Crockpot Mac 'n' Cheese

Somehow I have not discovered this magic until recently. I regularly use my crock pot, but I had not even thought of Mac 'n' Cheese being an option. Literally, you dump all the ingredients into the crock pot and leave it for 2 hours, when you come back magic has happened.

 We have used this recipe twice in the last month and it has turned out awesome. It is gracious with substitutions, I have used different kinds of cheese both times and the taste was great. I encourage you to experiment with the cheese your family likes and create a blend just for you. The last time we tried this recipe we used a smoked Gouda and American, it went over very well. I recomend using a softer easy melting cheese like Gouda, Monerey Jack, or American to mix with Cheddar. If your deli section sells cheese ends, they are amazing for Mac 'n' Cheese. You can get all different kinds of cheese and use them together. Experiment and enjoy!

We rarely have left-overs with this recipe. I barely got this photo before it all dissapeared!

Crockpot Mac 'n' Cheese

Ingredients:

16 oz. raw elbow pasta
4 cups milk
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
3 tablespoons butter, cubed
4 cups cheese of your choice, shredded
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp garilc powder
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into your crock pot.

2. Cover and set on low heat for about 2 hours or until the pasta is soft and the sauce is creamy. Give it a good stir before you serve. Taste and adjust with salt & pepper. If you like you can sprinkle some extra cheese on top and replace the cover for a few minutes to melt it.

Ignore the goofy face. He loves it!

Creamy Garlic Butter Mushrooms

It's Christmas! For the first time in 15 years we are hosting Christmas at home in Boston. This does ont mean that I have not cooked Christmas dinner in 15 years. I am usually drafted to cook wherever we are for Christmas. But this year I got to create my own menu, and I decided to add this mushrooom recipe. I have some members of my family who are not mushroom fans, but I really didn't care on this one. These looked like they would go perfectly with roast beef and yorkshire pudding...and they did. They were delicious and super simple.

Creamy Garlic Butter Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 pound white mushrooms
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons white wine 
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, heat the butter on medium. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, then continue to cook until browned, turning once. (about 5 minutes)

2. Once the mushrooms are lightly browned add the wine. Toss to coat. Next add the garlic and parsley. Stir continually for about 2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. 

3. Add the heavy cream and parmesan. Stir to coat well, and simmer to slightly reduce the sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy.