New Recipes

This past weekend we stopped at HEB and picked up a few pre-marinated meats. We do not have HEB in the Dallas area and I am obsessed with the store. We decided to cook some of the meat last night. I have found a few new recipes on PINTEREST (click to follow me) and so I wanted to give them a try. For the most part they were a success and I would definitely make them again.

First up was homemade macaroni and cheese. Macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite side dishes. I am always looking for different was to make it. I just found this recipe on an awesome food blog that I now follow. Steph over at Plain Chicken has a lot of amazing recipes! I definitely reccomend going and checking out her blog.

Southern Stlye Macaroni & Cheese

4 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces
8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni according to the package directions.

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, eggs, milk, sour cream, salt, pepper and dry mustard. Drain the macaroni, transfer it to a large bowl, and stir in 2 cups of cheese. Add the egg and milk mixture and stir to combine. Pour into a 9-inch baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and broil until golden.

Here is a picture of all of the ingredients...

and here is a picture of the final product. (I was so anxious to try it that I forgot to take a picture before serving it...

I know this is a horrible picture and makes it look nasty but I can't get it to turn and looks can be deciving!

Next up was Homemade Salsa. I have never made it before and there is definitely a better way to make it then I did but I learned for next time. The recipe is from Pioneer Women. She also has a ton of amazing recipes that I reccomend checking out. I did not discover until after I finished making the salsa that it serves 12 PEOPLE! Needless to say, we have enough salsa to feed an army. I will cut the recipe in half maybe even fourths next time I make it.

Resturant Style Salsa

1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
1/4 cup Chopped Onion
1 clove Garlic, Minced
1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
1/4 teaspoon Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 cup Cilantro (more To Taste!)
1/2 whole Lime Juice

Note: this is a very large batch. Recommend using a 12-cup food processor, or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.
Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like---I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.
Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.

Here is a picture of the ingredients...

and here is a picture of the final product...mmmm!!!


If anyone knows how to flip these...please fill me in!

Last recipe for the night was dessert. This is one of the best desserts I have ever had. This recipe is from the Cookies and Cups blog. I love snickerdoodle cookies so when I found them in a pie form I knew I had to try it! Now, if you look at here blog and all of the beautiful pictures...please remember that this is the first (& may be the last) time that I have ever photographed my food! I also used my iPhone. So there...

Snickerdoodle Pie

Single crust Pie crust (I used one of the rolled kind you find in the biscuit section of the supermarket) OR make your own..which ever you prefer.

Cinnamon sugar (2Tbsp. sugar + 2 tsp. cinnamon combined) DIVIDED into 2 equal amounts

2 Tbsp melted butter 

1/2 cup butter divided

1/2 cup light brown sugar

3 Tbsp water

another 1/4 tsp cinnamon 

2 Tbsp light corn syrup

2 tsp vanilla (divided)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cream of tarter

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups flour

Cream Cheese Glaze
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
(you can adjust amounts based on the consistency you prefer)

In bowl mix all ingredients together and spoon over baked pie.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pie crust and line 9-inch pie plate. Brush 2 Tbsp melted butter over crust. Sprinkle with 1 portion of cinnamon sugar (1 Tbsp sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon) For syrup, in saucepan combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, the water, corn syrup, and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil gently for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla. Set aside. In mixing bowl beat remaining 1/4 cup butter with mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Beat in granulated sugar, powdered sugar, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar until well combined. Beat in egg and the other teaspoon of vanilla. Gradually beat in milk until combined. Beat in flour. Spread evenly in crust-lined pie plate. Slow pour syrup over the filling in pie plate. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture (1 Tbsp + 1 tsp) Cover edges of pie with foil. Bake pie 20 minutes; carefully remove foil.Bake about 15 - 20 minutes more or until top is puffed and golden brown, and a toothpick inserted 2" from edge comes out clean. Do not over cook! When pie is cooled drizzle you glaze over the top, or if you prefer leave the glaze off and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Here is my process... I did not take a picture of all of the ingredients...

Before basting dough with melted butter

After sprinkling cinammon sugar mix on buttered dough

Poured pie mix into dough

Poured brown sugar topping on pie

After baking!!

Wow!! Longest post ever. Now, I am tired of looking at the screen, hungry, and still have an hour till lunch...

Hope everyone has a great Thursday!