Corn and Cheddar Pudding

source

3 cups frozen or fresh corn (off cob)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup half & half
2 large eggs
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 Tab. honey
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp salt
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Allow the corn to thaw or thaw in a sieve with hot tap water running over it. Place the milk and half of the corn into a blender or food processor and puree.
In a large bowl, whisk together the corn/milk mixture, half & half, eggs, honey, cayenne, salt, and the rest of the corn kernels. Make sure to whisk really well so that the egg is fully incorporated. Add cornmeal and stir again. Stir half of the cheese into the corn pudding mixture.

Coat a 8x8 (or similar size) baking dish with non-stick spray and pour in the pudding. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Bake in the preheated oven for about one hour or until the center of the pudding shakes like a bowl full of jelly. Check the pudding at about 50 minutes by shaking the dish slightly. If the center wiggles like a liquid, let it cook just a little bit longer.Allow the pudding to rest for about five minutes after baking. Serve warm!

Total Cost $3.57 recipe / $0.45 serving

source: Budget Bytes

No-Boil Macaroni and Cheese

4 cups (2% or higher) milk1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Dry Mustard
4 Tab. Butter, melted
2 cups macaroni, uncooked
8 oz. Velveeta, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 cups shredded cheddar
2 cups shredded mixed cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish. In the bottom of the baking dish, mix together milk, salt, dry mustard and butter. Add macaroni. Add in Velveeta, pushing down under the milk. Top with the shredded mixed cheese. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 40-60 minutes, until macaroni is fully cooked, and most of liquid absorbed.

Remove foil and top with the shredded cheddar and return to the oven, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Source: The Country Cook

Au Gratin Potatoes

 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

pinch of fresh grated nutmeg

pinch of cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

2 ½ cups half-and-half

½ cup shredded cheese, plus 3 tablespoons for topping

2 ½ to 3 pounds potatoes (like Yukon gold)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish, or 6 cup gratin dish with vegetable cooking spray or butter. Place the baking dish on a cookie sheet. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, garlic powder and half-and-half. Cook, stirring constantly, about 3 to 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Remove from the heat, cover to keep warm.

Peel and slice the potatoes to 1/16 to 1/8-inch thickness. Layer ⅓ of the potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Spoon ⅓ of the sauce over the potatoes. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of the cheese.

Repeat layering ½ of the remaining potatoes, ½ the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup cheese.

Top with the remaining potatoes then pour all the remaining sauce over the top.

Bake, uncovered, for 60 minutes. * If the top is drying out too quickly, remove the casserole from the oven and gently press down with a large flat spatula submerging the potatoes in the sauce. Tent with foil, if needed, and continue baking.

After 1 hour of baking, sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining 3 tablespoons of cheese. Return the pan to the oven and cook another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender and the top is well browned.

Remove from the oven and allow the potatoes to rest 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Baking Sheet Quesidillas

 4 teaspoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

12 large tortillas

½ cup salsa

12 ounces shredded cheddar, Mexican blend or Jack cheese

Optional: 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 3 Tablespoons sliced green onions, Sour cream

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the butter.

Place tortillas all the way around the edges of the pan so that about half of each tortilla hangs over side. Place another tortilla in the center to cover pan completely, then top with the salsa in an even layer on top of the tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the salsa.

Place another tortilla in the center (on top of all fillings), then fold each tortilla towards center, overlapping as needed to fully cover the pan. Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons butter evenly over the tortillas.

Bake until the tortillas are golden and the cheese is fully melted, 9 to 12 minutes.

Garnish with the cilantro and green onions, if desired and serve immediately, warm, with sour cream and salsa on the side as desired.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

 48 oz (3 lbs.) elbow macaroni

1 cup butter (or margarine)

1 cup flour

8 cups milk

1 tsp salt/pepper (or to taste)

4 cups shredded swiss cheese

8 cups + shredded cheddar cheese

Spray 3-9x13 inch baking dishes with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 375F.

Cook macaroni in a large pot of water according to package directions.

Melt butter (or margarine -whichever you have on hand) in a large pot.

Pour flour into melted butter and stir together until flour is thoroughly combined. Whisk in milk. Stir constantly for several minutes until boiling.

Stir in 4 cups of swiss cheese and 6 cups cheddar until completely melted. This takes about 2-3 minutes of additional stirring. Remove from heat when thoroughly melted.

Pour in the cooked and drained elbow macaroni into your large pot of homemade cheese sauce. Stir gently, so you don’t mash your noodles.

Fill each dish 3/4 of the way full with Mac and Cheese mixture. Top with remaining 2 cups+ shredded cheese.

Place baking dishes into preheated oven for 25 minutes. When your oven beeps in 25 minutes.

