Macaroni & Cheese; Southern Crock Pot Style

1 box large elbow macaroni noodles

1½ cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

½ cup sour cream

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

¾ tsp. white pepper

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

6 T. butter, melted

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (2 cups mix of cheddars, 2 cups mild cheddar)

Directions:  Boil noodles in liberally salted water for 5 minutes then drain well.  Do not cook noodles longer than 5 minutes.

While cooking noodles, combine cream, milk, sour cream, eggs, salt, mustard, white pepper and cayenne pepper in a large bowl and mix well.  Add partly-boiled noodles, melted butter and three cups of cheese.  Stir thoroughly to combine. 

Spray the inside of the crock pot with cooking spray.  Pour macaroni mixture into crock pot.  Top with remaining cheese.  Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or until set in the center and golden brown around the edges.

Comment:  Decadent version of mac-n-cheese.  Eric likes a little more white pepper and cayenne in our version. 

Mashed Potato Doughnuts

Doughnuts

2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

3/4 cup mashed potato

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 quarts (3 pounds) lard, shortening, or vegetable oil, for frying

Coating

granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar, for coating

Directions:

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs and mashed potatoes to the shortening mix.

Measure out the milk. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

The resulting dough will be quite soft, more like a drop-biscuit dough instead of a "rollable" dough. The dough can be covered and refrigerated overnight, if desired.

Turn the dough out onto a very well floured surface and knead a few times to make it stiff enough to roll with a rolling pin. Roll the dough using a well-floured rolling pin until it's about 1/2" thick. Dip a doughnut cutter in flour (each time you cut), and cut out the doughnuts. Save the holes; or re-roll them with leftover dough. Try to handle the dough as little as possible; the less you work the dough, the more tender the doughnuts will be.

Heat the fat to 365°F. Test the temperature with a thermometer; or with a slice of bread, as follows: lower half a slice of bread into the hot fat. If it takes 1 minute for the bottom side to brown nicely, the fat is at the best temperature for frying doughnuts.

Fry doughnuts about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on brown paper bags or paper towels. Check one of the fried donuts after it is cooled to be sure the center is cooked through.

While still warm, shake doughnuts in cinnamon-sugar or plain granulated sugar.

Yield: About 2 dozen doughnuts (plus holes), depending on the size of the cutter.

Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake

1 cup butter 1¾ cups sugar

1 tsp. strawberry extract 5 large eggs

3 cups flour 2 tsps. Baking powder

¼ tsp. salt ¾ cup milk

1 3oz. package strawberry gelatin

1 cup pureed, thawed frozen strawberries

Frosting

½ cup butter, softened

1 8oz. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup pureed, thawed frozen strawberries

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions: For cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13” x 9” baking pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.

In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and extract at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, gelatin, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine strawberry puree and milk.

Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with strawberry mixture, beginning and ending with flour and beating just until combined after each addition. Pour butter in prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely on wire rack. Spread frosting. Garnish with strawberries, if desired.

For icing, in a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Add strawberry puree, beating until combined. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth and right consistency.

Comment: Very dense and moist. Really good flavor! A Paula Deen recipe. Have made it without strawberry extract when I couldn’t find it, and it was still excellent.

African Peanut Stew

1 tsp extra-virgin olive

1 sweet onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded, if desired, and diced (optional)

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1cm pieces

1 x 793g can diced tomatoes, with their juices

Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

85g natural peanut butter

1l vegetable broth, plus more as needed

1½ tsp chilli powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1 x 425g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 handfuls baby spinach or destemmed, torn kale leaves

Fresh coriander or parsley leaves, for serving

Roasted peanuts, for serving

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.

Add the bell pepper, jalapeno (if using), sweet potato, and tomatoes with their juices. Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 minutes more. Season the vegetables with salt and black pepper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and 250ml of the vegetable broth until no clumps remain. Stir the mixture into the vegetables along with the remaining 750ml broth, chilli powder, and the cayenne (if using).

Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is fork-tender.

Stir in the chickpeas and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with coriander or parsley and roasted peanuts.

Comments: Have some leftover cooked rice? This soup is fabulous with some stirred in.

4th of July Ice Cream

Directions:  Scald milk until bubbles form around edge.  Remove from heat.  Add sugar and salt.  Stir until dissolved.  Stir in Half and Half, vanilla and whipping cream. 

Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.  Freeze as directed.

Variations:

• Strawberry:  Add pureed strawberries (1½ cups for 2 Qt./4cup for 4 Qt./6 cups for 6 Qt.)  Chill mixture before freezing.

• Peach:  Add pureed peaches (1½ cups for 2 Qt./4cup for 4 Qt./6 cups for 6 Qt.)  Chill mixture before freezing.

• Candy Supreme:  Add your favorite chocolate candy during the last 5 to 10 minutes of mixing.  (½ cup for 2 Qt./1cup for 4 Qt./2 cups for 6 Qt.)

Comment:  This is the delicious homemade ice cream that Doug and Lisa make for the family for our 4th of July celebration.