Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Now this is a recipe worth waiting for.  We have gained 5 lbs each because I have tested this far to many times!  But I am proud to say, my loathe of the slow cooker phenomenon has slowly turned into a "like" relationship!

For so long a fought the slow cooker trend.  Everything I had, that was cooked in it was like mush, over cooked, or "falling apart" which isn't my favorite way to eat meat.  I used mine to keep chili and meatballs warm on football Sundays!  That was the extent of our relationship.  I slowly in the last year of worked through some of my issues with the slow cooker and maybe have actually enjoyed a few things made in it.  I still don't get the recipes that made you brown or sear meat or do other things first and then put them in the Crock Pot so I steer away from that kind of nonsense.  I mean if you are making things easy, why dirty 3 pots and pans and go through 5 steps before even getting it into the pot?  Yea, not for me. Some people make this with already cooked macaroni.....WHAT?  I don't want mush!

So here is my recipe, I hope you enjoy it.  As long as you mix the liquids first, you can do it all INSIDE "Crocky" and then anticipate the goodness that is to come!

3 cups milk
15 oz can of cheddar cheese soup/sauce
1/4 tsp yellow mustard
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
3 cups UNCOOKED macaroni
8 oz. shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter, chunked up for the top

Whisk the first 5 ingredients together inside your slow cooker.  Add in macaroni and cheese and stir  to combine.  Chunk up your butter and lay it all over the top.  Stir again.  Now set your slow cooker on low for 2.5 hours.  Make sure to stir once or twice during the cooking process just to make sure all ingredients are dancin' and romancin'.   It will be perfect!  I promise!

ENJOY!  We sure have a couple or 4 times!  HEY, don't judge.  It had to be perfect!

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Russian Tea Cake Christmas Cookies

Christmas is coming!  Christmas is coming!  I am unusually excited.  Perhaps it is the new home, maybe it is my deeper faith, or perhaps, it is that I am excited to be back in the swing of life after a hard 18 months. I think I can attribute it to being the happiest, and most content I have ever been in my life.  I have a gracious heart, especially about all of you.

I am late out of the gate but I will be posting as many recipes as I can before Christmas Eve!  I work best under pressure!  I will be filming some of my recipes, as many as I can as well, so make sure you hit up my YouTube Channel and subscribe!  Here is the link: FoodThoughtsOfaChefWannabe YouTube Channel!  If you haven't hit the FOLLOW on this website, I would love for you to do that as well.  I love having you all in my life, everywhere!  You see, and learn, and experience different parts of me on my different social media outlets.  Not sure why, but, it seems to be that way!  I am weird, like so weird, but I am fun!  I mean at least I think I am! HA!

Now, on to the recipe.  These were a staple Christmas cookie as a kid.  My mom never skipped over making these.  I wasn't a huge fan of them as a child.  But, I think, these are more appealing to grown ups.  I love them now.  I of course changed mine up, just a little updating on my moms recipe, but hers were awesome as well.  As you can see in the video, I can't keep anything the same size.  I think you should get 2 doz out of this recipe, but I made a few of mine for the jolly green giant so I didn't get quite as many.

Please feel free to change the type of nuts you use to what you have on hand or love.  I wanted to just go with hazelnuts because I love them, I had some some and it was definitely the right choice.  What if you did almonds, with a WEE bit of almond extract?  Ohhhhhh!

1/2 cup softened butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup finely ground hazelnuts
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract (maybe a heaping tsp)
pinch of salt
1 cup extra powdered sugar for dipping

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

Combine butter and powdered sugar until combined.  Add in nuts, and let it mix until completely combined.  Add in a pinch of salt, your vanilla extract and again, mix until combined.  Add in flour and mix just until it is all incorporated.  Your mixture will appear to be dry and crumbly, but I promise it will stick together!  

Using a cookie scoop, scoop out your cookies, dump into your hand and roll into a ball.  The warmth of your hands will melt that butter enough to make them roll nicely.  Do this will all of them, place on your parchment lined cookie sheet and then bake for 10 minutes!  Let cool completely and then roll in your additional powdered sugar!  Place on a platter and waaa-laaaa, time to enjoy!

PS Did I mention to just double this recipe from the start?!  DO!
PSS These will be perfect for your #nobrowncookietray Christmas cookie trays!

