Macek Mac 'N' Cheese with Bacon

This recipe won Emeril's Best Mac 'n' Cheese Ever Challenge on Good Morning America this morning! With these ingredients, it has to be good.

• 1 Head of garlic, roasted
• 1 Teaspoon olive oil
• 1 Pound Cavatappi pasta, cooked according to directions
• 1/2 lb. sliced Applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 Tablespoon bacon fat
• 1-1/2 Cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slice, crusts removed)
• 1/2 Cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 8 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup minced shallots
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 Qt. whole milk
• 6 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated
• 8 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 Teaspoon pepper
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg

To roast garlic: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice 1/2 inch off the top of the entire head of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap garlic head tightly in heavy foil and roast about 50 minutes. Remove garlic pulp by squeezing head. Smash cloves with a fork to form a paste.

TIP: OK, my busy friends. You know you can buy a tube of garlic paste at the grocery store!

Topping: Combine breadcrumbs, crumbled bacon, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Saute' shallots over low heat in reserved bacon fat for one minute. Add remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and continue to saute' shallots in butter and bacon fat until translucent. Add flour and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Increase heat to medium. Stirring constantly with a wisk, add milk and roasted garlic paste. Cook until sauce is thickened. Remove sauce from heat and add salt, pepper, nutmeg, Gruyere and Cheddar cheeses. Stir in cooked pasta. Pour into greased baking dish. Sprinkle topping to cover entire top. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until sauce is bubbly and topping is brown.

Perfect Apple Pie

This pie is so good and so easy to make! I usually use three sweet apples and three tart apples, sush as Golden Delicious and Granny Smith.

• 1 Pkg. 15 0z. Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts (deep dish)
• 6 Cups thinly sliced, peeled apples
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 3/4 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1/8 Teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together all ingredients and pour into pie crust. Cover pie with the second pie crust and press edges together. Make impressions around entire edge of pie with a fork. Cut 4 or 5 small slits in center of top pie crust with knife. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Cover edge of crust with foil after 20 minutes of baking.

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

This is one of those Southern Living dishes that you can't stop eating. I have had many requests to pass this recipe along. Enjoy!

• 1 (30 oz.) pkg. frozen shredded hash browns
• 1 Cup shredded colby-Jack cheese
• 1 (5 oz.) pkg. shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 Large onion, minced
• 1 Teaspoon minced garlic
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 1 (10-3/4 oz.) can Cream of Chicken Soup, undiluted
• 1/2 Cup beef broth
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1-1/2 Teaspoons salt
• 1/2 Teaspoons pepper

Combine hash browns and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together milk and next 5 ingredients; pour over hash brown mixture. Pour into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until golden.

Cherry Delight Pie

This is a recipe that my mother gave me. She made it and shared it with some of her neighbors. They all thought it was delicious!

• 1 Stick butter
• 50 Vanilla Wafers, crumbled
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 Cup sugar
• 1 Envelope Dream Whip
• 1 Can Cherry Pie Filling
• 1 Cup chopped pecans

Melt butter, pour over wafer crumbs and mix together. In a separate bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar together. In another bowl, mix Dream Whip as directed on the box. Mix together the cream cheese mixture and the Dream Whip. Line a 10x7 dish with 2/3 of the crumbs and press lightly to form a crust. Pour Dream Whip mixture over crumbs. Pour cherry pie filling on top. Add nuts to remaining crumbs and sprinkle over pie filling; chill.

Fiesta Chowder

I tasted this chowder at a friends house and it is delicious! It's a Southern Living recipe with a lot of ingredients but easy to make.

• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 (1.4 oz) pkg. fajita seasoning, divided
• 4 Skinned and boned chicken breast halves, cubed
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 Medium onion, chopped
• 1 Teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 (15-1/4 oz.) can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14-1/2 oz.) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
• 1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chiles
• 3 Cups water
• 1 Cup uncooked instant brown rice
• 1 (2-1/4 oz.) can sliced ripe olives (optional)
• 1 (10-3/4 oz.) can condensed nacho cheese soup
• 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro
• Breadsticks (optional)

Combine flour and 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning in a heavy-duty, zip-lock plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and shake to coat.

