course. It looks so good when they did it on the cooking channel that I thought I cannot lose with this one, but I was the loser. 

So now for this Thanksgiving! I thought well my favorite store bought mac and cheese is Velveeta, but I do not like the shells. I love cheddar cheese. I especially love the finely shredded Mexican style cheese, because it has Asiago, Jack, white cheddar, and sharp cheddar all mixed up together. So I thought what if I do a version of mac and cheese that mixes both versions together. So lets put Velveeta and cheddar cheese in with noodles mix it together and call it a day! I wish it was that easy! So this is what I did...


As always the first thing your going to do is boil your water, and cook 1`and 1/2 pounds of elbow macaroni noodles. (shells are okay)
After its cooked pour your noodles in a drainer, and let them drain.
While they drain melt 2 sticks of real butter in the pot.
Once butter is melted and hot..
Take 2 pound of Velveeta Cheese and cut it into cubs, and it to butter in pot.
You also going to add 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. (flavor your choice) my choice was the Mexican style
Stir and stir until the cheese and the butter are mixed together well.
Then take about 1/3 a cup of whole cream(you can use milk) and mix it into the cheese. 
At this time add salt and pepper to taste.
Stir and stir until it is completely mixed and cheese is still hot. 
Then pour your well drained macaroni into the cheese and fold the noodles into the cheese. 
Once it is completely folded together pour from pot into another dish to serve from.
I always add more shredded cheese on top for looks, and taste. 

Next time I think I will add the butter and cracker crumbs to..

Highlighted items are your grocery list...


So you all want to know who won!!!!!!!!!
Me finally after many many years of trying. I finally beat my dad. 
So I asked him what was in his mac and cheese that had beat my for some many years. I about died when he told me it is so simple. He literally have 4 ingredients. 

2 lbs Velveeta
1 lb elbow noodls
1 stick butter
milk

If you want try both versions and see which one you like the best...
Feel free to let us know which one you like better!!!! Mine or My dads!

I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving Holiday!
I want to give thanks for my family, friends, life, school, and God! With out God, family and friends my life would not be possible. Especially God! Thanks all!

Nacho Cheese Loco Taco Bake

I cannot promise that this is the best video!!!!!!!
I AM NEW AT THIS!!

So this casserole is awesome and so so easy!!!!!
ALL YOU WILL NEED
1 bag Nacho Cheese Doritos
1 package of Taco Seasoning
1 8 oz bag of shredded cheddar cheese
1 16 oz container of sour cream
1 cup of salsa (we use Taco Bell)
3 packages Velveeta Cheese sauce
                      ( can also use a jar of cheese dip)
2 lbs of Hamburger Meat
1 roll of Crescents (refrigerated)
1 cake pan or glass baking dish

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

You are going to brown your hamburger meat in a skillet. Once it has all cooked then you will drain the excess grease off of the meat. After the meat has been drained you are going to add the Taco seasoning. When you add the seasoning follow the directions on the back of the package. About midway through the cooking of the meat add  the cup of salsa to your meat mixture, and continue to let it cook until done.

While you are finishing up on your hamburger meat take out your baking dish. Make sure you spray or butter your dish so that nothing sticks to it. Then place the Crescents on to the bottom of the glass pan. You are going to use it as a crust so spread it up the sides, and make sure it covers the bottom. Set it to the side for just a second.

Now that your meat is done add all three packages of Velveeta cheese sauce to the meat mixture. You can use a can of cheese sauce its up to you. My family loves Velveeta cheese!!!!! After the cheese melts into the meat we are going to pour it into the pan with the crescent dough.

After you add the meat into the pan we are going to spread the sour cream on top of the meat.  Add the sour cream even if you do not like sour cream it makes a difference, and once it is cooked you cannot taste the sour cream.

Then sprinkle your shredded cheese on top of your sour cream. Once you have added everything, but your Doritos. You are going to take the bag and crush up the chips well. After they are crushed spread them over the cheese, and put your casserole into the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

My family loves this, and I love this!
I do not have to go to Taco Bell we can have it right out of the oven!
Give it a try, and if you like it let me know!

That Light Bulb Moment!

http://tinyurl.com/pps7jpo

So I was watching YouTube with niece Caroline this past weekend. Sometimes if I am really busy or stressed. I just take some time to set back, and watch YouTube. I get a quick reminder that there are a lot of people out there with way bigger problems than me, and I can get a good laugh at some of the things people will say or do for a chance at one minute of fame. It is very entertaining in some instances. Caroline and  I were watching a girl that calls her self Graveyard girl. At first I was like this is so stupid, and how can you set here watching this. Once I actually understood what she was doing I realized what a great idea it was. The Graveyard girl creates YouTube video's about As Seen On TV products. He viewers request for her to try something so she buys it, and films herself actually trying the product. This way her viewers get an idea of how it works, what it is made out of, how hard it is to do, what kind of results she gets from it, and of course "Bunnies" opinion. Bunny is what the Graveyard girl calls herself while she is filming. So I thought what if I did something similar, but with food. I am always seeing recipes on Pinterest and YouTube that look good, but I am scared to try them. Either do to the price, or no knowing if it is something my family would like or not. So I am going to try to do a few of these in blogs. I am going to work towards a YouTube channel as well, but one thing at a time. So stay tuned for my next blog. I am going to try a casserole dish that is called Nacho Cheese Loco Taco Bake. Let's see if it is as good as they say it is!!!!!

