I have yet to meet a kid that doesn't like Macaroni & Cheese.  We usually have the boxed stuff in our pantry, but to be honest something about using powedered cheese just never seemed right to me.  Is that weird?  It's especially weird and odd to me when there is perfectly good cheese in the fridge.  I mean c'mon!  Doesn't make sense!  Macaroni & Cheese can't be that hard.........can it??  Just because I don't have the boxed Macaroni & Cheese doesn't mean we can't make it! So I scrambled around my fridge and took out some cheeses, milk, and butter.  Looked through the spice cabinet and took out the cornstarch and salt and set out to make homemade Macaroni.  Psh, I can do this I thought. 

Well, after about 4 or 5 attempts (on different occasions) I finally got it. Believe it or not it really is simple if you're not looking for something fancy shmancy.  And let's face it, the boxed stuff, well.........there really is nothing fancy about it, so I want to introduce you to my version.  The easiest (and much yummier) version I have seen next to Macaroni in a box.

Ingredients I used...

7oz bag of shell pasta
2tbsp Butter
1/2 tsp Cornstarch
1/2 cup Milk
2 slices of Kraft American Cheese
1/4 cup Mild Cheddar Cheese
1/2 tsp Salt
Blue Cheese Dressing (optional)

Before I go on I have to say this....
I am not a big fan of American Cheese slices.  In fact, they are pretty close to being on the fake cheese category if you ask me, but if I am being honest here I have to admit that we always have it in our fridge.  The kids like it, my husband likes it, so we buy it.  And because we are about 90% of the time on a tight grocery budget, we rarely have anything other than Monterey Jack and Mild Cheddar cheese from Costco.  If I could I would go to town experimenting with all kinds of cheeses to create a fancier, more adult approved Mac & Cheese.  For now at least this makes the kids happy, it's super easy and cheap too.  Alright now, let's make some Mac & Cheese!

Begin by cooking the pasta according to the instructions on the package.  For this recipe I take out the pasta from the boiling water just before it is done because overcooked pasta = mushy Mac & Cheese. NOT GOOD.

After the pasta has cooked, drain it and set it aside. 

Next, combine the cornstarch with the milk and mix until the cornstarch has completely dissolved. Set aside.

In the same pot you used to cook the pasta, (on medium heat) melt the butter......

add the milk with cornstarch......

and stir until it's just about to boil.

Lower the heat to medium low.

Add the cheese slices in pieces and mix again.  I used a whisk because it seemed to combine everything a little better.  When I used a spoon it clumped up a little and got stuck to the spoon.  It isn't too big of a deal though because the cheese is going to eventually melt, so feel free to whisk, mix, stir, whatever floats your boat.

Once the cheese slices are all melted, and I mean immediately after, add the cheddar cheese and whisk until it has completely melted also.

Once the cheese has melted, continue to whisk gently being careful not to let it sit too long because cheese does burn quick!  The cheese will start to thicken up and stick to the spoon but will be slightly runny. Don't worry it will thicken up some more.  


 

Add salt to taste.

I added about 1/2 tsp but you can use less if you seasoned the pasta water with salt. 

Give it a good stir and taste again to make sure it makes your taste buds happy :)

Add the pasta....

mix mix mix, stir stir stir,......

taste, taste, taste.

Sprinkle on a pinch of salt if you feel it needs it.

Serve it on a plate or bowl to a Mac & Cheese loving child and watch as they eat, bite after bite, without a hint of "I don't like it" expressions or comments. 

Trust me, they're gonna love it!

My husband and I sometimes like to add a small dalop of blue cheese dressing to our Mac & Cheese.  It probably would be better to use actual cheese but the few times that we did have it in our fridge, it went bad before we could finish it.  Besides, this Mac & Cheese is for the kids so we keep the blue cheese on the side :)

This was my dinner last night, and my lunch this afternoon.  I suppose I could have paired these delicious wontons with some soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce, but na.  I needed something closer to home. Crema Casera with grated Cotija cheese,  which turned out to be a surprisingly PERFECT match by the way.  

Sorry about the blurry vision.  My camera has apparently decided it's ready for retirement and is being stubborn....grrrrr. 

My Mother's day wish list:
A new camera
& Photography classes :)

Ingredients I used.....
(not listed in order)

olive oil
about 3/4 cup cilantro    
2 zucchinis
1 8oz pkg mushrooms
1/2 tsp salt
1 small Knorr Chipotle cube
1 carrot
2 garlic cloves
about 3 tbsp green onion
1lb gound pork
1 pkg thick wonton wrappers

In a large skillet, drizzle some olive oil and turn on the heat to medium.

