Mac and Cheese with Pancetta

Ingredients
8 tablespoons(1 stick) butter, divided
4 oz thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon), coarsely chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups(or more) whole milk
2 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 8- to 8.8-ounce container mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 pound orecchiette or large elboacaroni

Preparation
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; sauté until crisp, about 6 minutes. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add crushed red pepper and garlic; stir 1 minute. Stir in 3 tablespoons butter; allow to melt, then add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 3 1/2 cups milk; simmer until thick enough to coat spoon thickly, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in cheeses. Whisk in more milk by 1/4 cupfuls until sauce is thick but pourable. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cool; cover and chill. Rewarm, stirring over medium heat. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko and stir until very light golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain well. Return pasta to pot. Add warm cheese sauce; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over. Bake mac and cheese until heated through and topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Lemonade Raspberry Cake

1 c. very hot water
1 box (4 serving size) raspberry flavored gelatin
1 box white cake mix
1/2 c. frozen (thawed) lemonade concentrate
1/4 c. water
1/3 c. vegetable oil
4 egg whites
1 container whipped vanilla frosting
1 c. frozen whipped topping (thawed)
1 1/2 c. fresh raspberries, if desired
lemon peel strips, if desired

Heat oven to 350 and spray bottom of 9x13 pan with baking spray with flour. In small bowl, mix hot water and gelatin until completely dissolved; cool slightly.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, 1/4 cup of the gelatin mixture, 1/4 cup of the lemonade concentrate, the water, oil (applesauce), and egg whites with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds and on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into pan and reserve remaining gelatin mixture and lemonade concentrate.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Poke warm cake every inch with a form. Remove 1 tablespoon of reserved gelatin mixture to a microwavable container. Mix remaining gelatin mixture and 1/4 cup lemonade concentrate and pour slowly over the cake. Cool completely about 1 hour or overnight.

In medium bowl, mix frosting and whipped topping. Frost cake. Microwave the reserved gelatin for 10 seconds to liquify. Using a small spoon, place small drops of the gelatin mixture over frosting.

With a spoon or toothpick, swirl gelatin into frosting.

Garnish with raspberries and lemon peels if desired.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Taken from Barefoot Contessa

For the streusel:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2/3 cup sour cream

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup fresh blueberries

Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel:
Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Taken from allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional)
• 4 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and cinnamon, if desired. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the shortening and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.
3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Unc's Steak Tips

1 bottle Hunts Hickory sauce
1/3 jar Mee Tu Chinese Garlic marinade
1/4 jar Ah-So Chinese style BBQ sauce
4 shakes soy sauce
2 squirts mustard
honey
1 lemon

Mix together to get a somewhat firm consistancy. Let sit for 30-40 minutes.

Sirloin strip steak (not sirloin steak) cut in 1/2" pieces and mix in marinade. Let sit for 2 hours. Overnight to 24 hours is best!

Citi's Chicken

Taken from Good Things Catered

Ingredients:

6 chicken thighs
6 chicken drumsticks
1 egg
1 c. yogurt
1/8 c. olive oil
1/4 c. white wine (of chicken stock if you don't use alch.)
2 tsp salt (I love Lawry's garlic salt for this)
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 c. flour
3 c. cornflakes
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp fresh oregano

Directions:

• Clean and pat dry chicken pieces.
• Place chicken into a large freezer bag.
• In a blender, combine egg, yogurt, olive oil, wine/stock, salt and pepper and blend on high to whip together.
• Pour mixture over chicken and seal bag.
• Make sure marinade is covering all pieces and sides of chicken and place in fridge to marinade.-Marinade chicken at least one hour and up to 24.
• Preheat even to 400 degrees.
• In bowl of food processor, combine remaining ingredients and pulse to a coarse meal, cutting the spices into the breading.
• Remove from bowl of food processor and place in a shallow dish or wide bottomed bowl.
• Line a baking sheet with heavy duty tinfoil and top with wire baking rack.
• Remove chicken from fridge and with a set of tongs, pull one piece of chicken out of the marinade, shake to remove excess and dredge in breading mixture.
• Cover completely in breading mixture, shaking lightly to remove excess, and place on wire rack.
• Repeat with all pieces of chicken.-Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and place baking sheet in oven.-Bake until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees, about 50-60 minutes.

Pasta Salad

4 cups cooked past - I like tri-colored spirals
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup sliced radishes
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 cup sliced olives
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1 1/2 -2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper