EASY MACARONI & CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:

6 C cooked macaroni, drained but still hot
3-4 C grated chedder cheese (or a combination of cheeses) (keep 1/2 C to the side to put on top)
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 C sour cream
6 T butter, cut into pieces (or melted)
1/2 - 3/4 t salt
1 1/2 C milk

In drained macaroni, add all of the cheese (except for 1/3-1/2 C) to melt. In separate bowl, add eggs, sour cream, butter, salt and milk and combine. Add liquid mixture to macaroni/cheese mixture and combine. Put into 13X9 baking dish and bake for 30-45 minutes on 350 degrees.

Base recipe taken from Paula Dean. I just tweaked it some.

LEMON RASPBERRY CUPCAKE

Ingredients

1 cup(s) (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cup(s) sugar
2 teaspoon(s) vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
5 large eggs, separated
1 3/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour, combined with above flour
1 teaspoon(s) all-purpose flour, combined with above flour
1 1/3 cup(s) (scant) cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1 cup(s) sour cream

Meyer Lemon Curd
Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Sanding sugar
24 raspberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; beat to combine. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
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Sift together both flours, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture; mix until well combined. Add sour cream; mix until well combined.
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In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
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Fill each muffin cup half full with batter. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely.
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Using an apple corer, make a hole in the top of each cupcake, taking care not to push the corer through the bottom; remove cake from hole. Fill a squirt bottle with lemon curd and squeeze curd into holes.
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Fit a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch plain round tip and fill with buttercream. Pipe buttercream in a circular motion on top of each cupcake; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Pipe a dollop of buttercream in the center of each cupcake and top with a raspberry.

XAN'S KETTLE CORN

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 C unpopped popcorn kernnels
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp sugar

Have a hot pad or kitchen towel and a paper grocery bag or large baking sheet handy. Heat the canola oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pan over high heat. Place a couple of kernels of popcorn in the pan. When the kernels pop, take pan off burner and put in butter and stir until melts.

Immediately add the popcorn and stir. Add the sugar and salt right away and stir again. Cover the pan, and start shaking it gently back and forth on the burner, using a hot pad or kitchen towel to protect your hands. Keep shaking as the popcorn pops.

Once you start hearing 1 or 2 seconds of quiet between the pops, turn the heat off immediately. This means the popcorn is mostly popped. (Be careful not to overcook, as the popcorn can easily burn.) Pour the popcorn into a bowl. Allow to cool a few minutes. (Careful, the hot sugar makes the popcorn extremely hot!)

PAULA'S GRAPEFRUIT CUPCAKES WITH GRAPEFRUIT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon grapefruit zest
• 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 eggs whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with waxed paper and spray with nonstick oil.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center for dry ingredients. Add water, oil,zest, grapefruit juice and egg yolks. Beat until smooth. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar separately until whites are stiff but not dry. Gradually fold egg whites into flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just blended. Do not stir the mixture.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until cake springs back when gently touched with a finger. Invert pan on cake rack to cool. Run spatula around edge of cake. Carefully remove from pan. With a serrated knife, gently cut layer in half.

Grapefruit Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 2 (6-ounce) packages cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons grapefruit juice
• 1 teaspoon grapefruit zest
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 to 8 drops yellow food coloring
• 1 (1-pound) can grapefruit sections, well drained

Let cream cheese soften to room temperature. Beat cheese until fluffy. Add grapefruit juice and zest. Gradually blend in sugar. Mix until well blended. Add food coloring. Crush several grapefruit sections to measure 2 teaspoons.

Blend into frosting. Spread frosting on bottom half of cake. Top with several grapefruit sections. Cover with second layer of cake. Frost top and sides. Garnish with remaining grapefruit sections.

(these are SO yummy!!)

ALTA'S SNICKERDOODLES

1 C. Margarine
2 eggs
3 C flour
1 tsp soda
1 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cream of tarter
1/4 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together. Roll into balls and dip in sugar and cinnamon mixture (2 Tbsp sugar & 2 Tbsp cinnamon). Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Makes 5 dozen.

FABULOUS FREEZER MEALS

(click the title link for recipes)

MARTHA'S CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES & GLAZE

YIELDS 18

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons safflower oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Sift cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth.

3. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire racks, and let cool. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.

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CHOCOLATE GLAZE (YIELDS 1 cup)
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INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup heavy cream

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 tablespoon corn syrup

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PREPARATION
Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Place chocolate and corn syrup in a small bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture, and stir until smooth. Use immediately.