Pumpkin Pie Meets Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

I made a Pumpkin Dump Cake last night. I cannot show you a picture of what it looked like after I finished, because they ate all of it. Yes, it was that good! My family loves Pumpkin Pie. That is a holiday must have on Thanksgiving Day, and who does not like Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. I mean if you have not had it just the name of it makes it sound delicious. What could make this better? It is a simple recipe. 
My cousin is down from Michigan, and she asked me to teach her a few simple things that she can cook. She said she want to impress someone. I tried to pry, but she was not having it. I can almost imagine it is a gentlemen friend. I mean we have always been taught that if you want to get a gentlemen friends attention you do it through his stomach. Plus, I am always looking for something new to cook anyway, and Thanksgiving is coming very quickly so I thought hum lets try this out. Well you have waited long enough so here is the recipe to Pumpkin Dump Cake!

Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe

Ingredient                                                    

Produce                                                        

Pumpkin Pie Mix                      1 29 oz can

Refrigerated                                                 

Eggs                                                         3

Canned Goods                                             

Evaporated milk                     1 10 oz  can

  Baking & Spices                                            

Brown Sugar                                   1 cup

Yellow Cake Mix                          1 box  

Pumpkin Pie Spice                          2 tsp

(only need if you do not have the pie mix)                       

Nuts & Seeds                                                

Pecans                                            1 cup 

Dairy                                                            

Butter                                          2 sticks

                                        1.  Preheat you oven to 350 degrees

                                        2.  Make sure you pan has been greases well.

                                        3. In a separate bowl mix the pumpkin, eggs, evaporated

                                            milk, and brown sugar. Once you have it mix together 

                                            well. Pour it into your pan.

                                        4. Take you cake mix and sprinkle it across the top of the

                                            pumpkin mix as evenly as possible. .

                                        5. Sprinkle you pecans across the top of you cake mix, and 

                                            then pour you melted butter over the top of the cake mix.

                                        6. Place you cake in the over and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

                                        

                                                This is awesome when it comes out of the oven and it is

                                            still warm!  

http://images.media-allrecipes.com/userphotos/720x405/1046644.jpg

I borrowed the image from allrecipes.com to show you what it looks like

Catch Up with Pork Chops!!

I love ketchup! It is one of my favorite condiments. I have only met a hand full of people that do not like ketchup, but I just think okay there is something wrong with them. Joking!!!! That is only when people tell me they do not like mayo! Anyways I am a condiment type of gal! So tonight I am looking for a new recipe. Surprise, surprise, I am always looking for new recipes! I had pork chops laid out for dinner, and I was thinking to myself. " Well we can fry them, I can bake them, or I can make a pork chop casserole." None of which sounded good, because you can only eat something the same way so many times before it just does not sound appetizing. So I pull out my trusty cook book, and do not forget Google. I would be lost without Google, literally!! While I was looking I found a recipe that was simply called Ketchup Pork Chops. I was thinking what and the world could this be. Next line said you only need three ingredients to make this recipe. So I keep reading, because of course the name has my attention. I was thinking what idiot posted a recipe about smothering pork chops with ketchup. I mean I have done it before when I eat my friends cooking, but I have never in my life seen someone post it as a recipe. So I am reading, and I am completely shocked. The three ingredients are Ketchup, Pork chops, and Dr. Pepper. I am like no way could that be good. I like all three of the ingredients, but together I was not so sure. So I read on about how this man had made these pork chops for his wife, and now she just did not want him to cook pork chops any other way. So I thought what do I have to lose. If I bake these chops my family is libel to throw them at me and demand a recook. So I set out to make ketchup pork chops. I mean I had made Root Beer BBQ a couple of weeks ago, and it was awesome so why not give Dr. Pepper a chance to. It was a very simple recipe. Here it is:
                                          Ketchup Pork Chops
                                          Pork Chops                          4 med to large chops
                                          Ketchup                                1 1/4 cup
                                          Dr. Pepper                             1 cup
                                          Hot Sauce                             3 splashes
                                          Salt and Pepper

                                          1. Preheat your over to 350 degrees
                                          2. In a skillet that has been oiled. Brown both sides
                                              of your pork chops. Make sure you salt and pepper
                                              them before you brown them.
                                          3. In a separate bowl mix you ketchup, Dr. Pepper and
                                              Hot Sauce.
.                                         4. Place your pork chops in your pan, and then pour your
                                              mixture over the top of them.
                                          5. Let them cook for about an hour.
                                          6. Take them out and pour most of the liquid back into
                                              you bowl. Some of the more solid will stay on your
                                              chops.
                                           7. Separate your pork chops out. Then take a spoon and
                                               spoon the most solid of the liquid back onto the top
                                               of the chops.
                                            8. Put them back in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then
                                                take them out let them set for a few minutes to cool
                                                and serve.
                                          These are great served with mash potatoes or rice.