Fresh Pico de Gallo

Farmer's market means, fresh veggies and herbs!  My husband and I took advantage of the fall like weather and loaded up our dog and off we went!  It was the perfect day at the market.  I even tried goat cheese (again) still don't like it.  Found some fabulous local vendors and some great treats!

I was feeling pico in my soul, so we picked up everything I needed.  Oh the joy of fresh veggies as opposed to the icky stuff in the store.  Take advantage while you still can!!!

This recipe seems to easy to even share, but I am sharing it anyway!  I never miss the chance to make some fresh pico and just wanted to share how I do it!

While I enjoy the combination of white onion and green onions, please, use just one or the other if you like.  Cilantro is another "to taste" ingredient.  We have discussed this on social media before, it seems people love it or hate it, there isn't much of an in between.  I VERY finely minced mine so a tablespoon is perfect, if you like more, get on with it!

2 cups finely diced tomatoes
1 jalapeno FINELY minced (remove veins and seeds unless you want to shoot fire out of your....whatever)
1/4 cup finely minced white onion
1 green onion chopped
1 T cilantro (not my fav, so add more if you like)
1/2 of a lime
1 tsp. salt

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined.  I used 1 tsp of salt and then ended up adding a WEE bit more.

This pico is so refreshing, so flavorful and should definitely make all of my healthy eaters happy! Very easy to double or triple for a party, and it will keep in the fridge a few days, so make tons, it is a delicious snack!  I think I will use the rest on some well seasoned grilled chicken breasts!  I am down for healthy AND this delicious and I hope you love it too!

This will get stronger onion and jalapeno flavor the longer it sets.  You could let the tomatoes drain before mixing in other ingredients, I simply use a slotted spoon to scoop it out into a bowl for eating!  

ENJOY!

Shrimp Tacos....

and shrimp tacos you shall get!

I had a request for these yesterday and decided hubby would love them.  I just decided as I was at the store what I would get for a sauce and garnish.  They turned out fabulous and hubby was thrilled.  I mean REALLY thrilled.  In fact he gave them an 11 out of 10.  I think he was just kissing up but who cares right?

When I stopped at the Asian Market for shrimp, I had to get them with the shells on and not deveined.  If you can, get your fish monger to do it for you.  If not, get them home, get those shells off, make a slit down his back, and rinse out the icky black digestive thingy.  I am not discussing it further.  I am sure you can find tutorials on YouTube if you have never done it.  This took me forever.  I am such a spoiled brat, I just want to buy them already done. 

When I got home and made these, I was in to much of a hurry to clean as I went.  Have you ever done that?  Just ignore the mass of dirty dishes you are creating and just keep working?  When you finish, you stop and look at your kitchen and think it is possible you just had an out of body experience because there is NO way YOU did all that.  Once the realization sets in, you convince yourself to finally start cleaning up.  After a few dishes, you decide to sit down a second because you need to regain some energy before you finish.  You never finish.  At least not THIS night.  Yea, I was there.  I did it.  It completely sucked. 

Anyway if we are gonna get these made we need to get movin'. 

You will need:
1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup Sweet Chili Sauce
Flour Tortilla's (4)
Bok Choy, shredded (2 cups)
1 sm. Green Bell Pepper, sliced thin
1/4 of a Red Onion .sliced thin
2 Tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 tbsp Peanut Oil
2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp garlic

Sprinkle 2 tbsp of old bay seasoning over your shrimp. 

In a nonstick skillet add in peanut oil and let it heat up.  Add shrimp.  Saute until the shrimp are pink on one side.  At this time add 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce and garlic. 

Saute shrimp until the are done or when they are pink on both sides and for a letter "C".  If you let them go to long they become close and make a "O" shape.  They are overcooked at that point usually.  They will still taste great they will just be a bit tougher and not tender. Here is an example.  And for the record I overcooked a few of mine while taking this photo!

Overcooked (O) and Cooked (C)

Heat up shells over a flame or in the oven.  Serve the shrimp in the shell on a bed of bok choy and topped with onions, peppers and tomatoes.  Spoon some of the juice over as well!

These are so easy, but incredibly delicious.  I think it would work just as well with chicken or pork!  Refreshing and a little kick, excellent with a cold beer!

Eat well my friends!

P.S.  You may get more tacos out of 1lb of shrimp.  I hate skimping, so I got 4!

Your "wish is my command" chefwannabe

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Shrimp Scampi (No Alcohol)