Birthday party recipes and a few others!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while.  I have had sick kids for weeks and weeks, and they're actually sick again, so I have not been cooking much.

However, yesterday was my daughter's first birthday party, and I made a spread.  Turkey Chili, Mummy Dogs, Cranberry Coleslaw, Homemade Guacamole, Homemade Mac and Cheese, Applewood rubbed ribs, and the most requested recipe thus far----the Caramel Apple Cheesecake Trifle.

This, I have to say, is far from homemade.  Semi-homemade, if you will.  Here are the ingredients:

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Trifle

2 tubs of Philadelphia Cheesecake Filling
2 cans of Apple Pie Filling
1 jar of Smuckers Caramel Sauce
1 box of Honey Maid Honey Graham Crackers

Crush the graham crackers in a bag with a rolling pin (or even a can of apples) until you have crumbs. 

If I had time, I would have put the crumbs into a frying pan with some butter then patted it down on the bottom, but alas.  I was running late.  So I just started to layer all the ingredients.  Graham crackers, apples, caramel, pecans, cheesecake filling.  Decorate the top, and voila. 

It was really easy, and went over pretty big.

Other winners of the menu were the mummy dogs which were nothing but Pilsbury Crescents and hot dogs.

And of course, the homemade mac and cheese, which is a recipe I always use from Pioneer Woman's blog.  It NEVER disappoints.

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 4 cups Dried Macaroni
• 1 whole Egg Beaten
• ¼ cups (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2-½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired
• 1 pound Cheese, Grated
• ½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme

Preparation

Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.
In a small bowl, beat egg.  In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.  Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.  Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.
Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.  Add in cheese and stir to melt.
Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.  Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.  Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

(THIS, I forgot to photograph.)

Next up, the guacamole.  My husband said this was his favorite.  I had to agree.  And I also forgot to photograph the finished product. 

I use a very loose receipe for guacamole.  I used about six avocados, half of a giant red onion, about a cup of chopped cherry tomatoes (the firmer the better), salt to taste, and the juice of two limes.   I add a little lime zest, too.    Mash the avocados with a fork, and add the rest of the ingredients.  Done!

Happy Eating!