••••MACARONI MOZZARELLA BECHAMEL SAUCE••••

(Source: mutantcooking.com & photos also)

••••THIS LOOKS SO GOOD!!!

Macaroni Mozzarella Béchamel Sauce

 

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Creamy and rich white sauce covering macaroni and beef sauce.

Recipe type: Main Meal

Ingredients

• Beef Sauce:
• 1lb ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 cube chicken bouillon (you can use ½ cup chicken stock and omit the ½ cup water.)
• 1½ tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon all spice
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
• ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup water
• Béchamel:
• 4 cups cold milk
• 4 tablespoon all purpose flour
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• Macaroni:
• 1 ½ cup uncooked elbow macaroni

Instructions

1. Cook elbow macaroni as directed on the box, or boil the elbow macaroni in water, season with salt, and boil for 10 -12 minutes. Drain from water.
2. Beef sauce:
3. In a pan add the beef first and stir on medium heat for 3 minutes.
4. Add onion and stir until water from beef evaporates
5. Add oil, spices, salt, chicken bouillon, and tomato paste, stir for 3 minutes. Add the water and cook until the beef is cooked and the sauce is not watery anymore.
6. Béchamel sauce
7. In a pan add butter and oil, when the butter melts add the flour and stir.
8. When flour starts to bubble, add 1 cup of milk and stir, then add the rest of milk and keep stirring until the sauce becomes thicker (it won’t be too thick for now so don’t worry.)
9. When the sauce reaches a creamy slightly thick texture, add the cheese and keep stirring. The sauce will now get thicker. Season with salt.
10. To assemble the dish:
11. In 10” wide pan and 2 ½” – 3” deep, add just enough macaroni to cover the bottom (you should still see a little from the pan’s bottom).
12. Add around one cup from the béchamel sauce and mix, distribute evenly.
13. Add all the beef sauce and distribute evenly.
14. Add the rest of macaroni and distribute evenly.
15. Add the rest of béchamel sauce and distribute evenly.
16. Insert a spoon in different areas of the dish, this will allow the béchamel (do not stir, it’s like a stabbing motion).
17. Bake in a preheated oven 180C/350F for 20 minutes. (if you don’t have a fan in your oven, then use the broiler after the 20 minutes baking to get light brown patches).
18. Serve hot.
    

••••WINE AND CHEESE TIP••••

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••••WINE AND CHEESE TIP••••

••••CHILLED BACON AVOCADO PEA MINT SOUP••••

(Source: Junedarville.com & photos also)

••••LOOKS INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS!!

Chilled Pea Soup with Avocado, Mint & Bacon

 

 

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Sweet peas, avocado, mint and crumbled crispy bacon... this creamy chilled pea soup just rocks!

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 3,5 oz (100 g) frozen peas
• 1 cup (240 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 slices crispy grilled bacon, crumbled
• 1 ripe avocado
• ½ small yellow onion
• 1 large garlic clove
• a handful fresh mint, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• pepper
• salt

Instructions

1. Peel and chop up the yellow onion and garlic clove. Pour the olive oil in a medium saucepan and add them both.
2. 
3. Place the pan over medium heat and stir well. Gently fry the garlic and onion for 4 to 5 minutes. Make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Then add the frozen peas to the pan.
4. 
5. Stir and fry the peas for 3 minutes. Then pour in the chicken or vegetable stock. Season with a pinch of pepper.
6. 
7. Stir well again and bring the peas to a boil. Then immediately take the pan off the heat. Let the peas cool down for 10 minutes. In the meantime slice the avocado in half, peel it, remove the seed and chop the soft green avocado meat up. Then stir in the freshly chopped mint.
8. 
9. Check the seasoning of the soup and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Then pour the cooled soup in a clean blender and add the chopped avocado.
10. 
11. Blend well for 2 minutes until you get a very smooth puree.
12. 
13. Check the seasoning once more and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Place the soup in the fridge to chill. Then pour it into bowls, top with the crumbled crispy bacon, extra fresh mint and a drop of olive oil. Serve cold.
14. 

••••CHEESY BACON TOTS••••

(Source: sixsistersstuff.com & photos also)

••••CHEESY BACON TOTS••••

Cheesy Bacon Tots with Secret Dipping Sauce

Author: Six Sisters Stuff

Recipe type: Appetizer

Prep time:  20 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  40 mins

Serves: 40-50 tots

 

These tots make the perfect appetizer for any party! So easy to make!

Ingredients

• 3 cups tater tots, thaw to room temperature
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into small ¼ inch cubes
• 16 ounces bacon
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• Sauce
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon horseradish
• ⅓ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon oregano
• pinch of black pepper
• ½ teaspoon Franks Hot Sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut tater tot in half lengthwise and place cheese cube inside. Piece back together and wrap with a piece of bacon. (Cut each bacon strip into thirds) This will keep it together.
3. Combine the brown sugar and chili powder in a bowl. Then wrap each bacon wrapped tot in the brown sugar mixture. Place on a cookie sheet seam side down. Just keep making them until you run out of bacon.
4. After rolling all the tots bake for 20 minutes. Halfway through cooking time turn them over and finish cooking until the bacon is crispy.
5. Sauce:
6. Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.
   

••••HEALTH FOOD TIP••••

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••••GOOD TIP!!

••••OLD FASHIONED CRANBERRY JELLY••••

(Source: Dorothy Dean & easteuropean.food.com & foodinjars.com  & gourmendize.com)

••••OLD FASHIONED CRANBERRY JELLY••••

••••OLD FASHIONED CRANBERRY JELLY••••

•4 cups fresh cranberries 

•2 cups water

•2 tablespoons lemon juice

•2 cups sugar

1. Combine cranberries, water and lemon juice in kettle; bring to a boil and continue to boil until skins are broken--about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; force through strainer or food mill. Add sugar to pulp; return to heat; bring to the boiling point, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved, then boil 3 to 5 minutes, or until mixture sheets from spoon. Skim. Turn into quart mold which has been rinsed in cold water. Chill in refrigerator until firm.

••••MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!••••

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••••MERRY CHRISTMAS!!