Simple Macaroni and Cheese and Other Southern Goodness

We had some friends over for dinner last night, and as soon as they confirmed that they were coming, I immediately got out my cookbooks to try to decide what to serve. The problem for me, however, became what not to serve. There are so many wonderful recipes that I love to make, and narrowing it down to just a few is hard. I decided on oven fried parmesan chicken for my entree. Since I knew that kids would be enjoying this meal with us, I decided to go with something a little more kid friendly for my sides. The most kid friendly dish that I can think of is good old fashioned macaroni and cheese. This is possibly my favorite food in the whold world! My macaroni and cheese is adapted from my grandmother's recipe. I make it a little different each time, depending on what ingredients I have on hand. Here is the recipe along with some pictures:

Nan's Macaroni and Cheese
8 oz. elbow noodles
8oz. cheese (I use medium cheddar block - not pre-grated)
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. butter
1 large egg

See the notes at the bottom of the recipe before making.

Boil the noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse. Return the noodles to the pot that you boiled them in. Turn the burner on low. Add the butter (you can use margerine, but why would you want to? ;) Add the egg and beat it lightly. Add enough milk to make it creamy, but not soupy. Add about 3/4 of the block of cheese, or more or less depending on how cheesy you like it. Let it simmer on low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it does not stick. Transfer to a 9x13 dish (sprayed with cooking spray) and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Top with cheese and bake for 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Notes: I happened to have whipping cream on hand, so I used it instead of milk. You can use anything from whipping cream, half and half, whole milk, skim milk, or anything in between. Of course, the heavier it is, the creamier it will be - and fattier - if that is a word). The reason that I like block cheese is that I think cheese melts better when it is freshly grated. The pre shredded cheese is definitely more convenient, and you can certainly use it, this is just my personal preference. My grandmother added a little Velveeta to her mac and cheese. I do, too, if I happen to have any. This makes it a little creamier, but it does not alter the taste very much if you choose to use it or not.  Also, she would often serve hers from the boiler rather than baking it in the oven.  Either way, it is yummy!

This is what it looks like before adding the final cheese. This serves a lot of people, and it is very good left over!
Here is another recipe that my mom makes. It is a favorite in our family.

Green Bean Bundles
2 cans of whole green beans
1 package of bacon
garlic powder
brown sugar

Prepare a 9x13 pan by spraying with cooking spray. Drain green beans in a collander.

Cut bacon into thirds (see picture).

I line a plate with a paper towel and place individual strips of bacon on the paper towel. Microwave for 30 seconds. Let cool. Wrap 3-4 green beans in one strip of bacon.

Place your wrapped bundle into the pan. Continue wrapping until you run out of beans or bacon. I had a little bacon left, but I used four beans per bundle. If you want to make them go further, use three beans. I had enough to fill a 9x13 pan.

Sprinkle the bundles generously with garlic powder and brown sugar. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until the brown sugar becomes syrupy.

Yum!! (This is a picture of them before baking.)


Now, for dessert! I made some homemade ice cream, and I had some fresh blueberries that I picked recently. I decided to make my mother's blueberry cobbler. It is to die for and can be made with any type of fresh fruit.

Mom's Fruit Cobbler
1 stick of margerine or butter
2 cups of fresh fruit (peeled and sliced, if applicable) (blueberries, peaches, apples, etc.)
2 cups of sugar
3/4 cup of plain flour
2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
3/4 cup of milk

Melt butter in a deep dish. I usually use an oval or round 2 quart dish, but you can also use a square 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Heat the oven to 350, and place the stick of butter in the dish and place it in the oven until melted. Place the fruit in a bowl and top with 1 cup of sugar. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Add milk and stir. Pour over melted butter. Do not stir. Put fruit on top. Bake for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Disclaimer: This is definitely a recipe to be filed under "something I want to eat when I do not care about calories and/or fat". It is yummy, but very rich!