Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese

My Mother-in-law is famous for her Baked Macaroni and Cheese. It frequently makes appearances at family functions because everyone loves it so much. This is not your typical creamy, stove-top mac and cheese, but rather one that has pockets of melted sharp cheddar cheese throughout. The recipe is extremely rich, but oh so worth it. Mr. 20-something literally ate half the pan all by himself… and I had to whisk away the last little bit in order capture a quick photo before he finished it off. When you make this recipe (and trust me, your family will be forever grateful), be sure to use good quality sharp cheddar cheese that you grate yourself!

Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese

makes a 9x13-inch casserole dish

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni

• 8 tablespoons salted butter

• 1 cup half and half (or evaporated milk)

• 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (avoid pre-shredded)

• 1/4 cup shredded or grated parmesan or pecorino cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center position.

2. Butter a 9x13-inch casserole dish and set aside until needed.

3. In a 5-quart or larger stockpot, cook pasta in salted water until al dente, drain and return to stockpot; add butter and stir until completely melted.

4. Stir in freshly shredded cheddar cheese, half and half, and black pepper; stir until cheese is evenly distributed.

5. Pour mixture into prepared pan and sprinkle parmesan or pecorino evenly over the top.

6. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes (place directly under broiler for last 2-3 minutes for an extra crispy top).

7. Remove from oven and rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Block cheese that you shred yourself melts much better than pre-shredded cheese.

• Although it doesn’t matter if you use white or yellow cheddar, I prefer the finished appearance of this recipe when yellow cheddar is used.

• Traditionally, evaporated milk is used, but we prefer to use half and half - either work equally well.

Texas Roadhouse Green Beans

While dining at a restaurant chain recently, my husband told me how much he enjoyed the chain’s famous green beans. So I made a mental note and as soon as we got home, I started searching online for a copycat recipe. Not only were there a number of copycat recipes floating around, one of the restaurant’s chefs shared the actual recipe while making a television appearance.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 10-inch skillet https://amzn.to/3dyrnxV

• canned green beans https://amzn.to/3huh52M

• ground white pepper https://amzn.to/3Af9z4F

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Texas Roadhouse Green Beans

makes 4-6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cans cut green beans, well drained

• 4 ounces uncooked bacon, cut into bite-size pieces

• 4 ounces white or yellow onion, chopped

• 2 cups water

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (see note below)

• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Directions

1. In a glass measure, combine the water, sugar, and white pepper; stir well and set aside until needed.

2. In a 10-inch skillet, cook bacon, stirring frequently, until a brick red color is achieved; without draining away the bacon drippings, ad the onions and continue cooking until translucent.

3. Add the water mixture and canned green beans; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Note

• I don’t recall the beans being sweet when we had them at the restaurant so I think you could reduce the sugar in half (or eliminate it completely) without negatively affecting the recipe.