Week of Feb 1st

Mac n Cheese

Sun Mac 'n Cheese
Mon - Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
Tue - Chicken Fajitas
Wed - Chicken Alfredo with Bacon
Thur - Falafel with Rice Pilaf
Fri- Loaded Baked Potatoes

3 Cheese Mac n' Cheese

2 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

3 cups milk

1 cup EACH sharp cheddar, provolone, and gouda, shredded 

4 oz cream cheese

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fresh black pepper

Topping (optional): 3 tbsp butter,1 cup bread crumbs. if you desire a crispy topping. Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package. The water, like all pasta water, should be salted before hand until it tastes like salt water.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter on a med-high heat. Whisk in the flour, turn down the heat to low, and keep it moving for about 2-5 minutes, until it smells nutty. Make sure it's free of lumps. Turn the heat back up to high and stir in the milk, simmer, stirring constantly, until it starts to bubble. Turn down heat to medium. Stir in cream cheese, until incorporated  Stir in 1/3 of the cheese at a time, waiting for each patch to melt. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Fold the macaroni into the mix. Taste, add more salt and pepper if needed. May serve now

OR  if desired, bake to get a crispy crust: pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. top with extra cheese and/or topping. Bake for 10-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving. (baked option showed above).

Tater Tot Cheeseburger casserole

1 can of condensed cream of cheddar cheese

1 (25-30 oz) bag of tater tots

1 lb ground beef

1/2 lb bacon, browned (I will be cooking the whole 1 lb package, using the other half for alfredo)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

seasoning mix: 1/2 tsp each salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder

1. Crisp tots in oven on a cookie sheet at 425F for 10 minutes. 

2. Season ground beef, brown and drain. Set aside.

3. Layer 1/2 the tots, 1/2 the soup, 1/2 the bacon, 1/2 beef, and then 1/2 the cheese in a 2 quart casserole dish. Repeat. Bake at 350F until warm in center, about 30 minutes.

Chicken Fajitas

3 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

3 tablespoons lime juice

Zest of 1 lime

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

Salt and pepper

6-8 Fajita size Flour tortillas

Toppings if desired: sour cream, guacamole, cheese, Pico De Gallo, extra lime juice

Sprinkle meat with cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp veggie oil over medium-high heat. Cook meat, peppers, onion, and garlic until chicken is cooked through. Add lime juice and zest. Serve with warmed tortillas and toppings.

Chicken Alfredo with Bacon

1/2 lb bacon

2-3 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 package (12 oz.) fettuccine, cooked and drained
1 jar Bertolli® Alfredo Sauce

Use a electric grill to grill chicken until cooked through. Slice

Cook fettuccine according to package. Heat sauce over medium heat until it comes to boil. Careful, it burns easily.
Toss hot fettuccine with hot sauce. Garnish, if desired, with fresh ground black pepper and chopped parsley.

Falafel

Falafel, Rice Pilaf, Hummas, Veggie Sticks

1 (14 oz) can white canneli beans, drained

1 (14 oz) can chick peas, drained

1 cup bread crumbs
2 large egg
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 small handful Italian parsley, chopped fine

1 small handful cilantro, chopped fine

Using a food processor with the chopping blade mix beans, bread crumbs, eggs, salt, pepper, cumin, oil until completely Incorporated. Add herbs, mix until incorporated. Place into a mixing bowl, add flour and fold in until completely mixed. 

Using large scoop, spoon out scoop-fulls of mix. Drop into deep fat fryer or a pan with 1/2 inch oil in the bottom of a large skillet. Drain when done. serve with tzaziki  and lemon wedges (for squirting over the falafel).