Cheeseburger Mac

3 TBS Butter
flour
1 15oz can Beef Broth
1/4 cup milk
2 TBS cornstarch.
1 lb ground beef
1 onion - diced
3 cloves garlic - minced
black pepper
1/4 tsp ground mustard
3 1/2 cups cheddar - shredded
16 oz elbow macaroni -cooked al dente according to package directions
3 1/2 cups cheddar - shredded

1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour to make a roux. Cook 3 minutes whisking constantly over med-low heat. Slowly whisk in beef broth. Simmer 10 minutes.
2. Combine milk and cornstarch. Slowly add to broth mixture-whisking constantly. Simmer 5 minutes while whisking.
3. Cook beef, with onion, garlic, pepper. Strain.
4. Slowly add cheese to broth mixture - stirring constantly.
5. When cheese is melted, stir in beef mixture and cooked noodles.

Enjoy!

THE Leftover Thanksgiving Dinner Turkey Pot Pie

For the past five years I have mixed up leftovers and made an entirely new meal out of them, POT PIE. Sometimes I will make pot pie with regular ingredients but it never turns out quite as yummy as leftover thanksgiving dinner. Marc (my husband) has gotten to the point where he will purposefully "save" food so that there will be enough leftover for Pot pie.

Combine leftovers and add to unbaked pie crust.

Cover edges of pie with foil to prevent over browning/burning. Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.

Lightly brown.

Leftover Thanksgiving Dinner Turkey Pot Pie:

All measurements are approximate and these amounts should make enough for two pot pies. I usually just dump everything in a bowl and see what it looks like:

3 cups gravy
3 cups mashed potatoes
3 cups frozen mixed vegetables (defrosted and drained)
2 cups turkey (cut into small pieces)
salt and pepper to taste
Four unbaked pie crusts.

1. Combine ingredients above (except pie crusts).
2. Put rolled out pie crust in two deep pie plates.
3. Split the filling between the two.
4. Cover with two more pie crusts.
5. Pinch edges and trim excess dough.
6. Cover edges with tin foil to prevent extra browning/burning.
7. Place on cookie sheet in case your pies runneth over.
8. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
9. Remove foil on pie edges and bake for additional 15 minutes until golden brown & bubbly.
10. Let set/cool 10-15 mins. If you cut into it too soon, it will just lose shape so it's not a big deal if you cant wait.

Pie Crust Recipe

This is the most amazing pie crust recipe I have ever found. I do not know the original source but my aunt Sylvia shared it with me


Pie Crust Recipe
5 C. Flour
2 C. shortening
1 Egg
2/3 C. cold water
1 1/2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Tablespoon. Brown Sugar
pinch of salt

1. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl - I use my kitchenaid mixer 
2. Separate into 2 balls cover in plastic wrap and chill.
3. For the best pie making, let the crust warm up a little bit before you roll it out. It really helps when the crust is still a little bit cold, because it makes it easier to work with.
4. Follow baking instruction with what ever pie you make or to make a crust for a non-baked pie bake crust at 375 degrees for 15-22 minutes

Makes 4, 9 inch pie crusts.
Keeps in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

Autumn Centerpiece

Create an autumn bouquet for your Thanksgiving dinner centerpiece:

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

There are sooooo many Pumpkin Snickerdoodles recipes on the internet. All the ones I read, had comments complaining about the lack of a "pumpkin taste" or were too caky. Challenged by my friend, Cait, I came up with this recipe. The "pumpkin" was perfect, the cookie, very "snickerdoodle-y", and my three year old mastered the art of pushing a chair across the kitchen to reach WAY TOO many cookies.

 I had every intention of posting a half eaten cookie so you could see how orange they were inside but half-eaten cookies weren't sitting around waiting for a photo shoot. 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles:
1 cup butter (softened) 

3/4 c brown sugar 

3/4 c sugar 

1 egg 

1 1/2 tsp vanilla 

3/4 cup + 2 TBS Roasted Pumpkin Puree (you could also use canned, unsweetened, pumpkin but the cookies will be less pumpkin flavorful)

3 1/4 c flour 

2 tsp cream of tartar 

1 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 TBS cinnamon + 1/2 c sugar for rolling dough.

Cream butter and sugars, until fluffy. 

Add egg, vanilla and pumpkin. 

Combine dry ingredients in another bowl. 

Slowly add dry into wet beating on low. 

Refrigerate dough 1-2 hours minimum or for best results- overnight. 

Roll in 1/2 balls, then roll in cinnamon and sugar. 

Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Press them down with the bottom of a glass (dipped in cin/sugar to prevent sticking).
Bake 375 for 9 -10 min. - cookies DO NOT look done because of the "shine" from the pumpkin, gently lift a cookie to see if it lifts without falling apart and the bottom is slightly brown.

Made a second batch hoping to offer them to friends, but "the dough tastes like pumpkin pie" so there aren't as many cookies this time around - here are some more pictures, though.

 So photogenic-