Friday, April 6, 2012

Happy Easter Left Over Recipe.

    My last post, "Company Coming", I mentioned I was making Macaroni and Cheese with Ham for a dinner party I was hosting. A lot of my blogger friends and followers left comments asking for the recipe. Well ,I made it up many years ago and I am not sure of exact  amounts.This is how I do it. I am sure it will work for you as well. This would be good with left over ham from that big Easter meal. If not, I buy ham in the meat section of my grocery store. It comes in 1 pound bags and is perfectly cubed, ready to use. So easy, why not?
   The cheese sauce I make can be used for many things. I find in a staple when I am cooking. I use it to make scalloped potatoes or cabbage. It is great on vegetables.  Chicken and rice or cheese soup. I make it with Velveeta Cheese. I know it is processed and not good for you. So they say. Well no other cheese would work the same. So get over it. My mother cooked with velveta my whole life. I am 63 and going strong. I guess if you ate it every day straight out of the box it might effect your health. I say, take a chance!
     So here is the cheese sauce recipe first.
A.  Finely chop one medium onion and 1/2 of a green pepper,saute in 1/2 stick of butter until tender. This can be done in a large sauce pan or skillet. Stir often, do not brown
B. Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup and 1 can of milk, still until blended.
C. cube up 1 small box of Veleevta cheese into about 1 inch square cubes. Add to above.Stir constantly until cheese milts. If fire is to hot it will stick to the bottom and burn. If it does, it will change the taste, so be careful not to let this happen.Add more milk if too thick.
D. Add  a tablespoon of prepared yellow mustard , stir into the above to blend.
E. Add the cooked, cubed ham piece and stir till all is blended.
F. If you are a pepper lover, I am, add a generous helping of black pepper. If you want you can use white pepper.
This is my famous cheese sauce. I have used it for years and it is a wonderful staple for your kitchen.
 
Cook 1/2 pound of your favorite macaroni according to directions.I add salt to the water and a little oil so it will not stick. Test to see if it is tender. You do not want to over cook the macaroni as it will fall apart when you bake it.
Drain and rinse.

Add the cooked and drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir until blended.

Pour into oiled baking dish and top with grated  Cedar Cheese. I add pepper to the top of this. This would be up to you.

Bake for 1 hour in a preheated oven set on 300.

Remove from oven and serve. One think, make lots as people are going to love it.


     Happy Easter. let me know if you try it. Say so if you like it, go on down the road if you don't. I hope you are with wonderful family and friends this Easter Holiday and rejoice in this wonderful world the Lord has given us.
   Come by any time for a tour. I will always leave the lights on and Sissy Dog will be there with a jump and a kiss. If I know you are coming, I'll whip up a big batch of mac and cheese.