Depending on how brown and crispy you’d like the top, you can turn the oven off, but let your dishes sit 5 or so more minutes in the oven.

Source: modified from the recipe at Large Family Table

No-Boil Crockpot Ziti

 2 (@25 oz.) jars/cans pasta sauce (or @ 3 cups homemade)

1 jar water (see below)

15 oz container of ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 cups shredded mozzarella

16 oz box of ziti

Optional:  Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes

In the Crockpot, mix the pasta sauce, one jar of water*, ricotta, egg, parmesan and 2 cups of the mozzarella.  Then stir in the uncooked ziti.  If you like some more “zip” to your sauce, toss in a few of your favorite seasonings as suggested above.  Cook on low 4-5 hours.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.  Place under broiler just until bubbling and starting to brown.

*I like to fill one of the empty sauce jars with water, shake it well to get the “extra bits”, pour that water into the second jar and shake that one too, then add the water to the crockpot.  No wasted sauce that way!

Source: Thrifty Jinxy

Squash Casserole

 4-5 medium yellow squash

1/2 medium onion

1/4 cup butter

2 sleeves of crackers (@4 cups of crushed crackers)

3 cups shredded cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

Heat oven to 350F degrees.

Slice squash and dice the onion

Cook onion and squash with the butter in large covered pan until tender. Set aside in bowl.

Crumble 1 sleeve crackers and then stir crumbled crackers, and 2 cups of shredded cheese, into squash and onion mixture.

In separate bowl mix milk, and eggs. Then add to squash mixture.

Pour squash mixture into 2-8 or 9 inch square pans (or 9×13 baking dish.) Top with 1-sleeve of crumbled crackers and 1-cup of shredded cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes at 350F.

Source: Jamerrill Stewart at Large Family Table

Alfredo Sauce

½ cup butter

1-pint heavy whipping cream (2 cups)

4 ounces cream cheese

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a medium saucepan add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the grated Parmesan cheese.

Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Toss it with your favorite pasta.

Source: The Recipe Critic

Crockpot No-Boil Stuffed Shells

 Filling Ingredients:

2 cups Ricotta cheese (cheese cheese can be substituted)

1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese

1 ½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

¼ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1-8oz. package medium shells (or manicotti)

½ cup mozzarella cheese

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

marinara sauce

Combine filling ingredients in a bowl. Spray crock pot with non-stick spray or line with a crockpot liner for easier clean up.

Spread about 1/2 cup sauce in crock pot.  Fill uncooked shells with filling and place in crock pot.  Add about 1 cup of water to the remaining spaghetti sauce to thin out the sauce just a little bit.  Pour over the shells so it covers them completely. 

Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Cover and cook on high for about 2-3 hours until shells are fork tender.

source: Life in my Kitchen

Broccoli Cheddar Soup/Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

 52 oz frozen broccoli or Cauliflower

24 oz (6cups) shredded cheddar cheese

1 yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup butter

2 tbs mined garlic

6 cups heavy whipping cream

1 package cream cheese

6 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

To Make:

Divide the ingredients into four labeled quart freezer bags and freeze up to 3 months.

To Use:

When you desire to serve this recipe just thaw the bag in the refrigerator the night before. On cooking day dump contents of the bag in the Slow cooker. Cook on high up to 3 hours, or low 4-5 hours.  Once the cooking time is complete use an immersion blender to gently blend the soup to desired consistency.

Source: Large Family Table

Caprese Quiche

 5 large eggs

5 large egg whites (from a carton or from eggs)

1 cup Milk

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp. sliced fresh basil

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1-2 fresh Roma tomatoes thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice tomatoes into 1/8” thick slices, place on a paper towel and salt. Set aside for 10 minutes, placing another paper towel on top. Tomatoes have a lot of water when cooked, and salting it takes out a lot of moisture. After 10 minutes, blot any excess moisture with a paper towel.

Combine all ingredients the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk well.

Pour into greased 9 inch pie plate or 8 inch square baking pan.

Top with the sliced tomatoes and extra basil as desired.

Bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes.

Modified slightly from the recipe at Lemon Tree Dwelling

Baked Ricotta

  Butter for the baking dish

 15 to 18 ounces fresh whole-milk ricotta (not reduced fat)

 2 large eggs

 3 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

 1/2 tea oregano

 2 tea. chopped red peppers

 Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F Butter a 2-cup baking dish.

Beat all the ingredients in a bowl with a fork or a standing mixer until well combined. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and bake until golden and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes, give or take a little depending on how shallow or deep your baking dish.

Serve hot, or cooled with rustic  chipsbread,pita chips or veggie crudités.

Original recipe from Leite Culinaria