Panera's Stove Top Mac n Cheese

Panera’s Stove Top Mac and Cheesesource: Panera Bread

Ingredients:

• 12 oz Large Sea Shell pasta
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half
• 4 oz white American cheese, chopped or torn into pieces
• 8 oz extra sharp white Vermont cheddar, shredded
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp hot sauce (I used Louisiana)
• Ritz Crackers

Instructions:

1. In a large stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain well.
2. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a 4-quart sauce pan over medium heat.  When the butter has melted and has started to bubble, whisk in the flour; cook for 1 minute whisking constantly.  Gradually whisk in the milk until no lumps remain.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook milk mixture, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles, about 8 minutes.
3. Remove sauce pan from the heat.  By the handful, stir in the cheeses allowing all of the cheese to melt into the sauce before adding more.  Stir in the mustard, salt, and hot sauce.  Return the sauce pan to the heat and stir in the pasta.  Be sure to stir up the sauce from the bottom of the sauce pan and thoroughly coat all of the pasta with sauce.  Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through.  Serve hot in bowls with spoons.  Top with crumbled Ritz Crackers.  Enjoy:)

The Absolute Best Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Like my husband said, "You definitely hit this one out of the park!"  This Saturday I tried something I have never tried before- Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds unpeeled, large fresh shrimp (about 50 or 60 medium sized)
• 2 (32-ounce) containers chicken broth
• 1 pound andouille, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• Vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 celery ribs, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 to 3 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• Hot cooked rice

Preparation

• Peel shrimp, reserving shells, and devein, if desired. Set meat aside.

• Combine shrimp shells and chicken broth in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding shells. Set broth aside, and keep warm.
• Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat until browned. Remove sausage; set aside. Measure drippings, adding enough oil to measure 1/2 cup. Cook oil mixture and flour in Dutch oven over medium-low heat about 35 to 40 minutes, whisking constantly, until roux is chocolate colored.
• Stir in onion and next 3 ingredients; cook 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring often. Gradually stir in warm broth; bring mixture to a boil. Stir in bay leaves and next 4 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in shrimp, sausage, and green onions; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Discard bay leaves. Serve over hot rice.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Really friends, get on these right away (and bring me some)!
Enjoy! 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Source:  very slightly adapted from My Baking Addiction
(get the printable recipe here)

Ingredients: 
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:
10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions: 
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8" square baking pan with parchment paper or foil allowing a little overhang and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Leave your oven on while you prepare the dough.
3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Using your hand to form clumps, distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. Be sure to use all of the dough. 
5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least a couple hours.
6. Lift the bars out by the overhang and cut into squares for serving.

Overnight Caramel French Toast

Compliments of SixSister's Stuff.

Yall, this recipe is to die for.  My husband, who doesn't even like sweets, especially for breakfast, could not get enough.  Be prepared to indulge!!!!

Ingredients 

Topping:

1 cup packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/3 cup whipping (heavy) cream

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

(I added chopped pecans for a little somethin' extra!)

French Toast:

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 (3/4-inch-thick) diagonal cut slices French bread 

Directions:  Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, mix topping ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. DO NOT BOIL. Spread topping in baking dish.

2.  In shallow bowl, beat eggs with fork. Beat in milk, vanilla and salt. Dip bread slices into egg mixture, making sure all egg mixture is absorbed; arrange over topping in dish. Cover; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

3.  When ready to bake, heat oven to 400°F. Uncover baking dish; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and toast is golden brown. Remove from oven; let stand 3 minutes.

4.  Place large heatproof serving platter upside down over baking dish; turn platter and baking dish over. Remove baking dish, scraping any extra caramel topping onto toast. Serve immediately.

Egg Drop Soup- Better than the Restaurants

Ingredients

• 6 cup chicken stock (one container of reduced sodium/ one container of regular)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup chiffonade spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger 
• 4 mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean, and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons of chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• Pinch finely ground white pepper
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Add 6 tablespoons of the green onions, the spinach, mushrooms, soy and white pepper, ginger and garlic powder. Return to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. In a small bowl mix together cornstarch and 2 TBL of chicken stock.  Pour into broth.  With a whisk, gradually add the eggs in a slow steady stream. Cook until the eggs are set, stirring to create shreds or ribbons of the eggs, 1 minute.

Remove from heat. Ladle into bowl.  Top with green onions and enjoy!

**TRICK:  If you want it to be yellow (like the restaurant version), simply add a few drops of yellow food coloring until you reach your desired color:)

Great Tip:  REGROW GREEN ONIONS