Skillet Mac & Cheese

Because you can never have enough mac & cheese recipes

2	tablespoons unsalted butter
2	cups fresh bread crumbs (see note)
	Salt and pepper
3 3/4	cups water , plus more as needed
1	(12-ounce) can evaporated milk
3	cups elbow macaroni
1	teaspoon cornstarch
2	teaspoons hot sauce
3	cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2	cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread crumbs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and wipe out skillet.

2. Bring water, 1 1/4 cups evaporated milk, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to simmer in skillet over medium-high heat. Add macaroni and cook, stirring often, until macaroni is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Whisk remaining evaporated milk, cornstarch, and hot sauce in small bowl, then stir into skillet. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in cheeses, one handful at a time, adding water as needed to adjust consistency. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Serve.

Note: To make homemade breadcrumbs, pulse 2 slices of hearty white sandwich bread in a food processor until coarsely ground.

Oreoni Pizza

Ingredients

1 pkg. Double Stuff Oreos
1 pkg. chocolate Jell-O Pudding
4 Tbs. melted butter
1 giant Hershey chocolate bar

Split the Oreo in half and remove the double stuff filling. You can use your teeth, but we would recommend a knife. Take the Oreo cookies and chop them up, using a blender. After the cookies are ground up, mix in the 4 Tbs. of butter and stir it until everything is moist. Then take a pizza pan and spread out the cookie mixture and make a nice thin crust. Bake it at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. While the crust is cooking, prepare the Jell-O according to the box. Please do not use instant pudding because it tastes terrible.

After the pizza crust is ready, let it cool and also cover the pudding with saran wrap and let cool. After things have cooled down, place the pudding on top of the crust and spread around. Then take remaining Oreos and place them on top so they look like pepperoni. After that take the chocolate bar and grate some on top with a cheese grater.

Inside-Out Pizza

Part pizza, part quesadilla, this snack sandwiches cheese, sauce, and toppings between two flour tortillas. Your kids can cut the finished pie into slices--like a traditional pizza--that are just right for sharing.

2 6-inch flour tortillas
1/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/4 c. grated mozzarella cheese
2 slices thinly sliced smoked turkey or ham
1 tbl pizza or spaghetti sauce
Optional toppings: sliced tomatoes, black olives, and peppers

Place a tortilla on a sheet of waxed paper and sprinkle with half of each cheese. Cover with 2 slices of turkey or ham, a tablespoon of sauce, and optional toppings. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and cover with the other tortilla. Toast in the oven or a toaster oven until cheese is melted. Then cut into slices.

Cranberry Apricot Granola Bars

Thank you Parents Magazine!

1 c. granola
1 c. rolled oats
1 c. finely chopped dried apricots & cranberries
1/2 c. flour (whole wheat preferably)
1 egg
1/4 c, honey
1/4 c. canola oil
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Line a baking pan with foil. Spritz it with veggie oil. In a large bowl, combine granola, oats, dried fruit, and flour. Whisk together egg, honey, oil, and cinnamon. Stir into granola mixture then pat batter into the pan. Bake at 325 for 30 mins. When cool, use foil to lift from pan. Cut into bars. Store at room temp. for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 mos. Makes 15.

Biscuit Taco Melts

Disclaimer: This recipe is none too easy. Putting the meat and folding the pockets is harder than one might expect. They open up in the oven and can make quite a mess. But let me tell you- they are so delicious, so mouthwateringly, craveable deliciousness that sometimes I get a wild hair and tackle this recipe for the messy goodness. That said- here it is:

1 packet taco seasoning mix
2/3 c. water
1 1/2 c. salsa
1 lb. ground beef (cooked & drained)
1 can refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits
1 c. shredded monterrey jack cheese
1 c. sour cream

In saucepan, cook taco seasoning, water and 1/2 c. salsa with beef until thick. Press each biscuit into a 6 in. round, then fill each with taco mix & a pinch of cheese. Fold dough over filling and press to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake 9-14 mins. at 375. Serve with salsa, cheese, and sour cream.

Dessert Pizza

Grandpa and I had the best dessert pizza in the whole world at Craig-O's in Rexburg. Both of us can't stop raving about it. A quick browse on the internet didn't divulge the secret. But this one sparked my interest.

1 tube prepared cookie dough (sugar cookie or chocolate chip)
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
an equal amount of marshmallow fluff
Fresh fruit (several kinds of choice - strawberries, nectarines, kiwi, peaches, grapes, etc.), sliced
powdered sugar

Spread cookie dough in oval on cookie sheet and bake. Let cool. While cooling, mix softened cream cheese and marshmallow fluff together and spread on cookie dough when dough is cool. Arrange fruit over top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and chill. Serve in wedges.