Thursdays Are For Cooking

I’ve posted this one before, but it’s always good for any occasion, and requires only a modest effort.

Bacon, Ham and Mac & Cheese

2 cups of uncooked short pasta – penne is good for this

1 minced garlic clove OR 1 tablespoon of minced garlic

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of flour

¼ teaspoon of pepper

2 cups 2% milk

3 cups of shredded cheese – cheddar is good for this. Divide into portions of 2 cups and 1 cup; the 2 cups of cheese go into the sauces and the remaining 1 cup goes on top

½ cup of crumbled cooked bacon

½ cup of minced ham (buss that up in your food processor from the ham in your fridge)

Preparation:

Cook the pasta according to package directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the garlic in it until softened (about 1 minute)

Stir in the flour and pepper to make the roux, then gradually add the milk – KEEP STIRRING TO KEEP THE SAUCE SMOOTH!!!!!

Add the minced ham to the sauce and keep stirring

Drain the pasta. Add 1/3 cup of bacon and all the minced ham to the pasta, and mix that into the cheese sauce. Load the pasta/ham/bacon mixture into your greased baking dish (2 qt size). Cover the dish and bake it in the oven at 350F for about 30 minutes.

Uncover the mac and cheese and add the remaining crumbled bacon. Bake it 5 to 10 more minutes until the cheese Is melted.

This will serve 4 to 6 people.

This next one is for a hearty, filling soup which can be thrown together with off-the-shelf ingredients in a few minutes and simmered until all the flavors have mixed.  I used a 5-quart saucepan for the pot, so adjust accordingly.

Short Notice Chicken Veggie Soup

2 quarts of canned chicken stock or broth

1 large can of canned chicken – shred it before you add it to the pot

1 bag of frozen Seasoning Mix: if you can’t find this at the store, you can make your own. It’s chopped onion, chopped celery, chopped or shredded carrots, chopped red or orange bell pepper.

3 to 4 chopped celery stalks, including any leaves

1 can of Great Northern beans

Garlic salt, Dash Garlic-Herb seasoning and throw in some dried parsley, too

Cover and set on a low flame to simmer.

Fix some cornbread or corn muffins to go with it and enjoy.

Category: Economy