Cook chicken in hot oil in large Dutch oven over high heat, stirring often, 4 minutes or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-high; add onion and garlic; saute' 5 minutes. Stir in remaining fajita seasoning, corn, next 5 ingredients, and , if desired, olives. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir in nacho cheese soup, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Garnish, if desired and serve with breadsticks.

Garlic Pork Chops

This recipe came from a friend who cooks this quite often for her family. She loves garlic as much as I do and says it's guaranteed to ward off mosquitoes and vampires!

• 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 can Evapoated Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Grey Poupon (country style)
• 3 cloves garlic, shopped
• Olive oil
• 6 Butterfly Pork Chops
• Garlic Powder

Mix soup, milk, Grey Poupon, and garlic in large bowl. Set aside. In large frying pan, cover bottom with olive oil and over medium-high heat, fry pork shops until lightly browned on both sides. Sprinkle with garlic powder while cooking. Drain oil and add soup mix. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, turning chops at the half-way point. Taste while cooking to see if more garlic is needed. It makes a lot of gravy and it's great to put over mashed potatoes!

Prosciutto Ravioli

This recipe came from a friend and her daughter who saw it being prepared on Food Network by Giada De Laurentiis. They tried it and loved it.

• 1 - 15 oz. container whole milk Ricotta cheese
• 1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 4 oz. thinly sliced Prosciutto, chopped
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 48 Wonton wrappers
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1-1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Whisk the Ricotta, spinach, Prosciutto, egg yolks, salt and pepper to blend.

Place 1 tablespoon of Ricotta mixture in the center of each Wonton wrapper. Brush the edge of the wrapper lightly with water. Fold the wrapper in half, enclosing the filling completely and forming a triangle. Pinch the edges to seal. This can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Working in batches, cook the Ravioli in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just tender, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the Ravioli to a large shallow bowl.

Melt the butter in a skillet and add the Oregano and stir 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the oregano butter over the Ravioli and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle the Pecorino over the Ravioli and serve.

Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cake

This recipe was sent in by Sandy. She tried this cake at one of her Bunko parties and thought it was soooo good.

• 1 Box yellow butter flavor cake mix
• 1 Large instant chocolate pudding
• 4 Eggs
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup oil
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 6 oz. chocolate chips
• Powdered Sugar

Mix together and pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Cook at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Polish Kielbasa

This recipe comes from my friend Sandy. Her friend Jenny brought it to one of our infamous football gatherings and it was a hit.

• Kielbasa
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar

Put kielbasa in pan with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and add vinegar. Boil for 20 minutes. Cool and slice Kielbasa. Pour water out of the pan and add the following:

• 18 oz. bottle of apricot preserves
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons vinegar
• 2 Teaspoons dry mustard

Cook and stir until preserves are melted. Add Kielbasa and simmer for 15 minutes. Put in a crock pot to keep warm or reheat before serving.

Summer Corn Salad

This is a recipe that I had to have from my friend Lynn. It's a great side dish for just about any summer meal.

Mix together the following:

• 2 cans shoepeg corn
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 purple onion, chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped

In a separate bowl, mix together:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt

Mix together with corn mixture and refrigerate overnight.

Bourbon Marinated Salmon

This recipe came from my neighborhood Publix. It's what they marinate their salmon with, and it gives it a real good taste.

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons bourbon (Jim Beam)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons green onions, chopped

Mix all ingredients and marinate salmon in mixture for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight. Broil, bake or grill and enjoy!

Yummy Dessert

This recipe was given to me by my mother many years ago. There's a reason it's called "yummy"!

First Layer:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 stick margarine
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Mix together and spread on bottom of 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool.

Second Layer:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup Cool Whip

Mix powdered sugar and cream cheese together, then fold in cool whip. Spread mixture over the baked crust.

Third Layer:

• 2 large pkgs. instant chocolate pudding
• 3 cups milk

Mix together and spread on top.

Fourth Layer:

Spread on Cool Whip and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Chill at least 3 hours before serving.

Shrimp Gumbo

This is the Shrimp Gumbo recipe from Shelby, my mother-in-law, that everyone loves. It's great for those fall football gatherings or any cold night.

