Macaroni and Cheese Updated

1 stick butter
4-5 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
2 blocks of sharp cheddar, shredded
1 block of monterey jack, shredded
2 packages of elbow macaroni

Melt butter over medium heat in pot
Slowly whisk in flour
Slowly add milk, whisking
Turn up heat a little to thicken
Add in shredded cheese in batches, turn down heat

Makes enough to go with 4-5 lbs of macaroni!

Easy Waffles

Quick, easy waffles. Makes about 4 large belgian waffles.

2 eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup veg oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder


Instructions:

1. In stand mixer beat eggs
2. Add milk, oil, vanilla
3. Add in salt, flour, sugar, baking powder
4. Mix until just blended
5. Spray waffle iron with oil, cook waffles for about 3-4 minutes
6. Good additions: banana, bacon, mini chocolate chips

Salted Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 tsp salt

Yield: 1 jar of caramel sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In medium saucepan, combine sugar and water
2. Cook over medium-low about 5 minutes until sugar is dissolved
3. Add butter, let it melt
4. Turn heat to medium, bring mixture to boil, stop whisking
5. Boil about 15 minutes or until deep golden color, watch carefully as it darkens
6. Once darkened, remove from heat immediately and whisk quickly as you add cream
7. Add vanilla and salt
8. Allow to cool, store in fridge

Salted Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces or 255 grams) salted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 6 ounces (170 grams) semi- or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (you want chunks, not thin shards of chocolate)
• 1 large egg
• Demerara, turbinado, raw, or sanding sugar, for rolling
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Beat the butter, granulated and brown sugars, and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl as needed. 

Add flour, and mix just until combined. 

Add chocolate chunks, mix just until incorporated. Mixture will look crumbly.

Divide between two sheets of parchment paper, waxed paper, or plastic wrap and use your hands to form the dough halves into log shapes about 2 to 2 1/4 inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours.

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, heat your oven to 350°F. Line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Lightly beat the egg and open up your chilled cookies logs to brush it over the sides. 

Sprinkle the coarse sugar on the open paper or plastic wrap and roll the logs into it, coating them.

Using a sharp serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch thick rounds.

Arrange cookie slices on prepared sheets one inch apart (they don’t spread much) and sprinkle each with a few flakes of salt. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to get golden brown. 

Let cool slightly before transferring to the cookies you don’t eat immediately to wire racks to cool. 

Do ahead: The dough can made ahead and stored, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 1 week in the fridge, or 1 month in the freezer. Baked cookies keep in an airtight container for 5 days, or so I’ve heard.

Potatoes Gratin

Recipe by Gabi!

2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for greasing ramekins or pan $1 for a stick
1 leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise and chopped $0.50
1 large or 2 medium shallots, chopped $0.50
1 cup heavy cream $1.50 for a pint
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg $1.50 for 1 oz.
3/4 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese $3.50 for 8 oz.
2 lbs Russet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced paper-thin (use a mandolin or the thin, flat edge of a grater) $2
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper Pantry
Total Cost of Ingredients $10.50


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter 4 ramekins or 1 8“x8” baking dish.

Melt the 2 tbsp butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and shallots and cook 7-8 minutes, or until softened and very fragrant.

Pour cream over the leeks and shallots. Sprinkle in nutmeg and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan and stirring as it cooks, then remove from heat.

Toss the sliced potatoes with the salt and pepper and arrange half of them on the bottom of each ramekin (or on the bottom of the baking dish, if using). Pour about 1/8 cup of the leek-shallot-cream mixture over the potatoes in each ramekin (or 1/2 cup in the baking pan). Divide 1/2 of the cheese evenly between the ramekins (or sprinkle over the potatoes in the baking dish). Repeat layering once more, finishing with the cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbly. Serve hot.

Makes 4 individual gratins or 1 large gratin (serving 4-6).

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

- 5 egg whites (do not use store-bought pasteurized whites! - need fresh)
- 1.25c sugar
- 3 sticks almost room temp, cut into small-ish cubes
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt

1. Put stand mixer over pot of simmering water on stove
2. Put in egg whites and sugar, whisk until they've reached 160
3. Put back on stand mixer, whisk for 10 minutes until cool and with stiff peaks
4. Switch out whisk for paddle
5. Turn paddle on low speed, begin adding butter cubes a few at a time
6. Increase speed to medium/high
7. Add vanilla and salt

*Add melted and cooled chocolate chips - about a cup or so - to make it chocolate!

*Need to try with peanut butter too