Thursday, November 29, 2012

Momma's Macaroni Pie



Momma’s Macaroni Pie
Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas is just around the corner.  One of the things that I remember doing as a child on these wonderful holidays is sitting at the kitchen table grating cheese for the big dinner to come.  When I moved so far away from home and had to cook a “big” dinner by myself the thing that I missed the most was Momma’s Macaroni Pie. 
I called her to ask her if she could send me an e-mail with the recipe and her response to me was, “I don’t really know what I put in there I’ve been cooking it for so long.  I can tell you what I put in there though”.  And so began the strangest conversation in cooking that I have ever had…
But after listening closely this is the best rendition that I came up with it is really close!

Cook elbow macaroni per the instructions on the box (Aldente).
Grate ¼ cup Pepper Jack cheese
¼ cup Muenster cheese
¼ cup Sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup NY Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese
When the elbow macaroni is done drain the water.  Do not rinse!
In an 8 x 10 or similar pan pour the HOT noodles in the pan.
Put ¼ cup butter, ½ cup milk and 1 cracked raw egg in the pan.  Mix until melted.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper (can adjust to taste). 
Take half of the cheeses and mix well into the hot noodles.
The remaining cheese evenly sprinkle on top of the noodles. 
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about thirty minutes or until cheese is nice and bubbly.

Enjoy!

Is there anything that you remember cooking and eating on special holidays?

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Menu Planning


With the economy the way it is now we are all looking for a few new ways to save money.  I am still looking and willing to try something new.  Some of the things that I try are couponing, menu planning and cooking with as little red meat as possible.

One of my new favorite ways to save money is Menu Planning.  I have finally found a great menu plan that I enjoy and is set up almost perfectly! 


I have been using this page for the past few weeks and I have seen the last minute rush to scramble to find something for dinner drop dramatically.  I am creating my own personal calendar for 2013 (More on that to come!) and the only thing that I have changed is the start date is Monday and not Sunday.

It has been nice to have a plan in place for dinner.  I started menu planning by brainstorming some of my favorite meals.  I have about fifteen now.  I am waiting on the list from my husband for his favorite meals. 

With the list of my favorite meals I have been able to reference it before I go to the grocery store and make my meal plan instead of getting that crazy look and saying ”what is it that we like to eat”?

What are some ways that you guys save money at the grocery store?

Monday, November 5, 2012

A Journey of a Thousand Miles.....


            It seems like a lifetime ago that my then fiancĂ© and I were discussing where our lives would take us.  The world was ours to have.  While we were deciding what direction we needed to bring our life I asked my husband if he ever regretted not finishing college.  After a pause that seemed to carry on for hours my husband replied that, “yes” he regretted not finishing college.
            It was with that one syllable answer that our lives turned into a whirl wind of action. We were married on a beautiful day in October in the lovely southern sunshine only a few months after that talk. For a little under a year we worked hard long hours, paid off most of our debt and saved as much money as we could.  With our life crammed into an SUV and a hitch along trailer we finally left for the journey that seemed to never arrive.
            On the first day of September 2009 we left the beautiful state of South Carolina.  Three days later and 1000 miles behind us we finally came careening into Boston…during rush hour!  We were so close yet so far from our final destination.  It took us another two hours to finally step foot into the house that had only been viewed online.  This is how a small town country girl is surviving and thriving in the BIG CITY.