PW Homemade Mac & Cheese

4 cups dry macaroni
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (or more to taste)
1 lb. cheddar or other desired cheese, grated
1/2 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspons seasoned salt (or more to taste)
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Cook the macaroni until very firm. The macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. (If you're in a hurry & don't want to bake the macaroni and cheese, cook it now until it's done.) Drain.

In a small bowl, beat the egg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F & butter a large oval or rectangular baking dish.

In a large pot, melt the butter & sprinkle in the flour.

Whisk it together over med-low heat. Cook for 5 minutes, whisking constantly. Don't let it burn.

Pour in the milk.

Add the mustard & whisk until smooth. Cook for 5 minutes or until very think, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low.

To temper the egg, slowly pour 1/4 cup of the sauce into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the egg. Whisk until smooth.

pour the egg mixture into the sauce, whisking until smooth.

Add in all but 1/2 cup of the cheese & stir until melted.

Add the seasonings. Taste the sauce & add more as needed. Do not undersalt or you'll regret it the rest of your life!

Pour in the cooked, drained macaroni & stir to combine.

Serve immediately or pour into the baking dish & top w/the remaining cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly & golden on top.

Mexican Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients:

• 1lb of pasta
• 4 chicken breasts
• medium onion
• bell pepper
• 1 stick butter
• small box velveeta
• 1 can Rotel
• Cream / milk / chicken stock (whatever you have on hand)
  

Cook 1lb of noodles and set aside (If you use penne then I can usually freeze half of this for another night)

4 chicken breasts cooked or you can use rotisserie chicken

Saute 1 medium onion and 1/2 a bell pepper (red or yellow) in a stick of butter

Add one small box of velveeta cubed into small pieces

Add one can rotel tomatoes with mild chilies (you can drain if you want it to be milder, I leave the juice in and it's got a bit of kick to it)

Use either cream or milk or chicken stock to thin the sauce down to desired consistency once cheese is melted

Add cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

Toss with spaghetti and serve or place into casserole dish with penne noodles and top with shredded cheddar cheese and bake until bubbly at 350.

Jami's Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients

...- 12 Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles, uncooked
- 1 lb. Skinless Chicken Breast (cubed)
- 3 Cups Hunt's 4 Cheese Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 Cup Texas Pete Buffalo Style Wing Sauce
- 1.5 Cups Water
- 15 oz. Nonfat Ricotta Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Egg Substitute
- 1/2 Cup Blue Cheese Crumbles (or 2% Pepperjack Cheese)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Spray skillet with Non-Stick cooking spray
Cook chicken over medium high heat for 4 minutes or until almost done
Stir in sauces & water
In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg substitute
Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray
Spread 1 Cup of sauce in the bottom of pan
Arrange 4 noodles over the sauce
Spread more sauce then a layer of ricotta mixture
Add another layer of sauce and repeat the whole profess until you end with a layer of sauce.
Cover and bake 70 minutes
Uncover and place cheese on top, then back another 15 minutes uncovered
Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving

Pesto Lasagna

1 lb ground Turkey (browned)
1 16 oz package lasagna noodles
1 16 oz package frozen spinach (thawed)

Pesto Sauce:
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic (peeled and cut in half)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
Blend in a blender or food processor until smooth.

In a 13x9 pan assemble lasagna noodles, 1/2 pesto sauce, 1/2 spinach, 1/2 ground turkey (you can mix them together first to make it easier) noodles, rest of pesto, rest of spinach, rest of turkey top with mozzerella cheese if you desire. Bake 350* for 30-45 minutes.

Melissa's White Bean Sausage Rigatoni

* 2 cups dried rigatoni (8 ounces)
* 1 15-ounce can white kidney (cannellini), Great Northern, or navy beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 14.5-ounce can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
* 8 ounces cooked smoked turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch slices
* 1/3 cup snipped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed
* 1/4 cup shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; return pasta to saucepan.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine beans, undrained tomatoes, sausage, and dried basil (if using). Cook and stir until heated through. Add bean mixture and fresh basil (if using) to pasta; stir gently to combine. To serve, sprinkle each serving with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Freezer Alfredo Fettucine

8 oz. cream cheese, cut into bits
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
8 oz. fettucine
spices to taste

cook & drain pasta. in a large saucepan combine cream cheese, parmesan, butter & milk, stirring constantly until smooth. add any spices you choose. Toss pasta lightly w/sauce, coating well.
Freezes very well.

Baked Ziti (can be frozen)

1 lb. dry ziti
1 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef/ground turkey
2 (26 oz.) jars spaghetti sauce
6 oz. provolone cheese, sliced
1 1/2 cup sour cream
6 oz. shredded mozzerella cheese
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Cook ziti until al dente-about 8 minutes, drain.
In a large skillet, brown onion & ground beef over med. heat. Add spaghetti sauce & simmer 15 minutes.
Butter a 13x9" baking dish. Layer as follows:
1/2 ziti, provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzerella cheese & remaining sauce mixture. Top w/grated parmesan.
Freeze with cover of plastic wrap, then foil. Thaw in refrigerator. Cook at 350F for 30 minutes or until cheeses are melted.