Creamy Mac and Cheese

I happened to be on Facebook one day when this Paula Deen recipe was shared by one of my friends. When I looked at the recipe, I knew I had all the ingredients on hand and decided to give it a try.  I enlisted the help of my 10 yr old, who was fascinated by the use of "hamburger" cheese slices.  The recipe is simple and straightforward and it turned out to be very tasty.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups elbow macaroni, (8 ounces)

3 Tbsp. butter

2 large eggs

¾ evaporated milk

1 tsp. salt

¾ tsp. black pepper

¾ tsp. mustard powder

1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, (6 ounces)

8 slices American cheese

Directions

Heat a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then add macaroni and cook according to the package directions. Drain well and return the pasta to the pot. Add butter and stir over medium heat until the butter has melted and the pasta is coated.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and mustard powder. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the pot and stir. Add the cheeses and continue stirring over medium heat until the sauce has thickened and is very creamy, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.

Oven Roasted Asparagus

I love fresh asparagus and toasted vegetables but until today I had not made roasted asparagus.  This recipe is super simple (which I like) and the asparagus was a huge hit with my family.  This will likely become a staple in our house.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 bundle fresh (thin) asparagus spears, trimmed
3 Tbsps. olive oil
1½  Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
½  tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (optional)

Directions
Preheat an oven to 425°F.  Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat, then sprinkle asparagus with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 12 - 15 minutes (depending on thickness). Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.