Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Beefy Bacon Mac and Cheese #nationalcheeseday

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Cindy Kerschner

Beefy Bacon Mac and Cheese flavor explosion! Smoky brisket, bacon and creamy cheddar in one bite!

Cheese, Glorious Cheese! If you love cheese, come celebrate #nationalcheeseday with Festive Foodies!
Thank you Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla for hosting our event.

Beefy Bacon Mac and Cheese is a recipe you can easily make your own.

It’s a great way to use leftover beef roast or steak. I used leftover smoked brisket. So good! If you don’t have access to smoked beef, you can still get a smoky taste by substituting smoked salt for plain salt.

Don’t forget the bacon adds a bit of smoky flavor too! You can also swap the cheddar for smoked cheddar or smoked Gouda.

The combinations are endless!

Go on try a bite!

Yum

Beefy Bacon Mac and Cheese #nationalcheeseday

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Serving Size: 1 cup

Beefy Bacon Mac and Cheese #nationalcheeseday

Ingredients

1 cup dry macaroni, (I use medium shells)
2 cups cooked beef, chopped (I used smoked brisket)
1/2 cup cooked bacon, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced

Cheese sauce

1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon dry mustard
4 ounces cheddar, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain.

sauce

Whisk together milk, cornstarch, butter, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Boil about 1 minute, reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly until thickened.
Remove from heat and whisk in cheese.
Add beef and macaroni to cheese sauce. Heat thoroughly.
Portion and sprinkle with chopped bacon and onions.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

https://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/beefy-bacon-mac-cheese-nationalcheeseday/

There are as many ways to love cheese as there are kinds of cheese. Enjoy these cheese lover recipes from Festive Foodies!

Carlee from Cooking with Carlee: Bacon Bruschetta Cheese Ball
Cindy from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings: Beefy Bacon Mac and Cheese
Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Cheese, Please!
Jolene from Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Cheesy Black Bean Nachos
Karen from Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Dill and Cheddar Sourdough Bread
Sue from Palatable Pastime: Hasselback Salad Caprese
Coleen from The Redhead Baker: Honey, Basil, and Peach Baked Brie
Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm: Philly Cheesesteak Burgers
Eileen from Everyday Eileen: Pimento Cheese Dip
Amy of Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Tuscan Roma Pizza

Posted in #FestiveFoodies, bacon, beef, casserole, cheese, pasta, What's For Dinner? | 13 Comments

Double Cheeseburgers with Roasted Garlic Mayo #ad

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Cindy Kerschner

This post is sponsored by Certified Angus Beef® brand in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.
Double Cheeseburgers with Roasted Garlic Mayo stack two Certified Angus Beef® brand Prime Beef Patties high on a bun. Add smoky Gouda, your favorite toppings and Roasted Garlic Mayo for the #BestAngusBeef burgers of summer!

Burgers are tops on everyone’s grill list. There are so many ways to enjoy these juicy, handy sandwiches.
I grill often.

You can make just about anything on the grill. Pineapple, corn, potatoes even watermelon are easy to grill.

Today I’m focusing on kicking beef burgers up a notch.
An easy way to switch up the flavors is to change the condiments. I always offer the standards like ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion. Mixing up the cheese selection transforms your cheeseburger from classic American to smoky cheddar or even a bit spicy with pepper jack.
Taking already made condiments and making tasty sauces is a great short cut.
Here’s some ideas:

Add Sriracha to ketchup for a spicier flavor.
Honey and mustard were made for each other. Experiment with different mustards to find your new favorite.
Pesto on burgers is a great change. Try adding mayo or roasted red peppers for a switch.

Roasted Garlic Mayo

Yum

Roasted Garlic Mayo

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Serving Size: 1tablespoon

Roasted Garlic Mayo

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves roasted garlic, peeled and chopped
1/8 teaspoon smoked salt (I use hickory salt)
1 tablespoon sour cream

Instructions

Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream and salt. Add roasted garlic. Mix thoroughly. Store unused portion in refrigerator.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

https://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/double-cheeseburgers-roasted-garlic-mayo/

**To roast garlic, preheat oven to 350. Cut stem end off garlic, rub with oil, wrap in foil and bake until cloves are soft and golden brown. (about 30 minutes)

For more great burger ideas, visit Certified Angus Beef® brand Burger Recipes Page.

Happy Grilling!

Posted in #bestangusbeef, beef, burger, grill, summer, What's For Dinner? | Comments Off

Grilled Asparagus Salad #BBQ

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Cindy Kerschner

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BBQWeek. I received product samples from sponsors to use in creating #BBQWeek recipes. However, all opinions are mine alone.

Welcome to Day 3 of #BBQ Week with Festive Foodies! Thank you Ellen from Family Around the Table and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting our BBQ event and giveaway!

