Jen's Chili Mac and Cheese

"I am really into casseroles right now...especially ones that have all the food groups, so I don't need to make anything else on the side.  My husband loves chili mac, but I really haven't ever ordered it at a restaurant because it just didn't sound good.  I decided to try to create a recipe that the whole family liked, and it was a huge hit.  Just a tip, this recipe was too much for a 9x13, but half of it would not fill the 9x13, so you can make 1/2 the amount and have a smaller casserole, or you can just make the full recipe and refrigerate the leftover chili separate from the mac and cheese."

INGREDIENTS:

Chili:

1 lb. ground beef  (I used sirlion)
1 lb. sausage
1/2 c. celery, diced
1/2 c. green pepper, diced
1/2 c. onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 10 oz. cans of tomatoes with green chilis
2 16 oz. cans of chili beans
6 oz. tomato paste
1 beef bouillon cube or 1 T. beef base paste
2 c. water
1/3 c. BBQ sauce
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. mustard
2 T. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
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Mac and Cheese

1 lb elbow macaroni noodles
1 jar cheese whiz or equivalent Velveta
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese
2 T. butter
1 T. Franks hot sauce
1 1/2 c. 2% milk
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. of reserved water from boiling noodles

8 oz. more of shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Start the chili about 2 1/2 hrs. before you want to eat.  In large skillet saute beef and sausage with celery, peppers, onions and garlic.  Drain and brown.  Run meat mixture through food processor.  In a large pot mix remaining chili ingredients along with meat mixture and place on stove over low-medium heat.

When it is 1 hr. before you want to eat, in large pot start water to boil for noodles.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In medium pot over medium heat mix cheese whiz, shredded cheeses, butter, Franks, milk, and spices.  Cook until melted together, stirring frequently,  and turn down to low to keep warm.  Drain noodles, reserving 1/4 c. of water, return noodles to pot you boiled them in, add cheese sauce and reserved water.  Mix together.  In 9x13 baking dish fill dish 1/2 way with mac and cheese and most of the rest of the way with chili.  Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove foil, top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Serves 6-8* not including leftover ingredients

Baked Spasanga

"I found this recipe on Pinterest.  The recipe came from Plain Chicken and they got it from food.com.  I've decided to reduce the amount of noodles and add a jar of sauce (my changes are included).  I also think baking it longer is wise...I don't think it was hot enough.  My suggested baking time is also included below.   I think the spaghetti itself without the sauce is amazing too."

INGREDIENTS:

20 oz spaghetti noodles prepared as directed (I used thin spaghetti)
32 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 ounces ricotta cheese
8 ounces sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese , divided
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
2 jars spaghetti sauce
1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef (I used sausage)




DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, drain.

In large bowl, stir together sour cream, ricotta, half-and-half, mozzarella, oregano, basil, pepper, garlic, salt, and half the Parmesan cheese.  Add spaghetti and toss until well coated.

Pour spaghetti mixture into 9x13 pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Top spaghetti with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Cover dish aluminum foil and bake 45 minutes.

While pasta is baking, prepare meat sauce. Brown meat in skillet. Drain and return to skillet. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer.

Remove pasta from oven.  Cut into squares and top with meat sauce.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com, but I changed quite a bit to give it more flavor and to make a larger amount.  It was very yummy!!"

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces egg noodles prepared
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, diced
1/2 c. onions, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1/2 c. white wine
1 T. minced garlic
1 t. poultry seasoning

1 can sliced carrots
1/2 c. milk
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1 cup crumbled buttery round crackers
1/2 cup butter
1 t. garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. While preparing noodles, saute diced chicken in large frying pan over med-high heat along with onions, minced garlic, olive oil, wine, and poultry seasoning.  In large bowl mix carrots with milk, cream soups, sour cream and cheeses.  When chicken is cooked through stir into creamy mixture along with noodles and salt and pepper to taste.  Place noodle mixture in 9x13 baking dish.  In small fry pan melt butter over medium heat.  Add crackers and garlic powder and stir together.  Sprinkle crackers over noodle mixture and bake in oven uncovered for 30 minutes.

Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce

"I have been trying to duplicate Olive Garden's Alfredo sauce for a long time, but I could never figure out how to do it.  I have been on their website before, but this recipe didn't used to be there.  I found someone had pinned it on Pinterest and I couldn't wait to try it.  I do have to say the consistency is exact, but the sauce did not taste as cheesy as it does in the restaurant.  Sprinkling extra Romano and Parmesan on top makes it taste more like the restaurant, so I wonder if you can add more cheese when cooking it without messing up the consistency.  I also did not add enough salt the first time, so we used a little at the table."

