This is my first official post on my own blog! So what better way to "christen" it than with a couple of yummy recipes I made this past weekend. I know, its too hot to cook..but not at 1am in the morning when you have insomnia! Plus you have your lunch and/or dinner already done for the next day...awesome. "Kat's Kitchen" will be a regular on my blog. I hope you enjoy reading this and trying these recipes maybe??? Even if I get you to try something new then that's cool too! Enjoy!!
Kat's Kitchen
Anyone who knows me, knows I love food ! I love to try new things, and different cuisines. I love to cook and I love to eat!! This past weekend I made 2 different Dinner Classics:
Home-made 3Cheese & Macaroni & Manwich Meatloaf
Saturday I made home-made Macaroni & Cheese w/ Bacon
(my recipe for mac-n-cheese is a good size..probably can feed a family of six)
Need: Cheese, Butter, Milk, flour, bacon
Use your fave cheeses..cubed or shredded -shredded melts quicker. but bulk cheese is cheaper, just be willing to chop!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. it will do double duty here.
Once its preheated..place individual bacon strips out on a foiled lined cookie sheet. Place in oven to start cooking them. *Don't forget it either!! Turn bacon over after about 7 mins. Then remove from oven once cooked through. Drain on paper towel. Use as much or as little bacon or none at all, its up to your tastes.
Meanwhile...
In a heavy large pot, melt 1/2 stick of butter over medium heat & whisk in 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour let this cook for about one minute.
Whisk in slowly 4 cups of milk (I used whole, but you can use 2% instead). Lower the heat to med-low. Add in your cheeses, slowly whisky as you add. I used Sharp Cheddar, Swiss & Muenster. Your mixture will thicken quickly after the cheese is added, so if you wish to thin it out, add a tad more milk.
In a seperate pot, boil water, and once you've started the bacon and about to finish off your cheese sauce..cook your pasta - according to directions on the pasta box. I used 3/4 of a 1pound box of Elbow pasta. cook til el dente then drain well.
Now we layer our goodies!! First layer is cooked pasta, sprinkle some crumbled bacon over that, then laddel out your cheese mixture over all it, and repeat for one more layer. The last 15 mins...sprinkle with more shredded cheese & bacon!! YUM YUM.
Pop this in the oven and cook for 35-40 mins or until top is bubbly and browning slighty!! Enjoy...I sure did.
*MANWICH MEATLOAF..its much easier cuz you get some help!! ( =
*(Now these measurements are for a serving for 2 w/ leftover..maybe...SO if you need to make more..just double or triple the recipe to fit your needs).
1.5 pds of ground beef (or ground pork and beef mixture)
1 can of Manwich Sauce*
1 small onion diced
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tbspn of dried parsley OR 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 large egg slightly beaten
Mix all ingredients together*only use 3/4 of the Manwich sauce in the mix, the remaining sauce will top off the meatloaf.
Cook in a preheated oven of 325 degrees for about 45 mins. Bast the meatloaf every 15 mins in its own juices. Pour the remaining sauce atop of the loaf during the last 15 mins in oven. Let the meatloaf rest for few minutes before serving. Classic Dish!
**Now because of the grease that tends to surround the meatloaf, that isn't "Good Eats" as Alton Brown would say...so take a couple of slices of bread, day old if you got it, and place it in the baking dish to soak up the grease. It sounds weird, but it works!
