Velveeta Mac 'n Cheese -- updated 28 Jan 2018

Last month was just too crazy to get much posting done here, my apologies.  Even though December is also quite busy, I'm determined to find at least a little time to write some posts--I have done some cooking and need to catch up!
This recipe is much like what my mom used to make, just with a different method that my husband introduced to me.  It's comfort food, perfect for a chilly winter night :)

Update: I have found that the amount of milk needed to be modified, as well as the cooking directions.  I also want to note that Lucerne brand of processed cheese is nearly as good as Velveeta and melts just as well.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. dry macaroni (or in this case, fiori shaped pasta)
8 oz. Velveeta 2% milk cheese (or regular, if you prefer more calories lol), cubed (use a cheese slicer)
1/2 T. margarine or butter
3/4 c. milk (I used skim)
salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare macaroni/pasta according to package directions.

2. Place cubed Velveeta, margarine, milk, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl.

3. Cover bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes, then remove and stir.  Repeat this process one more time. After the final time, stir until mixture combines and becomes a smooth sauce.

4. Add cooked macaroni/pasta to bowl and stir to combine until all noodles are covered with sauce.

5. Dip up a bowl and enjoy!

Lamb Loin Chops with Pan Sauce

I like to make lamb once in a while for something different, and typically I buy it at Costco, but this time, I found some that looked great for a decent price at a supermarket.  While it was tasty, it wasn't quite as good in quality as that which I get at Costco.  Most recipes I find for lamb involve mint; I personally do not prefer it in main dishes, as it is a flavor I associate with dessert.  This recipe did not have it, so I was pleased at first to find it.  The ingredients list was stuff I had on hand (apart from the lamb), so it seemed a good plan...until I clicked on the actual instructions part.  Oh là là, sooooo long!  It's not that the instructions were difficult or very involved--it was the wordy explanation of all of them.  Pretty much the equivalent of asking a young child how to make something: you do get the instructions, yet you also get a ton of details with them that you really don't need.  I modified the ingredients slightly, wrote down a pared-down version of the instructions, then ended up changing them a little as I cooked.  It was worth the effort, but is not my favorite yet by far.  Here is the original link, should you have time on your hands:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Lamb-Loin-Chops-with-Pan-Sauce/

Ingredients:

1 sprig of fresh rosemary
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 T. olive oil, divided
2 T. honey, divided
2 T. balsamic vinegar, divided
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste  (I think I used around 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. bottled minced garlic
1 medium shallot, minced, divided
1/3 to 1/2 c. chicken broth (not sure, as I did not measure)
1 T. butter

Instructions:

1. Place the fresh herbs in a medium bowl.  Add 1 T. each of olive oil, honey, and balsamic vinegar.  Add salt, pepper, garlic, and 1 T. of the minced shallot.  Stir to combine.

2. Add lamb chops to mixture and turn to coat.  Let rest in mixture for a few minutes.

3. Heat a skillet (I used cast iron) over medium-high heat and add remaining 1 T, of olive oil.  Transfer lamb from bowl to skillet, reserving sauce.  Cook until nicely browned on both sides and internal temperature is 135°F (if you exceed 140°F, you risk the meat becoming tough and losing flavor).

4. Transfer chops to a plate and reduce heat to medium.  Add remaining shallot and cook for around 1 minute.

5. Add chicken broth to deglaze plan, stirring to scrape up browned bits.

6. Add reserved sauce to pan (including herbs), plus remaining 1 T. of honey and 1 T. of balsamic vinegar.  Cook for additional 1-2 minutes.

7. Remove from heat and let cool for around 3 minutes.  Remove herbs as best you can (you may not get all pieces, this is ok), discard.  Add butter and stir until melted and combined in sauce.

8. Return chops to pan and coat in sauce.  Serve chops with desired amount of sauce and enjoy!  (I served with rosemary potatoes, which was a perfect pairing :))

Mushroom and Potato Gratin with Thyme and Parmesan

Oh là là!  It's been far too long since I last blogged!  I've had a busy couple of weeks and simply could not squeeze it in, nor much cooking for that matter.  Hopefully now I can get back on track :)
Yes, I know I made a dish like this not too long ago--I guess it's obvious that I love potatoes and cheese lol.  These were awesome, equally good as the other!  I served them with a steak (and some green beans for me), quite wonderful.

Link to original recipe:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/mushroom-and-potato-gratin-with-thyme-and-parmesan.html

Ingredients:

1 T. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. bottled minced garlic
3 fresh thyme sprigs, plus 1 1/2 tsp. minced
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 lb. yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced (I used food processor)
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. mixed mushrooms (I used button and porcini), thinly sliced
1/4 c. grated Parmesan-Reggiano, plus more to garnish top

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F and grease 8" x 8" baking dish with butter (I used glass).

2. In a large saucepan, combine the cream, garlic, thyme sprigs, and a pinch of both salt and pepper.  Bring to a low boil over medium heat, then remove from heat and set aside.

3. Add sliced potatoes to cream mixture; cover and let stand while preparing the mushrooms.

4. In a frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil and melt the 1 T. of butter with it.  Add the mushrooms plus a pinch of salt.  Cook for 7-9 minutes, or until most of liquid released by mushrooms has evaporated.

5. Add the minced thyme and a pinch of pepper.  Cook for one more minute, then remove from heat.

6. Arrange one-third of the potato slices, slightly overlapping and in layers, in prepared dish.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1 T. of the Parmesan.

7. Spread half of the mushrooms over the potatoes and sprinkle with 1 T. of the Parmesan.

8. Repeat layers in #6 and #7, then top with remaining potatoes.  (** the original recipe says to use a spatula at this point to press down the potatoes.  I did so, but it made little difference, so I won't do so next time.)

