Cider Mac & Cheese

The ultimate comfort food!
The flavor is strong, sort of like cheese fondue, and goes really well with smoky ham or sausage.


13oz box macaroni of choice - cook as directed on package.



In medium pan on medium heat:


Melt: 3 TB butter.

Saute: 1 diced Granny Smith apple, 3 minutes

Sprinkle with 3 TB flour, mixing constantly.  The flour should make a pasty coating.

Slowly stir in 1 c. hard cider and 1 c. light cream.

Stir constantly over med-low heat until smooth.

Bring to boil, then stir in 12oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Mix until smooth.

Stir in pasta.

Pour into greased large roasting pan or casserole dish.  Top with more shredded cheese.

At this point you can refrigerate and bake later, but the flavor and texture will be better if you bake right away at 350 for about 20 minutes. If you refrigerate and bake later, increase baking time to 30 minutes.

Serve with the second half of the cider, if you haven't already finished it :)

Be sure to use hard distilled cider, such as Angry Orchard Crisp Apple (the alcohol evaporates during cooking and just leaves the cider flavor).  Sweet cider doesn't work for this. 

Only Two Steps to Homemade Ice Cream!!

Did you know you can make ice cream at home?
I was surprised at how easy it is, and it was really fun to be able to make any kind I want.


I used the ice cream attachment for my Kitchenaid, but you can also do it in a regular mixer.


1 pint heavy cream
14oz can sweetened condensed milk

Step 1: Pour both into the ice cream maker and blend according to mixer directions.

Or use a regular mixer, and beat on high until stiff peaks form. 

This will make soft-serve ice cream.

Step 2: For hard ice cream, spoon into plastic container and freeze at least 4 hours.

Thats it, just those two steps to make sweet cream ice cream. 

For flavored ice creams: during the mixing stage, add 2 teaspoons vanilla or other extracts, or 2 tablespoons chocolate, coffee, maple, or other syrups.

Gently fold in fruit or nuts or chocolate chips or other goodies just after mixing. 

I used apple pieces and cinnamon in the batch pictured.


It is really yummy, and doesn't have all the chemical additives of store-bought brands.

I tried several other recipes that had more ingredients, but none of them made a better texture than this one, and the ones that use milk come out kinda crunchy with ice crystals.

A Baddie but Goodie - Breakfast Calzone

There is nothing healthy about this recipe, but it is really very tasty. You can use more or less cheese to adjust to your preferences.



This can be made in advance and heated in the oven later.  I recommend allowing the potato and sausage patties to cool a bit before adding them - if they are too hot, they create a lot of steam inside which can mess up the top dough.  Don't let them get too cool though, because the inside won't be heated through by the time the dough is cooked.

Don't use thin crust dough - it rips.  Get the Classic crust.

Heat potato patties and sausage patties according to package directions.




Spread out one dough on greased cookie sheet.



Cover with layer of partly-cooled potato patties.



Top with cheese (you can use any kind of shredded or sliced cheeses.  I like spicy ones)



Next layer - precooked sausage patties.


Optional - another layer of cheese



Scramble 4 eggs with 3 TB milk.  Optional - add spices such as black pepper or Tabasco sauce.
Spread egg layer on top.


Optional - crumbled bacon


Cover with second dough and crimp edges.



Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.


Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.