Macaroni & Cheese

1 pound pasta

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups sharp cheese

Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain. In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well. If desired you can garnish with a three cheese blend and bake at 350 until melted.

Ris Kreme (Almond Rice)

6 cups milk
2 cups rice
1 pod vanilla
1 almond
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups whipping cream

Bring the milk to a boil, add the rice and cut up vanilla. Stir until the milk begins to boil again. Put a tight fitting lid on and let the rice simmer over a very low flame for 1 hour without touching it. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to use. When completely cool add the sugar, the blanched almond and the stiffly whipped cream. It will be lumpy when cool but breaks apart when you add the sugar.

*To blanch an almond I put a cup of water in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Then place almond in water until skin becomes soft and can be slid off.

*I make half of this recipe for my family of young children.

Dinner Rolls

1 cup margarine
4 cups milk
1 cup sugar (1/2 – ¾ for rolls)
1 tbsp salt
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 pkg yeast dissolved in ½ cup water
1 ½ cup potato flakes
14 cups flour (about)

Mix margarine in hot milk. Add sugar, salt, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in flakes and 2 or 3 cups flour to make smooth batter. Add dissolved yeast and rest of flour a little at a time and knead to make a soft dough. Let rise until double in bulk. Shape and let rise again on lightly greased baking pan. Bake @ 375 for 12-15 minutes.


***Remember to be gentle with dough for rolls (use your fingertips when kneading.) Keep dough ball soft, not sticky. I cut the circles with the lid to my cooking spray. I also use BREAD flour, but they taste good if you use regular flour too.

This is the recipe I make the most. I can do it by hand because it’s more manageable(or in my bread machine on the dough cycle) and serves my family for dinner (about 1 ½ to 2 dozen rolls). I also use this recipe for making cinnamon rolls.

¼ cup margarine
1 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tbsp salt
2 eggs
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 pkg yeast
6 tbsp potato flakes
3 1/2 cups flour

Whole Wheat Muffins

½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp soda
¼ tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
1 cup nuts

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg, milk and flour to creamed mixture. Then add soda, vanilla, and nuts. Grease muffin tins. Bake at 425 for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes 1 ½ dozen.

**These are more of a sweet muffin.

Basic Bread in the Bread Machine

1¼ cups milk
¼ tsp yeast dissolved in water
3 ½ cups flour
1 ½ tbsp shortening
1 ½ tbsp sugar
½ tbsp salt

Place in bread machine in order established by manufacturer.

*I like to use the dough selection. After dough rises place in bread pan, let rise and bake.

Bow Ties with Chicken & Peas

8 oz Bowtie pasta
2 Cups Chicken, cooked and diced
10 oz peas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp Rosemary or Thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmasan Cheese

Mix together and Bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese is lightly browned.