9. Remove the thyme sprigs from the cream sauce mixture (if you haven't already while fishing out the potatoes) and then pour mixture over the potatoes.  Top with desired amount of Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

10. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

11. Remove foil and bake for 20 additional minutes.  After removing from the oven, let cool in pan for 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Candied Pecans

Just like it states in the original recipe blog where I found this recipe: these smell sooooo AMAZING when they are baking!  And they are quite delicious, too, of course.  They aren't exactly the same as what you would get at one of those places at a fair or whatnot--think they are more on the sweet side than those.  Either way, mmmmm!
Link to original recipe:
http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/candied-pecans-recipe/

Ingredients:

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1 T. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
12 oz. pecan halves (unsalted)
1 egg white

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 300°F.  Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine first five ingredients in a medium bowl.

3. Combine pecan halves and egg white in a large bowl, stirring until all pecans are well-coated.

4. Pour sugar mixture over pecan mixture and mix until well combined/coated.

5. Spread pecans onto parchment in single layer.  Bake for 20 minutes, then stir and bake for additional 20 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and let pecans cool on sheet on a rack until room temperature.  Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms With Ricotta Surprise

I had made these once before and just had to make them again...so very delicious!  This time, I did not have any fresh parsley on hand, nor any pancetta, so I used dried parsley and regular bacon--still completely tasty, highly recommend!
Link to original:
http://www.italianfoodforever.com/2011/06/stuffed-mushrooms-with-ricotta-surprise/
(for some reason, the side scroll bar disappears after being on the site for a moment--you can get it back by refreshing the page)

**The pork chop pictured here was a recipe that was just so-so, thus will not be posted**

Ingredients:

1 lb. button mushrooms (or baby bellas would be good, too.  I only had 12 oz. of mushrooms on hand, so I ended up with a little leftover stuffing because I used a little more on most ingredients)
2 T. finely chopped pancetta or bacon
1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. bottled minced garlic
1 tsp. dried parsley (or 2 T. fresh, chopped)
6 T. breadcrumbs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. dry white wine

1/2 c. ricotta
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, to drizzle

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F.  Brush mushrooms clean and pop out stems.  Place caps on a baking sheet.

2. Finely dice 2/3 of the stems.

3. In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add mushroom stems and pancetta (or bacon) and cook until the mushrooms have softened.

4. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.

5. Remove from heat, transfer to bowl and add parsley, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan.

6. Stir in wine, season with salt and pepper.

7. Spoon a small amount of ricotta into each mushroom cap (just enough to cover/fill leveled) and season with salt and pepper.

8. Top with breadcrumb mixture, then drizzle with olive oil.

9. Bake for 25 minutes, then allow to cool on sheet for 10 minutes after removing.

10. Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Stock

This was my first time making my own stock and I loved it...except for the attempt on cutting up a whole chicken.  Next time I will either have a better knife or will just buy a chicken that is already cut up.  Apart from that, it was rather easy and it made the house smell fantastic :)

Update: I make this stock all the time now, it is my go-to recipe for it. When I refer to chicken stock in a recipe, this is what I am using!

Link to original recipe (I used "method 2"):
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_chicken_stock/

(I forgot to take a picture at the very end, so I'll have to get one next time!)

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil (I might have used more, think I didn't measure)
4 to 5 lbs. of chicken pieces/whole chicken cut up
1 large yellow onion, quartered
1 large carrot, cut into 2 inch segments
celery tops/leaves and 1 stalk, cut into 2 inch segments
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley (no idea how much this was exactly)
optional: leek or green onion parts  (I had leek)
1 bay leaf
1 T. salt
6 qt. cold water

Instructions:

1. Pour olive oil into 12 qt. stockpot and swirl to coat bottom.  Heat on medium-high, then add half of chicken pieces skin side down.  Brown and turn to brown other side.  Remove pieces and repeat for other half of pieces.

2. Return other half of chicken pieces to pot.  Add the remaining ingredients and increase heat to high.  Bring to a boil.

3. After boiling is reached, reduce heat to necessary level for maintaining a low simmer (it was medium-low for mine).  Cook, uncovered, for 4-6 hours (I went for 6 hours).

4. Use a slotted spoon or spider ladle to remove the large vegetables and chicken pieces.  Discard or keep for use in something else (some might choose to use the chicken in a dish, for example--just be careful to remove all bones).  Pour remaining liquid through a fine mesh strainer (or line a regular strainer with a dampened paper towel) and press until all liquid has been separated into a bowl.

5. Store in fridge for up to a week or preserve in freezer bags or canning (I did freezer bags).

Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

Seems my mind is stuck on molasses these days (haha, yes, couldn't resist).  I made these cookies right after the ones I posted the other day, mainly because those were disappearing rather quickly.  Hadn't ever tried these before; they turned out great!  Perfect balance of the spices and very easy to make.  They have a slightly chewy and crunchy texture, great for lovers of both types of cookies!
Original recipe:
http://www.crisco.com/recipes/molasses-oatmeal-cookies-852

Ingredients:

1 c. butter flavored shortening
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 T. milk
1 T. molasses
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. quick oats

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray (I used paper).

2. Combine shortening, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, milk, molasses, and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer.  Beat at medium speed until well combined.

3. Combine remaining ingredients except oats in separate medium bowl.  Add this mixture gradually to other mixture and blend in with mixer.

4. Add oats to mixture and stir in by hand.

5. Use two spoons to drop dough balls of around 1" (original recipe says to form balls by hand, but I found the dough was too sticky for such) onto parchment.

6. Bake for 11-12 minutes (11 worked for me).  After removing from oven, let cool on sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

7. Grab some milk and enjoy!