Four Cheese Macaroni & Cheese

If you like mac & cheese...

You're going to LOVE this recipe!

This has become my family's favorite homemade mac & cheese recipe.

It had been a while since I'd made it, and when I cooked it last night, my youngest son said, "Mom!  This is the best macaroni ever!  You have GOT to start making it more often!"

Ok, so there ya have it!

Macaroni according to Nate!

There are four cheese in this recipe.

I just recently discovered that I REALLY like blue cheese.

To tell you the honest truth, I always just "thought" I didn't like it...because it was blue.

I never really tried it.

But I finally tried it...

AND NOW I LOVE IT!

I can sit and just eat it out of the container!

Funny thing is, my youngest son "thinks" he doesn't like it.

He said, "Mom, there's no blue cheese in here, is there?"

Well, I wasn't going to spoil his delight in his favorite macaroni.

So I said, "Do you taste blue cheese?"

He said, "Nope!"

And he went on eating without another word.

I didn't lie!

Hehe!

I just didn't answer!

This recipe just calls for cooking it on the stove top...but if you like it all baked and bubbly and crisp on top...after you cook it on the stove top, place it in a 9 x 13 baking dish and sprinkle a little more cheddar across the top and bake it until it's nice and bubbly and brown.

I've done that and it's yummy as well!

And so...here is the recipe for Four Cheese Macaroni.

(Oh, and forgive me...I do not know who to give proper credit to!  I've had this recipe for so long on a photo-copied sheet of paper and there is no name on it.  My appologies!)

Four Cheese Macaroni

1 16 oz. box of pasta (elbow macaroni, penne, bow-tie, spirals, etc.)

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 c. milk

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese

1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese

1/2 c. parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package.  Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, melt butter.  Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth.  Bring to a boil; boil and stire for 2 minutes.  Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low; add cheeses and stir until melted.  Drain macaroni; add to cheese sauce and stir until well coated.

Enjoy!

Chili Cheese Turnovers

I used to subscribe to a wonderful magazine called "Quick Cooking".

I only got it for one year...and really don't know why I never renewed my subscription because it has so many awesome recipes!

They are mostly "comfort food" as I like to call them.

A lot of slow cooker recipes, baked goods, casseroles, soups...all those good fall/winter dishes that really pack on the pounds...er, uh...I mean stick to your ribs...or taste mighty scrumptious!

This recipe was from the September/October 2004 issue and I'm just now getting around to trying it.  See...that's probably why I didn't renew.  There were still so many recipes I hadn't tried...I figured I needed time to catch up!

Well here we are eight years later and I'm starting to try these yummy meals again.

So with no further ado...here is the recipe for Chili Cheese Turnovers.

I think some Doritos on the side would make a nice lunch!

Here we go!

Chili Cheese Turnovers

2 tubes (10 ounces each) refrigerated pizza crust

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend

1 can (15 ounces) chili without beans

1 can (15 ounces) ranch-style beans or chili beans, drained

1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained (i.e. Rotel)

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

On a lightly floured surface, press pizza dough into two 12-in. squares. Cut each into four 6-in. squares.  In a bowl, combine the cheese, chili, and beans.  Spoon 1/2 cup in the center of each square.  Fold dough diagonally over filling; press edges to seal.

Place in two greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans.  Bake at 425 degrees for 13-18 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine tomatoes and sour cream.  Serve with turnovers.

Yield 8 servings.

Enjoy!

Blonde is better...for me.

So I figured I better document this one.

Just so it can go down in history as one of those...

"Been there, done that...probably wasn't the best move" moments.

I went to the salon around the corner and had my hair colored.

My sister just recently had her hair cut...

Super short.

As in...

Michele Williams short.

And it looks really cute.

I had been wanting a change.

And my sister kept encouraging me to go ultra-short as well.

But I told her that as slow as my hair grows, when I decided to grow it out again...

It would take me until I'm 70 to have chin-length hair again.

Yeah...my hair grows that slow.

So I decided that maybe a bold new color was the route to go.

Something wild and radical.

I told the colorist and we worked together on a shade.

What we discussed was more of a "chocolate-brown" with "auburn/red highlights".

The final result...

Was...

RED.

VERY RED.

I am not disappointed or angry.

It is what it is.

I get compliments daily on it.

Not only from friends and family...but even perfect strangers have told me, "I love your hair color!"

My friends described it as "sassy", "chic", even "hawt"!

I however...

Have been unsure of it ever since I had it done.

Normally, NOTHING scares me with my hair.

I always say, "It's hair...it will grow back."

And with this too...it will eventually wash out.

I don't "dislike" it.

It's just that about a week after I had it done...

I was already missing my blonde.

Crazy, eh?

So anyway...

Live and learn.

I think for someone as fickle as me...who's always changing her mind...

Maybe I should have done a short-term color.

Something that maybe only lasts a couple weeks.

They say red fades the fastest...

But I have to say...

This is lasting quite a while!

Go figure, LOL.

Like I said, I don't dislike it...I'm just ready to be blonde again.

I won't be recoloring it blonde, as my hair tends to be "fragile"...

So, I'll let it run it's course.

And just chalk this one up to...
Live and learn, LOL!

Good Parenting Never Goes Out Of Style...

Sometimes...

A new mom...

Can make a...

"Seasoned mom"...

Feel...

Out of touch.

There will always be new baby gadgets.

Books written.

Methods introduced.

But...

Good parenting...

NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE.

We seasoned moms may not have had the same "bells and whistles" that today's mom has.

But all of that...

"STUFF"...

Is just that.

STUFF.

I would rather see a mom with less "stuff"...

And be a BETTER PARENT to her child.

A child can grow up having all the latest "stuff".

Starting from infancy.

The newest...

Strollers.

Carseats.

Cribs.

Changing tables.

Pack & Plays.

Exersaucers.

Bouncey Seats.

High Chairs.

Toys.

"Save The Planet" diapers.

Organic foods.

And I don't "knock" any of that one bit.

Because I wanted all the "latest" gadgets when I was a new mom too.

But...

The most important thing to a child...

Is...

Letting your child know you're always there for them.

You've got their back.

Consistent discipline.

Setting boundaries and teaching them why things are appropriate and inappropriate.

Faith.

Modeling it in everyday life.

Respect.

Letting them know that it is NOT acceptable to treat other human beings, animals, and our belongings without it.

Compassion and empathy.

Teaching them to "feel" for others and love everyone...even when we don't agree with others' choices, we are to love the person themself.

Strong work ethics.

We ALWAYS do our best.

In my line of work, I see this disappearing.

So many parents have all the "right stuff".

But the "parenting" aspect is disappearing.

"Stuff" is ok.

But we must never lose sight of "GOOD PARENTING" in the process.