A good deal of getting our kiddos to eat what we eat involves compromise. If I’m going to introduce something new during dinner, I try to make sure it’s accompanied by something familiar, something I know my kids will enjoy. Mac n cheese is one of our “go to” side dishes. If my daughter could choose just one thing to eat for the rest of her life, macaroni and cheese would be it. It’s a safe bet for almost every family I know.
Now, you can go with the brand-name or even generic boxed standbys and be just fine. If you do go this route, please try doctoring up your boxed macaroni and cheese by following the last 2 steps in the recipe below. This basically involves adding a handful of small cubes of cheddar cheese and a heaping spoonful or two of sour cream. These 2 small steps take ordinary mac n cheese and elevate it into something flavorful that the grownups will enjoy as much as the kids.
If you’re like us and prefer the taste and peace of mind that comes from the wholesome, made-from-scratch variety, give this homemade mac n cheese recipe a try. It’s not as hard (or as heavy) as you might think.
Just like I mentioned in the post on how to make the best grilled cheese sandwich, making delicious Macaroni and Cheese from scratch involves using more than just one kind of cheese. The variety of cheese (in my opinion) can differ, so long as all the cheese you use is flavorful. Think about it this way: the more flavor the cheese has, the less you have to use. The less cheese you use, the healthier this dish becomes! In this recipe, I used extra sharp cheddar, parmesan, and gruyere. I almost always shred the cheese on a box grater just before using it. I can’t help but feeling that pre-shredded cheese is dry and inferior. If that’s all you have, by all means, give it a try. Please be adventurous and try a variety of cheeses to find the combination your family likes best. I would love for you to share your favorites in the comments below!
During the hot summer months, the last thing I want to do is make my house even hotter by turning on the stove and oven. When there’s a chance to serve a dish that involves no cooking at all, I jump on it! Thank God the Summer season is so bountiful with fresh produce, or these opportunities would be few and far between. Lucky for us, no cook side dishes frequent our weekly dinner menus during this time of the year.
It’s no secret that my family enjoys cheese. I’m not talking about the ooey gooey cheese that you find on restaurant nachos or pizza, although, those aren’t half bad. I’m talking about hard cheese, soft cheese, fresh cheese, stinky cheese, aged cheese, never-pre-grated cheese. You see, we’re kind of cheese snobs. Even our kids can sniff out the difference between processed cheese and the real deal cheeses (proud mama moment).
Get ready, this Cheeseburger Pizza recipe makes a pizza that tastes just like… you guessed it… a cheeseburger! It kind of 
This delightfully quick and healthy Asian dinner packs a lot of flavor and nutrients into a quick and easy weeknight meal. I’ve slightly modified and brought together two recipes from a couple of different sources: 
When a recipe deems itself worthy of making again (and again), it gets printed and put into my beloved Kitchen Notebook (pictured left). My Kitchen Notebook is a collection of recipes and old menus that were big hits with the family. They are on everything from recipe cards to printed 8.5 x 11″ sheets to torn out magazine pages – all compiled into one 3-ring binder. I digress… more on the Kitchen Notebook later. Let’s get our Sesame Noodles and Ponzu Chicken cooking!
I love how much flavor is packed into this extremely simple and versatile slaw! We paired it with Warm Goat Cheese patties sitting on top of a bed of greens that were very lightly dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. I imagine it would be delectable on a pulled pork sandwich as well. If you’re on the hunt for savory apple recipes, you’ve got to give this one a try!