Once the oil is warmed up, add the carrot, onion, and garlic together and sweat all those good flavors out until they are just about to caramelize.

Add the zucchini and cook everything until the zucchini and carrots are soft.

Add the mushrooms, salt, and Chipotle seasoning cube. 
Mix well and sweat the mushrooms until they are just about fully cooked.

Add a little more olive oil if you need to, just enough to lightly coat all the veggies so they don't start to stick to the pan.

Once the chipotle cube has dissolved and all the veggies are mixed well and seasoned evenly, throw in the cilantro and continue stirring everything together.

Take a spoonfull and taste test.  One chipotle cube was just enough to give the filling a little kick, but it isn't hot so you may want to add another one at this point if you would like the filling with more heat and chipotle flavor.

Add the ground pork and cook everything together until all the juices have almost evaporated and meat is fully cooked.

Turn off the heat and let it cool for a bit while you set up your wonton wrapping station :)

After opening the package of wonton wrappers I find it easier to leave them in the packaging they came in and turn it upside down to cover them because they will start to dry up if you leave them in the open air.  

For your workstation you will need a small bowl or cup of water along with a fork to seal them. 

Dip fingertips into water and moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper.

Pour about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling in the middle of the wrapper. 

Fold upward to close them in a triangle shape.  You don't have to seal them like this, I just find that it's the easiest and quickest way for me.

I would have liked to get more creative with these, but my little guy was pulling on my pant legs for some attention and food (even though I just fed him a snack before starting to assemble these wontons). 

Poor guy...
aaaaand back to dinner.

Fry them in some vegetable oil that is about 375-400 degrees just until they start to turn a light golden brown color.  Flip 'em over to finish the other side.  They fry up real quick, maybe 10-15 seconds each side is all you'll need (depending on how hot you're oil is.  You can check to see if the oil is ready by taking a piece of one of the wonton wrappers and sliding it in the oil.  If it doesn't start frying right away, it needs more time to heat up or the temperature isn't hot enough.  If it sizzles, pops, and starts to look like it's gonna boil over, it's TOO hot. 

You get the idea.
Just keep testing the oil with a small piece of wonton wrapper.

Lay them out to dry either on paper towels over a plate or however you usually like to drain the excess oil.





Serve some onto a plate then........

Top with some Crema Casera and finely grated cheese of your choice and I dare you not to go back for thirds. 

This recipe makes about 30 of these yummy wontons, there were seven left after last night. 

Guess who finished those remaining seven for lunch today.

Yo!!!

These are the times that I wish I had a backyard to grow an avocado tree and have a nice healthy patch of Mint growing next to it.  Mint happens to be one of my favorite tea's, and avocado.....well, I can eat one all by itself with a spoon.  Over the weekend I had a strange yet inspiring urge to combine the two.  Something told me they would make a happy couple.  I was right :)

Here's another experiment that went REALLY well for us.  Hope you like it!

Here's what you'll need:

1 whole medium avocado mashed
juice from half a lime
1 tbsp sour cream
3 tbsp minced mint leaves (stems removed)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups crumbled queso fresco

In a separate bowl combine the avocado, lime juice, salt, sugar, mayo and mint.  Mash them together with a fork or mortar until smooth and well blended.

Add the "guacamole" to the crumbled cheese and combine with a spoon or fork.

Spread a heaping spoon-full (or two.....,maybe three) of this spread on your next steak sandwich, or with toasted french bread alone as an appetizer.

Add your favorite cooked steak and you've got yourself a pretty tasty sandwich.  Normally I like my sandwiches with a little spring salad mix instead of lettuce and tomato but after one bite, I didn't see any point in adding anything else.  Both my husband and I truley enjoyed this sandwich as it was.  My kiddo even enjoyed it!  Without the meat of course. 

Can't wait to make it again!

 

In a large nonstick skillet warm the chorizo a few minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix about 10-12 eggs (I omit about half the yolk and add a little milk). 
Add the eggs to the chorizo and scramble everything together until fully cooked but still moist.

Warm up some of your favorite tortillas........

Avocados + Chorizo = A really happy and hungry Steph :)

And just in case there is anyone out there that needs a little clarity on the art of Burrito Wrapping......

Bring the sides in toward the middle.

hold those sides you just folded in and bring in the bottom side up and in toward the top completely covering your filling.

See how the sides are just waiting to open up, well get a hold of those little flaps and push them in once more while you tuck in the folded side.

Tuck as tight as you can without tearing the tortilla, and roll roll roll.

Voila!  Isn't it pretty?!  Okay maybe not as pretty as a gourmet sushi roll, but considering tortillas are like a staple in my kitchen, i'm considering warming up my comal (griddle) right about now. 

oo la la. 