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 oz. okra
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
• Tobasco or red pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 16 oz. can diced tomatoes in sauce
• 10 bay leaves
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• 4 cups cooked, chopped chicken or hen
• 1 lb. shrimp
• Cooked Rice

Boil chicken in water until done. In saucepan, brown oil and flour to make a roux; careful not to burn. In separate 8-qt. saucepan, brown onions, green pepper, celery, and garlic 1 tablespoon of oil. Mix in okra and next 11 ingredients. Add rue. Stir and cook on medium until okra is tender. Add cooked chicken. Add shrimp. Add cooked rice or serve rice separately and let guests mix with gumbo to their taste.

TIP: I use the broth from the cooked chicken. If it isn't enough add College Inn canned chicken broth for the best taste. I double the recipe to feed about 12+.

Cheesy Pork Chops

This is another regular dish at our house because it's so easy to make.

• 4 - 1 inch thick pork chops
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large onion, cut into 4 slices
• mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup or more of parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. Place in greased baking dish. Top each pork chop with an onion slice; spread mayonnaise over each onion, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cook uncovered for 1 hour.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This is an appetizer that my friend Pam made during one of our SEC football gatherings. I couldn't stop eating it!

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 - 12 oz. bottle Frank's Hot Sauce
• 2 - 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese
• 1 - 16 oz. bottle blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
• 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack or combination

Boil chicken until done. Let cool and then shred. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 13 x 9 pan, combine shredded chicken with hot sauce and spread even. In a large saucepan combine the cream cheese and the salad dressing and heat over medium until smooth and hot. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken. Bake uncoverd for 20 minutes, then sprinkle the shredded cheese over the tope and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and celery sticks.

TIP: This would also be a great filler for burritos!

Broccoli Slaw

This is a recipe from my friend Vicki that I had to have. It is a great side dish for any type of pork or chicken.

• 1-15oz. pkg. broccoli slaw
• 1 cup roasted sunflower seeds
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 pkg. Oriental Ramen Noodles, well crumbled
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup regular vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Seasoning pkg. from noodles

Mix together broccoli slaw mix, sunflower seeds, almonds and crumbled noodles. In another bowl, mix the vegatable oil, vinegar, sugar and seasoning packet from the noodles to make the slaw dressing. Add the dressing to the slaw mix and chill for 1 hour.

Layered Taco Dip

This is a very popular recipe that I get asked to make over and over again. My mother-in-law passed it along to me. It's great during those football gatherings and of course a big hit at the neighbors annual Cinco de Mayo party.

• 1 can Refried Beans (15 oz.)
• 1 carton Dean's Guacamole Dip
• Combine one 8 oz. container of Sour Cream with 1/2 cup of Mayonnaise
• Sprinkle 1/2 pkg. Taco Seasoning Mix
• 1 Bunch of Green Onions, chopped
• 2 large Tomatoes, chopped (optional)
• 2-4.25 oz. cans of chopped Black Olives
• 8 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese
• Sprinkle remaining 1/2 pkg. Taco Seasoning Mix

Layer in a 13x9 dish in the order listed above. Seal with Saran Wrap and chill for several hours. Serve with Scoops by Fritos.

TIP: I usually don't add the tomatoes because the dip will store longer in the refrigerator without them.

Shrimp Pasta

Here we go! It's day one in this endeavor and I want to share with you a dish that is a staple in our house. This is a great quick dinner for those evenings the children have to get to soccer, guitar lessons, or golf. It's great with a simple salad and garlic toast. Of course, I think garlic toast is great with everything!

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ceyenne or red pepper


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 2 tablespoons olive oil


• 1/2 cup white wine


• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard


• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce


• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes


• shrimp (amount you desire)


• 3/4 cup butter


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon jiuce


• 1 lb. your favorite pasta, cooked as directed


• parmesan cheese

Heat ground pepper and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until garlic is cooked without burning. Stir in white wine, dijon mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, and parsley. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes. Add shrimp, butter, salt, and lemon juice. Cook about 2 minutes. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with parmesan.

TIP: Publix has 2-lb. bags of medium shrimp that are already cooked and cleaned. I simply take the amount I want to use from the freezer and rinse them in a colander and remove the tails.