Gran Smith's Mac and Cheese with Steak

Mac and Cheese with Steak

Ingredients
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 lb round steak
1 lb velvetta
1 medium onion
1 large can of stewed tomatoes (buy diced if you can find it..or you could buy 2 reg cans)

Get everything ready before you before you start cooking.
1. cut the steak up into small pieces
2. dice the onion
3. cut the cheese up into smallish size pieces so it will melt easier. (if you put the cheese in the freezer for a little bit it stays a little firmer longer)
4. drain the tomoatoes and dice up into small pieces(dont have to do if you buy diced, just drain)

Start cooking, it does not take long!

Directions
1. put the water on for the macaroni, put in a little salt. use a big pot so in the end you can mix it all together in this one pot.
2. put a little oil in a large frying pan and fry the steak and onion together. keep moving it around the the onion does not burn.
3. when the water boils put in the macaroni. dont overcook it.
4. when the steak and onions are cooked add the tomatoes and heat through
5. keep warm until the macaroni is done
6. when macaroni is done, drain it
7. add the cheese to the macaroni and stir until the cheese melts as much as it can
8. add the hot steak mixture to the macaroni and the rest of the cheese will melt.

*if you have leftovers put a little bit of milk in the macaroni before you warm it up and it will be creamy again*

Fabulous 5 minute Fudge

Fabulous 5 minute Fudge
(I got this from Rachael Ray under her make with kids or however its listed on her website)

Ingredients
unsalted butter, softened
1- 12 oz pk of semi sweet choc chips
1 cup of butterscotch chips
1- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (save the can)
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla
1- 8 oz can of walnuts ( I do not like nuts in my fudge so I do not add this)
1/2 cup raisins
candied red and green cherries (optional)
** I also add some mini marshmellows (yuumm)

Directions
1. grease an 8 in round cake pan with the softened butter.
2. pour the choc and butterscotch chips, condensed milk, and vanilla in a saucepan and put on stove on low to heat.
3. cover empty condensed milk can with plastic wrap and put in middle of greased cake pan.
4. stir the chips and milk until smooth until they melt together.
5. stir in the raisins and nuts (and marshmellows if desired).
6. scoop the fudge into the cake pan around the can*may need to move the can back to the middle of the pan*
7. cut the red cherries in half and green into quarters. use the green for the holly leaves and the red for the holly berries ..do several to make look like a wreath.
8. put in fridge till firm
9. remove can from center and losen sides and bottom with spatula.
10. cut into slices and serve

Stuffed Shells

JUMBO PASTA SHELLS

INGREDIENTS

10 OZ COTTAGE CHEESE
10 OZ PACKAGE FROZEN SPINACH DEFROSTED AND DRAINED
1 EGG
6 TBS SHREDDED PARMESAN CHEESE OR AS YOU LIKE
2 CUPS OF SHREDDED MOZZARELLA CHEESE OR MORE IF YOU LIKE ( I USE PROVOLONE, MOZZARELLA)
SPAGHETTI SAUCE

DIRECTIONS
COOK SHELLS AS IT SAYS ON THE BOX
IN A BOWL MIX COTTAGE CHEESE, DRAINED SPINACH, PARMESAN CHEESE, MOZZARELLA, AND EGG
ONCE PASTA IS COOKED STUFF THE SHELLS WITH THE MIXTURE
IN A PAN SPRAY WITH PAM AND POOR SPAGHETTI SAUCE ON BOTTOM OF PAN TO COVER PLACE SHELLS AND POOR REMAINING SAUCE ON TOP
ALSO IF YOU HAVE EXTRA CHEESE SPRINKLE ON TOP
COOK TILL BUBBLY AT 325 DEGREES

**This recipe given to me by my friend Michelle from work**

leftover turkey or chicken enchiladas

SERVES 4 -6 , 6 Enchiladas (change servings and units)
Ingredients
1 cup shredded cooked turkey (or chicken or beef!)
1/2 cup cooked vegetable
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese (optional) or add more cheddar cheese
3/4 cup salsa (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 dash hot sauce (optional)
6 tortillas
Directions
1Preheat oven to 350°F.
2In a bowl toss turkey, vegetables, cheese, salsa, hot sauce, chili powder, and cumin.
3Spoon filling into tortilla shells. You may need to use more than four if your shells are small.
4Roll the tortilla up and place seam side down into a lightly greased baking pan.
5Top with extra cheese and salsa if desired.
6Baked until heated through, about 15-20 minutes.

I made this with lefover turkey....HUGE hit in our house. can be a little time consuming...but...so worth it

**time consuming to me is anything more then 15 min prep** so this is really not bad at all.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Left-over-Turkey-or-Chicken-Enchiladas-267695

Jello poke cake

SERVES 12 -15 , 12 -15 pieces (change servings and units)
Ingredients
1 (18 1/4 ounce) package white cake mix
egg, water, oil as needed to make cake
1 (3 ounce) package raspberry Jell-O gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
8 ounces Cool Whip
Directions
1Bake cake according to package directions. Cool completely.
2Poke cake with a fork. Mix jello with boiling water until dissolved. Mix in cold water. Pour over cake. Top with cool whip. Keep in refrigerator.

I made this for bunco and it turned out great. Very easy to do.......coming from a busy mom! you make the cake...the jello..(dont let it get hard)pour over cake while still liquid....put coolwhip over the top and that is it

rave reviews at bunco!!

http://www.recipezaar.com/Jello-Poke-Cake-355826

Background...

I like to cook, did not always ENJOY to cook, but since becoming a Mommy....I really am starting to LOVE cooking. Now, I am not saying that cooking for just myself and my wonderful husband was not gratifying enough, but, there is something about your child saying.....oooohhh....yyyyuuummmyy. Makes cooking so much better. In our younger years we did not care if we cooked with low fat, low salt,etc. The older we got and the more we worried about our health and weight the more that became a factor.

I will not lie, my husband and I love our food.. I grew up in philly and he moved around and has roots in philly. In may of 97 we moved to southeast texas..Houston to be exact. We have been here for 12 yrs now. We love it down here, and the food is great too. I will admit...we do not exercise like we should...but the food is good down here. LOL

Over the last 12 yrs I have learned to make different meals/foods. There are certain meals that our friends ask for. (Eggplant parm....first try, pyrex exploded glass in food...everyone still LOVED IT) I have many recipes that I have gotten from other sites or people,if that is the case I will post who/where it is from. I am taking this blog as an opportunity to post my favorites...friends favorites that I like...or ones that are favorites of friends.

I have a few friends where we keep talking about doing a website for the recipes we exchange, but we cannot figure out how to get it done. I decided to do this blog. I am big on easy to do....crockpot recipes, cassaroles or one dish. Working full time, Hubby and an almost 3 yr old....life takes over and I really like being able to sit down with my 2 best people in the world and have a meal. Some nights its no talk...others its hubby and I trying to get the little one to get us to talk..but its our family and its awesome!! (for the most part...we are potty training at the moment also.

Please bear with me in any changes I may make. I do not know how I am going to catagorize things yet. Hubby is taking meds for diabetes/pre diabetes....so I am also looking and will be posting recipes for that type of meal. I have lots of other favorites that I will be posting too. If I do not post often..I apologize. I am going to try to post all time favorites then work on the rest.

Thanks for following :)