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup imported Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup imported Romano cheese, grated
6 egg yolks from fresh jumbo eggs
Salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. HEAT milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan until it begins to simmer. Turn off heat. Slowly whip in cheese, then remove from heat.
2. PLACE egg yolks in a separate bowl and slowly whip in a portion of the hot milk and cream mixture. Slowly add egg yolk mixture back into remaining cream mixture. Place back on very low heat and continually stir until simmering. Take sauce off heat so it thickens. (This will increase temperature of egg yolks, known as tempering).
3. SEASON to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve over your favorite pasta.

 

Cheesy Chicken Ranch Lasagna

"I found this recipe on pinterest.com and made it for dinner. I am going list some ideas under the recipe to make this more flavorful because it was good, but slightly bland. (the photo is not great....it didn't stay in a solid piece when I plated it"

2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk (not fat free)

1 (1 oz) pkg. Hidden Valley dry Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix (not the dip blend)

3 C. cubed, cooked, chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
9 lasagna noodles
1 1/2 to 2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 to 2 C mozzarella cheese, grated

Combine evaporated milk and Ranch dressing and pepper in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Sauce will thicken slightly. Layer half of lasagna noodles, chicken, sauce, and cheese in well-greased 9×13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

What I did differently:

-I added about 1/3 cup diced onions and garlic to the chicken while it was cooking
-I made three layers (using 1/3 of each ingredient [noodles, cheese and chicken with sauce] in each layer)...still only using 9 total noodles
-I didn't read the recipe right and bought fat free evap. milk, so to thicken it up and make it creamier I added 1/2 a brick of light cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of light miracle whip
-I used wheat lasagna noodles
-I covered the pan with foil for 35 minutes and took it off and baked an additional 10 minutes
- when I ate my portion I sprinkled on more pepper and curry, and that was AWESOME
-next time I might try adding some Franks Red Hot sauce and two packets of ranch mix instead of one

Beef Stroganoff

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com, took suggestions from a review, and then added my own changes....very tasty!"

INGREDIENTS:

approx 2 lbs flat iron steak, cut into bite sized pieces
salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to taste
1 T. olive oil
1/3 c. white wine
1 T. browning sauce (I used the bottled Gravy Master, found near the dry gravy packets)

1 stick butter
medium onion chopped
2 - 6 oz cans mushrooms
1 T. minced garlic
10 oz. beef stock (reserve 2 oz to stir into cornstarch and flour)
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. yellow mustard
2 T. all-purpose flour
2 T. corn starch
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/3 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste

1 pound flat noodles cooked according to directions on package (I used Amish noodles)

DIRECTIONS:

1st Method for cooking meat:
In large skillet brown meat in olive oil on medium heat with spices until cooked through. Add wine and browning sauce and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Remove meat leaving liquid in pan.

2nd Method for cooking meat: (method I used)
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In 13x9 dish stir together meat with olive oil, wine and browning sauce, add spices. Bake for 1 hr., remove from oven, and pour just remaining liquid in large skillet, setting meat aside.

Sauce Directions:

Melt butter along with liquid from meat over medium heat. Add onions, mushrooms and minced garlic and saute until onions are soft and clear. Stir in 8 oz. beef stock, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. In measuring cup, dissolve flour and cornstarch in 2 oz. beef stock. Slowly stir mixture into skillet. Add cream cheese and sour cream and stir in until melted and mixed thoroughly. Stir in wine and season with salt and pepper. Add meat and mix. Stir meat and sauce into prepared noodles or serve over noodles.

Serves 8

Mac 'n' Cheese

"Definitely the best one I've tried yet...especially with my tweaking"

INGREDIENTS:

1 16 oz. package elbow mac (cooked according to directions)

Sauce:

9 T. butter
2 c. half and half
2 T. Franks Red Hot sauce
1/4 c. ranch dressing
4 c. asst cheeses (I used sharp cheddar, Munster and Monterrey Jack)
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter over med-low heat in medium pot then add ingredients in order listed. Stir frequently until all cheeses are melted. Put noodles and sauce into 9x13 baking dish and stir together. Bake covered for 40 minutes.

Simple Seasoned Pasta with Chicken

"This is a recipe that Campbell's posted on allrecipes.com. My changes are included."


INGREDIENTS:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1/4 cup Italian dressing
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups uncooked spiral pasta (the exact amount in a box of Barilla Plus)
6 fresh basil leaves ripped into small pieces


DIRECTIONS:
Saute chicken with basil in Italian dressing until browned. Meanwhile, heat broth, tomatoes, cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in large pot to a boil.
Stir pasta into broth mixture. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until pasta is done. Stir in cooked chicken. Sprinkle with additional grated or shredded parmesan cheese.

