Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients


4 cups sweet potato, cubed 1/2 cup white sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons butter, softened 1/2 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons butter, softened 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.

In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In medium bowl, mix the sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

Spicy Macaroni and Cheese

This is the easiest way to make homemade mac and cheese that I've ever come across...in fact I've been altering all other mac and cheese recipes to reflect the method of prep in this recipe. I make this when I've got 15 minutes to throw together a meal (not including cooking time.) It doesn't hurt that this is a REALLY tasty macaroni recipe. Can be served as a side dish, but we're veggies so we usually eat it as the main dish. Hope you enjoy.

Ingredients



2 cups short pasta, cooked


8 ounces cheddar cheese, cubed


8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded


8 ounces monterey jack pepper cheese, cubed


2 teaspoons all-purpose flour


1/2 teaspoon salt


1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper


1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


1/2 teaspoon dry mustard


1/8 teaspoon nutmeg


4 tablespoons sour cream


1 large egg, beaten


1 cup heavy cream


1 cup half-and-half


4 slices bread


1 tablespoon butter



 Directions


1.In a large bowl, toss together pasta with the cheese cubes and pour into a greased 2qt oven safe baking dish.


2.In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, nutmeg and sour cream, egg, heavy cream and half-and-half.


3.Pour the mixture over the pasta and cover with shredded Cheddar.


4.Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until top is just beginning to brown, about 35 minutes.


5.Cut the bread into crouton-sized squares. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter, add cubes and toast until golden. Sprinkle the bread cubes on top of the macaroni and cheese and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes more.


6*Note: to make this even easier I just sprinkle dried breadcrumbs on top of the casserole and then spray it with pam and bake it for ten more minutes -- that trick right there will save you another 5-10 minutes ;).

Traditional Chicken Kabsa Recipe

Kabsa is the main dish of Saudi Arabia. While the ingredients may be long, this recipe is anything but hard. Each spice used in this recipe is a popular Middle Eastern spice so the combining spices make this dish about as authentic as you can get. Every home has their own style, this is mine and I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients


1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1 cup basmati rice, washed and rinsed

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 bay leaves

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, diced

6 green cardamom pods, whole

5 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

2 black limes

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cardamom, ground



1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

4 hard-boiled eggs (optional)

pine nuts and raisins (optional)



Directions

1.NOTE: place basmati rice in bowl with water over it to expand, it will not cook and will stay hard unless you do this. Leave for 15 minutes at the least.

2. In an 8-quart stockpot on medium-high heat add onions, garlic and. Allow onions to turn golden. Add bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks, black limes, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, ginger and ground cardamom. Blend well and allow to sauté for 30 seconds.

3. Add tomato sauce and chicken bouillon. Mix well until sauce thickens, reduce heat to low-medium. Add chicken allow to sauté for a 1 minute. Rotate chicken so that it gets all of the flavors. Add water until chicken is completely covered. Bring to a full boil then reduce to low. Cook for 35 minutes covered.

4. After the chicken has cooked reserve broth for rice. In a 2-quart saucepan, add rice and enough sauce from the chicken just so that the rice is covered. Bring to a boil then immediately turn heat to low and cook covered for eight to ten minutes. Meanwhile, why the rice is cooking turn oven on high broil. Add chicken to a roasting pan and broil for five minutes or until golden.

5. Add cooked rice to a serving platter with chicken arranged on top. Garnish plate with hard-boiled eggs, pine nuts, and raisins.






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