Week of Feb 26, 2017

Cream Filled Chocolate, Triple Chocolate and Elvis Cupcakes

Mon - Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon
Tue -  Easy Paella (rice dish)
Wed - Cupcakes Multi-flavors dinner out for my birthday
Thur - Pork Milanese with Spaghetti Ovoli
Fri - Manwich - Sloppy Joe's with baked fries

Cheddar Cheese Mac n' Cheese

2 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

Mac 'n Cheese, without Bacon

3 cups milk

3 cups EACH sharp cheddar

4 oz cream cheese

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fresh black pepper

1 lb bacon, crisped

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. Top with cooked bacon. 

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).

Pork Milanese
2 lbs boneless thin sliced pork loin or chops
3/4 plus 1/4 cup  milk
1 egg
Oil to coat the bottom of the pan (veg or canola)
1 lemon (zest and juice)
flour coating:
1 cup AP flour
1 tbsp seasoning salt (such as Johnny's)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
breading coating
1 cup bread crumbs (I use Progresso Italian)
1/4 cup Kraft Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp lemon zest
.
To bread the meat you will need: 2 bowls, 2 paper plates, 1 non-stick cooling rack covered with parchment paper, a fork. Set up the assembly line: bowl with  milk, paper plate with flour coating, bowl with 1 egg and 1/4 cup milk beaten together, paper plate with crumb coating, and last the cooling rack. One piece at a time, dip in milk, place on the flour and coat. Dip in the egg mix. the place on the crumb mix and coat. Lay on the cooling rack until all chops are breaded.
To cook the chops, heat the oil in a large skillet on med-high heat. Add peices one at a time, being careful not to splatter yourself. Cover, and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the bottom side is golden brown and top is starting to turn from pink to white. Turn and cook until done. Middle of meat should reach 160F. Let rest 5 minutes on the cooling rack (without parchment) to drain oil. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top when serving.
Serving with Spaghetti with olive oil (prepared according to box, dressed with olive oil after draining).