A whole lot of yummy without all the guilt.

 

Here's what you'll need...

1 30oz jar of nopalitos
(doesn't matter what brand, these are my favorite next to freshly cut cactus)
3 large tomatoes
1/4 of a large white onion
1/2 bunch of cilantro
Fresh lime juice from 1 whole lime
salt to taste if desired

Drain the nopales then rinse them under cold water briefly and remove the jalapeno if there is one (you don't have to but I always do).

Chop them into smaller pieces then transfer them to a large bowl.

Chop the cilantro and onion, add to the bowl of nopales.

Chop the tomatoes, toss them in too.

Don't forget the lime juice!  I did when taking the ingredients picture.  Mix everything well then taste and add a little salt if you like.

And there you have it!  The best darn pico de gallo ever in my opinion.  Put this on the table at your next barbeque and I guarantee you there won't be any leftovers.  And if you're lucky enough to have some leftover, you must try this alone in a flour toritilla for a snack!  It's okay if you grab a really big spoon and eat it that way too.  My husband and I have gotten into spoon duels to see who's gonna get the last bite :)  So I finish it when he's not around, hahaha.

Woohoo!  I am so happy to be sharing this with my fellow mild salsa eaters.  If you like salsa on top of steak or chicken tacos but can't bear the heat, you must try this one!  It has the perfect amount of heat with lots of flavor.  For those of us who can never taste flavor because we can't handle the heat, this is for you, especially if you like barbequed chicken.  Who doesn't like barbeque chicken?!  Well, this salsa is the perfect compliment for that.  It is extremely easy to make too! 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 ripe vine tomatoes
2 red jalapeno peppers
Mint Leaves
3/4 -1 whole 10oz can mandarin oranges
  (I used a little less than the whole can because I ate a few before I added them to the blender so maybe use 2/3 of the can)
Fresh lemon juice, salt and garlic powder to taste

In a small bowl drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on the tomatoes and peppers and toss them around in the oil for an even coat.  Roast the tomatoes on a griddle or in the oven, whichever you like, as long as they look like this and make your house smell ever so yummy :)

Bring them back to the bowl to cool when done.

When they are cool enough to touch, remove all the seeds and burnt skin from the jalapenos (no need to remove the seeds and skin from the tomatoes).  Mash them and the tomatoes together with your hands inside the bowl (this helps you remove the pit from the tomatoes), or you can just throw them into the blender.  Add the mint leaves and mandarin oranges.  Pulse blend maybe two or three times for about 2 or 3 seconds each time.  You don't want to over blend because then it can get too watery.

Plus you still have to add the salt, fresh lemon juice, and garlic powder.  So taste first, then add these remaining ingredients till it makes your taste buds happy. Blend again a few seconds just to mix everything together.

Pour some onto your tacos or barbequed chicken,

and get some napkins cause you might have more than just a taste ;)

This is my favorite salsa from this salsa challenge so far.  I hope others who try this enjoy it as much as we did.

Salzapacho is the name I gave this salsa because it sort of is a hybrid between a Salsa and a Gazpacho.  It's light, refreshing, sweet, and possesses a bit of an earthiness from the roasted sweet peppers.  A traditional gazpacho has similar ingredients with the same summery refreshing taste, but also usually includeds cucumber and bread (which has been lightly soaked in a white wine or olive oil).  This was one of my favorites so far because of its dual purpose of being a salsa and a soup at the same time.  It really is good enough to eat alone! 

This is the bag that the sweet peppers came in at costco, but you can also buy them at any grocery store in smaller clear plastic containers in the produce section. 

I used....
8 yellow sweet mini peppers
3 roma tomatoes
1/4 of a large yellow onion
juice from half a lemon
fresh basil leaves from one stem
salt and peppper to taste

Lightly roast the peppers on a griddle, or in the oven if you prefer, then set them aside when done. 
In a 3 quart pot bring about 2 quarts to boil.
Add the tomatoes and onion and boil for about 5 minutes. 
Remove them from the water and transfer them to a blender.
Cut off the stems from the roasted peppers and add them to the blender.
Add the lemon juice and about 1/4 cup of water from the pot and pulse a few times to start chopping the tomatoes.  
Add a little more water from the pot if they are getting stuck at the blades. 
Blend until it starts to resemble a chuncky salsa then taste.
Add salt and pepper to your taste. 
Blend again until it reaches your preffered consistency.
Done!

A couple things I mixed this soupy salsa with are:

black beans,

over-easy eggs,

 & penne pasta with sauted butter & garlic. 

My favorite was with the penne and butter garlic.  oooweee!  Yummy yummy yummy!!