Jen's Mac and Cheese

"This is my second macaroni and cheese recipe, but this is one I made up. I loved a mac and cheese my brother brought over once and I remembered he used eggs, so I wanted to try doing the same. I looked up recipes and got the basic ingredients, and then added my own touches to create this."

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 lb pasta, cooked according to package (I used wheat elbow)
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream (I used light)
1 1/4 cups milk (I used 2%)
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon mustard

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9x13 in. baking dish with cooking spray.
Place drained noodles back in pot
Add one cup of the cheddar cheese and all of the parmesan cheese; toss until melted.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the sour cream.
Stir in the milk, butter, salt, pepper, nutmeg and mustard.
Stir the mixture into the macaroni and pour it into the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups cheddar cheese on top.
Spray foil with cooking spray and cover dish.
Bake for 35 minutes, with cover on and 10 additional minutes with cover off.
Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Greek Chicken Pasta

"I found this on allrecipes.com. Check below the recipe for my tips."


Ingredients:

• 1 pound pasta, cooked according to package
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 lemons, wedged, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano and cooked pasta. Stir until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with lemon wedges.

Tips:

-I did not use lemon wedges for garnish
-I added one can of tomato paste, 1/4 cup white wine and 1/4 cup low-fat Italian dressing to make a sauce
-You can add kalamata olives or black olives
-You can use marinaded artichokes hearts for added flavor
-I added 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped basil
-I used whole wheat pasta to make the dish healthier

Antipasto Pasta Salad

"I love pasta salad, and this is one of the best ones I've ever had. You can really impress your friends with this recipe which tastes like it came out of an awesome deli."

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound seashell pasta
1/4 pound Genoa salami, chopped
1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, chopped
1/2 pound Asiago cheese, diced
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, and cool under cold water.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, Asiago cheese, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir in the envelope of dressing mix. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad, and mix well

Notes:

-I omitted the pepperoni and doubled the salami

-I used a can of small whole black olives and cut them in half

French Onion "Soup" Mac and Cheese

"This recipe is by Brett Greenberg, New York, NY. I found it HERE . It won a recipe contest. It looked kind of complicated, so I have had it in my "favorites" for a long time, but I finally decided to make it. I absolutely love french onion soup (check back for a recipe for that in the future), so this sounded fabulous to me. I am posting it "as is", but please check my notes at the bottom."

INGREDIENTS:

Topping:

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Bechamel Sauce:

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk or half-and-half

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces Gruyere, grated

3 ounces mozzarella grated

French Onion "Soup":

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 large white onions, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons honey

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dry sherry

2 cups beef stock

8 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

1 pound pasta, cooked al dente (elbow macaroni, ziti, or fusilli work well)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Topping: Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl and set aside.

Bechamel Sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and stir to combine. Stir constantly, for about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium and whisk in the milk or half-and-half, adding a little at a time and cook until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Lower heat, season with the salt and pepper and add Gruyere and mozzarella cheeses. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Set aside.

French Onion "Soup:" Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add onions, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove cover, add garlic and honey, and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Remove pot from heat and add sherry. Return to heat and stir to remove browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce sherry by half, then add stock and thyme and cook until almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat.

Grease a 9x13 dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine cooked pasta with onion "soup" mixture and bechamel sauce, and stir well to combine. Transfer pasta to baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumb/Parmesan topping.
Bake until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Notes:

-This recipe took me much longer to make than the listed 1 hour and 45 minutes. It took me all of that time just to prepare. One thing I would recommend is to make the bechamel sauce while the onions are cooking (which I didn't do). You could also grate the cheese earlier in the day (which I did). When I was cooking the onions the first time it took about 17 minutes. When I cooked them until carmelized it took about 25 minutes instead of 10-15. It also takes a while to cook down the sherry and beef stock.

-I have never used fresh thyme, so I didn't know if I was suppose to throw in the leaves with stems and leave them in, or maybe strain them out, so instead I pulled all of the leaves off (time consuming). I would definately use dried thyme next time.