I have come to learn over the last view weeks that we cannot judge a recipe by the ingredients. We could be missing some really good food just by judging it before we try it. These pork chops actually turned out really good. Everyone in my house loved them including the next door neighbors kids. Keep an open mind when looking for new things.

                                          http://images.media-allrecipes.com/userphotos/720x405/401867.jpg
                                                                              This picture belongs to all recipe. com... 

Everybody loves easy!!!!

Okay so I like the food theme! Probably for many reasons the main three being that I love to feed my loved ones, I love to eat, and I love to cook. I am always looking for and experimenting on new recipes. With my schedule it makes it really hard to cook a meal much less one that does not come out of a box. Don't get me wrong I can make a boxed meal taste homemade, but it is not the same. So when I come across an awesome easy recipe I want to share it with the whole wide world, and the great thing is I did not just find a main course. I found the best dessert, and it is so easy. I know most of you are like me, and anytime you can find a to make your day easier than you are all for it. So I am going to introduce you to a wonderful, easy crock pot pulled pork sandwiches, and  a peaches and cream cobbler. Both of these recipes require 7 items each. We will start with the pulled pork..

Barbecue Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot                         Peaches and Cream Cobbler

2 lbs pork (preferably country style or loin)                      2 15 oz cans of sliced peaches

20 oz bottle of Root beer                                                   1 1/2 cup white sugar                   

1 big bottle of BBQ sauce your favorite                            2 packages of crescent rolls

1 Tbsp Mustard                                                                  1 stick of butter melted

Pepper                                                                                8 oz cream cheese

Salt                                                                                     1 tsp vanilla

Buns                                                                                   Cinnamon

Start by cutting as much of the fat off of your                  Add your peaches, 1 tablespoon cinnamon,

pork as possible. After your done generously                   and a half cup of sugar into a sauce pan.

sprinkle pepper on your pork, and press it in.                   Cook your peaches until the sauce thickens.

Mix your root beer, mustard, and 1 cup of BBQ              You can add a small amount of corn starch to

sauce together. Place meat and liquid sauce into              help. In a separate pan grease the bottom

the crock pot. Cook it on low heat for about 8                  with butter and layer the bottom with 1 pk

hours. After your meat has cook the 8 hours                    of crescent dough. In a separate bowl mix 

drain the liquid from the crock pot. Keep about              your cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla.

a half a cup of the root beer liquid. You will need           Layer your cream cheese mixture on top of

to shred your pork with a fork or however you do           your dough, and then add your peaches on

it best. Place meat back in the crock pot with half           top. Add your second package crescent 

your reserved liquid, and let it cook for about 20            dough on top of the peaches. Pour the melted

minutes. Add salt to taste.                                                butter over the dough. Sprinkle sugar and 

                                                                                          cinnamon over the dough. Bake at 350 

It is done!!!  I usually pick Cole slaw up at the               degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

store, but you can make your own if you like.

We eat the meat on a bun with or without 

cole slaw

YUMMY!!! Yummy! YUMMY!  This is a big winner at my house! The kids love it and my husband loves it. Any time I can get a recipe that is easy and everyone likes it I know I have a winner. I hope you get a chance to try this, and you enjoy it as much as my family did. If you need a side item for your sandwiches you can to chips or sometimes I cut potatoes like big steak fries coat them with olive oil and my favorite spices. Bake them at 400 until golden brown.

My Newest Cake Creation!!!!!

This past weekend was my niece's birthday she turned twelve. I do not know where the time went it seems like yesterday she was setting in my lap on my lunch break picking green beans out of my vegetable soup. For her birthday she asked me to make her a cake. She gave me a guilt trip, because I have not actually made her a cake in the past 4 years. She even had it all picked out when she called me. So Friday I spent all night baking, and decorating. I love baking and creating I honestly wish I had more time. When she called me she said she wanted a black, and gold cake. I tried to talk her out of black, because it usually taste bad. No matter what I said she was dead set on those colors. I had never done gold, and absolutely have never done a full tier in black icing. Thanks to my wonderful friend she made a quick trip to the cake store on her way home, and picked me up everything I need to do the gold tier. I used white butter cream icing on the top tier and I used can gold mist eatable paint to color the top tier gold. I used one can of the mist to color. I would spray and then let it set in the fridge to dry. I repeated this step at least ten times. Then I used the second can to wet the outside of the icing in order for the gold sugar crystals to stick. I covered the entire tier with the sugar crystals. I also learned a new trick for black icing. If you use chocolate icing and color it with black gel coloring. The chocolate holds the black a lot better than the white butter cream, and it does not take the large amount of black coloring that causes it to taste bad. Of course she wanted to cake inside to be pink. Here is the final product......