Grilled Asparagus Salad offers crisp, tender asparagus in a light lemon basil dressing. A perfect accompaniment for any BBQ meats.

Fresh Asparagus, lightly grilled adds a wealth of nutrition. Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K, folate, copper, selenium, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C, and vitamin E. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, manganese, phosphorus, vitamin B3, potassium, choline, vitamin A, zinc, iron, protein, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid.

Some of the cool things about Michigan Asparagus

The season is early/mid May – June
They are one of the only (and largest) domestic production regions for US grown asparagus. That means less food miles and fresher asparagus that isn’t coming from some other country.
The hand harvested spears are “snapped” versus cut. What that means is you get fresher, more usable asparagus with less woody end.
All asparagus is hand harvested and hand packed…that means handled with care.
Did you know that asparagus can grow 2” a day at the peak of the season.

Connect with Michigan Asparagus on social media for the latest news, recipes and more!

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

Yum

Grilled Asparagus Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Grilled Asparagus Salad

Ingredients

1 pound Michigan Asparagus
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped shallots

dressing

1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon smoked salt

Instructions

Lightly oil grill with vegetable oil. heat to medium-high. Add asparagus and grill to crisp tender on all sides. Approximately 5 minutes total.
Chop grilled asparagus and add shallots and peppers. Toss.

dressing

Whisk together lemon juice, oil, smoked salt. Add basil. Toss salad with desired amount of dressing.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

https://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/grilled-asparagus-salad-bbq/

Enjoy these delicious #BBQ Week recipes from Festive Foodies!

See what the bloggers served up Wednesday for #BBQWeek

Cherry Chipotle Bourbon Baked Beans by Cookaholic Wife

Charred Corn Salsa by The Freshman Cook

Cherry Chipotle Grilled Pork Tenderloin by Tip Garden

Everything Bagel Pasta Salad by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Grilled Asparagus Salad by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Grilled Chicken Tikki Tacos by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

Grilled Kale Salad with Ricotta by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Grilled Nam Prik Shrimp Skewers by 4 Sons ‘R’ Us

Grilled Spiced Blue Hawaiian Cocktail by Daily Dish Recipes

Grilled Stuffed Meatballs with Pineapple Sauce by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Real Hawaiian Macaroni Salad by Jonesin’ For Taste

Jersey Style Hot Dogs by Jolene’s Recipe Journal

Peppercorn Blue Cheese Burgers with Cherry Sauce by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen

Seasoned Barbecue Butter Shrimp Skewers by Family Around the Table

Sweet & Spicy Tangerine Shrimp & Pineapple Kabobs by Books n’ Cooks

Texas-Style Smoked Beef Ribs by Palatable Pastime

Don’t forget to enter our giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Thank you to #BBQWeek Sponsors Adam’s Extracts, Michigan Asparagus, and Not Ketchup for providing the prizes free of charge. These sponsors also provided bloggers with samples and product to use for creating #BBQWeek recipes. All opinions are my own.
The #BBQWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. There will be three winning entries that will be verified. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #BBQWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize package. Participating bloggers and their immediate family members cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with social channels mentioned in the #BBQWeek posts or entry.

Posted in #FestiveFoodies, asparagus, picnic, salad, What's For Dinner? | 21 Comments

Smoky Date Pork Chops #BBQ

Posted on May 22, 2018 by Cindy Kerschner

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BBQWeek. I received product samples from sponsors to use in creating #BBQWeek recipes. However, all opinions are mine alone.

Smoky Date Pork Chops balance the delicate sweetness of dates with caramelized onions. Smoky sweet goodness without added sugar.

Welcome to Day 2 of #BBQ Week with Festive Foodies! Follow along all week for great recipes and ideas for your next barbecue.
Thank you Ellen from Family Around the Table and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting our BBQ event and giveaway!

Today I thought a good, thick boneless pork chop should be on my dinner table. Pork holds up well to grilling. Boneless chops do take a bit longer to cook but it’s well worth the time.

Get a good sear on both sides then move to indirect heat or finish off in the oven.

I like topping meat with caramelized onions instead of fried onions. I reserve fried onions for cheese steaks only! Caramelizing onions in butter adds a sweet richness like no other.

Not Ketchup Smoky Date sauce goes well with grilled meat. You can use it as a marinade, grill sauce or dipping sauce.

I like to lightly brush it on right after the sear and let it cook in. You can always add more when it’s off the grill.

Pull your pork off the grill, add onions, more Not Ketchup Smoky Date sauce and enjoy!

Not Ketchup sauces are sweetened only with real fruit. They’re gluten free, vegan, low sugar, low carb, Paleo-friendly, Whole30-friendly, diabetic-friendly, and contain absolutely no added sugar.