Asiago Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

"This dish is as good as the best pasta I've had at a restaurant. I am so glad I tried it. I found it on allrecipes.com. I took the suggestions of some of the users and changed the amount of cheese and garlic. The exact recipe I used is here"

INGREDIENTS
2 cups heavy cream
1 cube chicken bouillon
6 oz (1 1/2 cups) Shredded Asiago Cheese
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with equal parts water
1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta prepared as directed on box
3/4 cup bacon
1/4 cup butter
1 cup diced red onion
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chopped green onion
1 pound grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced
1 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook 2 cups cream until just bubbling. Watch carefully, to ensure that it doesn't boil over. Stir in bouillon and Asiago cheese. Stir with a whisk until dissolved. Add cornstarch mixture, and simmer until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate for later use.
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute red onion until soft and translucent. Stir in garlic and cooked bacon, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in green onions, chicken and 1 cup cream. Cook, stirring, until cream is heated through. Add Asiago cream sauce, and heat through. Toss with cooked pasta until evenly coated.

Tips:

You can cut the cooking time down quite a bit if you do the following:

-Pre-grill the chicken, have someone grill it while you're doing the rest or use pre-cooked grilled chicken (I basted mine with italian dressing)

-Use pre-cooked bacon and saute it with the red onions instead of putting it in microwave (like it says on the box)

-Make the sauce, boil the noodles and saute the onions at the same time (it helps to have the onions, bacon and tomatos pre-cut before you start.

***********************************************************************************

-You can also use part milk and part cream to cut down on fat and richness. I used two cups cream and 1 cup skim milk.

Italian Sausage Soup with Tortelini

"I found this on allrecipes.com. It is one of the best soups I've ever had. I've made it twice. I am adding the changes I made into the recipe."

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. Italian sausage, cooked, chopped and drained (reserve pan)

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups beef broth (or just use 1 carton and 1 can which gives you a little extra, but it's no big deal)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup red wine

4 large tomatoes, chopped

1 cup thin sliced carrots

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced

16 oz fresh tortellini filled with cheese

1/2 teaspoon parsley

DIRECTIONS:

In a large stock pot combine broth, water, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, wine, tomatoes, carrots, and sausage. Fry onion and garlic in left-over fying pan, and saute until soft and clear, and add to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add zucchini and parsley, and simmer covered for another 30 minutes. Add tortellini for the last 10 minutes of simmering.

Optional:

Sprinkle each serving with with parmesan cheese

Serves 10

Jen's Cheesy Mexican Pasta

"Another one I made up. I've been making this for a few years, and it's a quick meal to throw together. I put in the tomatoes at the last minute so they keep their consistancy."

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb box of pasta noodles (if you use wheat pasta that isn't quite a pound...as I do, it's not a big deal) cooked and drained according to package

1 pound package of pre-cooked sausage or kilbasa cut into small chunks (this is also where you can cut some fat by using Jenny-O turkey sausage or Ekrich light)

2/3 Jar of Cheese Whiz (or use a 1 whole jar of Con Queso dip like Tosito's Brand for less fat)

1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes

1 small or 1/2 large onion, diced

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (I like to use 2% milk cheese to cut down on fat)

1/2 cup taco sauce

1/4 cup miracle whip (this is optional. I wouldn't substitute mayo...I just add this for flavor)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Optional Add-in Ideas (depending on what you like)

-Green and or Red Pepper, diced

-Cooked Corn

- sliced Black Olives

- Black Beans (maybe only 1/2 can)

DIRECTIONS:

While you are preparing pasta, sautee sausage or kilbasa in large frying pan with onions and any of the veggie add-ins you chose, adding garlic and pepper, until meat is browned. In pot used for boiling noodles combine noodles, meat mixture, and remaining ingredients, and cook over med.-low heat until cheese is melted.

Serves 6

Macaroni and Cheese

"I have made this several times. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com. The only modification I made is adding garlic to the bread crumb mixture to make it taste like garlic bread. The only thing I've found is that there is way too much sauce, and it won't all fit in the dish. I usually save it and use it to moisten left-overs, or use it as a cheese dip. I have never bothered to figure out how much less of each ingredient to add to make just the right amount. If any of you do, let me know. The sauce is a mild cheddar flavor, and is unlike any home-made mac 'n' cheese dish I've had."

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. box pasta noddles (I like elbow)

5 cups shredded cheddar cheese (4 oz equals 1 cup)

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

6 cups milk (I like 2%)

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour

paprika to taste

Topping:

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook and drain noodles while starting sauce: In large saucepan melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until smooth. Add milk, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses and cook over med-low heat until cheese is completely melted, mixes well with milk, and sauce begins to thicken. Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup butter in small pan over medium heat, and add bread crumbs and garlic powder, stirring until crumbs absorb butter. Put cooked noodles in 13x9 baking dish, and pour enough sauce over to cover noodles. Sprinkle top with bread crumb mixture, and then sprinkle paprika over top (about four pinches). Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

(prep. time is about 30 minutes)

Serves approx. 8