Creamy, Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Hello everyone! I can be the most indecisive person ever. No really, I am. I can go back and forth in my head all day about if I should do this or that, or buy this or that. I don’t know if its because I don’t want to be let down, or if I am just very cautious on what I am doing/buying.

Unfortunately last week my phone stopped texting and I decided it was time to upgrade. The only thing was I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a new phone. They always break or something goes wrong, newer  phones come out with better features, the list goes on. I have done some research this past week and decided on two phones, but when back and forth even at the store. I played with the phones, but it I couldn’t decide. This was a hard choice. I have to have this phone for two years. Yuck. 

Anyways I decided on a phone and I am happy with my choice…I guess. I could have spent more money and got the latest and greatest, but I didn’t. I settle for something a little less and I am praying this works out. I really like it and hope this lasts and works for my needs, which really isn’t much beside’s some texting.

I can also go back and forth with what meal to show you guys. It’s another thing I go back and forth with. I always want to show you guys something good and worth trying. I think this meal is a great one to show you guys.

I called this one a slow cooker meal, but I mainly used the slow cooker to keep it warm. This is slow cooker mac and cheese. I still prepared the pasta in one pot and the cheese sauce in another, but I mixed it all together in the crockpot and set it on warm. I did have to keep stirring it once in a while and even turn if off, but it is well worth it. I brought this in for a pot luck and everyone enjoyed it. Here is how you do it.

Ingredients/recipe

Adapted from Paula Deen

16 oz of elbow macaroni

1 can 15 oz of evaporated milk

2 cans of condensed cheddar cheese soup

1 stick of butter (you can go a little less)

2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup of monetary jack cheese

½ cup of sour cream

4 oz of cream cheese

½ ts of dry mustard

½ ts of paprika

½ ts of garlic powder

First, boil a pot of water and cook past until shy of al dente. Remember you are keeping it warm in the crockpot so it will keep cooking. 

While you are cooking your pasta in another pot, melt your butter and add your can of evaporated milk. Stir in your two cans of condensed cheddar cheese soup, your cheese, dry mustard, paprika garlic powder and cream cheese. Let all melt together and simmer on low. 

When the pasta is done, mix in your sour cream into your cheese sauce and season with salt and pepper. Pour your pasta into your crockpot and pour your cheese sauce over that. Mix well and turn on your slow cooker to warm. Let warm for about ½ hour and enjoy!

Remember to stir your mac and cheese so it doesn’t stick. Also you may have to turn off your crockpot if it gets too hot.

I hope you guys try this and enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving! Quick Treat revisited Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Hello and Happy Pre-Thanksgiving! The big day is just a day away and I have been cooking and baking left and right. I really challenged myself this year with my Aunts Perogies which was a recipe passed down from her mother in law from Poland, and I have been working on a Paula Deen cake.  I have to finish up everything today so I hope I can do it. 

I wanted to repost a recipe from a year ago because they were so good and so simple and a perfect treat for Thanksgiving. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies! You get that great pumpkin flavor and a delish cream cheese filling. You don’t need a special pan just put about one forth of cookie batter one the pan and bake.  Make sure you have a even amount so you can make the right amount of bottoms and tops. These are super delicious and make a great treat for after your Thanksgiving dinner. I hope you guys like them and have a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving!

Recipe from Rachael Ray magazine found here.

Chocolate Bread

Hello all! Please excuse me for the lack of updates. My promise to you is that I am going to give you more food, more bang for your buck and much more (fingers crossed). What a weekend! I had a wedding, went to an orchard and a baby shower! I ate a ton, it was so good! The wedding had great food and really nice choices.  One of the meats served was sliced ham and it had this wonderful pineapple glaze and the ham melted in your mouth. At the baby shower there was unbelievable cupcakes. Wow is all I can say. I need to learn to bake cupcakes like the ones I had. I will try to get more information on them soon.

This recipe today is really good and what is better than chocolate? This is Paula Deens Chocolate Bread. It was very moist and very brownie like. It is very simple and easy to make and is a perfect gift to give.  It calls for chopped pecans, but I left those out but did add a few to the top. I did add the chocolate chips and I dusted them with flour so they wouldn’t sink.  I also had normal size chocolate chips, but I would advise getting mini chocolate chips because they won’t sink as much, plus the flour helps. I made four mini loaves and one large. The minis took a little less time than the large, just keep an eye on them.

I hope you guys try this, its super good!

Mix you dry

add the dry to the wet

chocolate Bread

Mini Loaf with pecans

Recipe adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients

• Butter, for pans
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups Mini semisweet chocolate morsels

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour 1 9 by 5-inch loaf pans and 4 mini loaf pans.

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla at medium-low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in the chocolate morsels. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Shield the bread with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

Hope you guys enjoy!

Chocolate Bread with Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce Yum-O!