My FAVORITE Mac N' Cheese . . . with Roasted Garlic, Caramelized Onions, Chicken and Parmesan Cheese!

Mac N' Cheese is a regular on the favorite comfort food list . . . but it makes a rare appearance at my house . . . so when I do make it from scratch I like to go all out and make it with some of my favorite ingredients like roasted garlic, caramelized onions, Parmesan cheese, chicken and buttery brioche bread crumbs. Delish!!! My FAVORITE Mac N' Cheese
Recipe by: Emily

2 cups Elbow Macaroni
3 Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
1 medium Onion, chopped
4 Roasted Garlic Cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 1/2 cups Milk
1 cup Shredded Provolone Cheese
1 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
3 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Flour
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 cups Bread Crumbs, I like to use coarse brioche crumbs best
1. Cook macaroni according to directions on the package to al dente. Drain pasta and set aside in a large bowl.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan, melt together. Add the 1 teaspoon of light brown sugar to the melted butter/oil, add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until onions begin to brown. Lower heat to medium low and continue to cook onion stirring occasionally until softened and caramelized, about 15 minutes.

3. While the onions cook cut 3 chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces. Once the onions have caramelized for 15 minutes, higher the temperature to medium and add the chicken pieces to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and just cooked through. Add the minced roasted garlic to the chicken and remove skillet from heat. Spoon chicken over the macaroni and set aside while making the cheese sauce. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Use the same skillet that you cooked the chicken in to make the sauce, it will deglaze the pan. Higher heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and melt. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the melted butter and whisk while cooking for 1 minute until incorporated and smooth. Add 2 1/2 cups milk to the flour/butter mixture and whisk while continuing to cook. Once the milk mixture begins to thicken and bubble add the shredded cheeses and continue to whisk until the cheese has melted, about 3 minutes. Taste cheese sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni and chicken mixture and mix well. Pour macaroni mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish and top with 2 cups of brioche bread crumbs. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bread crumbs are browned and the macaroni is bubbly. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving, enjoy!

Bike Birthday Cake and Princess Tiana Birthday Cake . . .

I love making cakes for my nieces and nephews and family members! . . . May and June are very busy birthday months in our family . . . so here are two of the latest to make their appearances at parties this month . . . Princess Tiana was a delicious white cake with a white chocolate buttercream frosting and was requested by the little princess below who just turned 3! Look at those brown eyes! She is going to be a serious heartbreaker one day! (Thank you handsome husband of mine for whipping out the fantastic cupcakes for the party too!) Below is the bike cake that I made for my nephew who turned 6. It was a from the heart cake all the way with his fam cheering him on as he crossed the finish line in a birthday bike race! Love you B & K! Thanks for being such a great sports kiddles and letting your aunt make your cakes!

Caramelized Onion Dip

Oh finals . . . you are here and almost gone once again . . . I CAN'T WAIT! I mixed up a little distraction from studying today . . . and was instantly addicted!!! If you are an onion dip fan (in fact even if you are not) you have to try this recipe out! Easy and delish!!! I see another addition to our super bowl spread in the future . . . Caramelized Onion Dip
Recipe by: Emily

2-3 Medium Onions Chopped
8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup Mayo
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Water
1 Tbsp Butter
2 tsp light Brown Sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp Onion Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to a medium skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter in the oil then add the chopped onions, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of light brown sugar. Cook onions stirring continually for 5 minutes then lower heat to medium-low and continue to cook the onions until soft and caramelized for about 30 minutes stirring to keep from burning. Remove pan from heat and add 1 tablespoon of water to the onions and stir to deglaze the pan. Spoon onions into a bowl to chill in the refrigerator.
2. Mix the cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, worcestershire sauce, onion salt, garlic powder, and black pepper together with a hand mixer until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator until the onions are completely cool and then stir in the caramelized onions and refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!

*This dip is best when left to chill for a few hours or overnight!
**You can also substitute clams or crispy bacon in place of the onions to make clam or bacon dip!

Lots of Cake! -Wedding Cake

Yeah for more cake!!! Once again I am busy writing papers and prepping for finals . . . so I am sharing a cake that came out of my kitchen recently that I LOVED. . . I made this cake for my darling cousins wedding back in March and have been eager to post the pictures that my amazing sister in law Brandi took! The heart design on the side was based on my cousins ring so it added a bit more of a personal touch to it. (I love that idea . . . it really made it their own since they designed it!!!)The cake itself was a death by chocolate cake made up of decadent chocolate sour cream cake studded with mini chocolate chips and filled and frosted with my favorite chocolate fudge frosting and then covered with white and lemongrass colored marshmallow fondant! All four tiers were made of cake so their was plenty to indulge in! This was a lot of work but it turned out awesome and I was so excited to make it for them!!! Congrats again you happy newly weds!!! We are glad to have you in the family! Special thanks to my always willing and amazing pit crew who helped me with the finishing touches!!! Love you!!!

Tilapia with Bacon, Peanuts and Leeks

While serving an LDS Mission I spent a few months serving in the town of Weimar Germany. It is one of my favorite places that I have ever had the great opportunity of visiting . . . much less living in. It was such a lovely town, filled with wonderful people, incredible history and just an enticing layout and feel. If you are ever in Germany or planning a trip their I would definitely recommend giving Weimar a visit (and countless other towns and cities!!!). Anyways their was an "American Steakhouse" called Texas in the town that we would frequent from time to time, this recipe comes from a dish that I had there and have never forgotten. I know that the combo of peanuts, bacon and leeks/onions may sound a little strange to some . . . but don't knock it til' you try it is all that I have to say!
I used turkey bacon and leaks while making it the other day . . . but the original that I had in Germany utilized crisp bacon, caramelized onions and peanuts. Divine, divine! You can also use any mild white fish of your choice instead of Tilapia if you wish. All that I can say is that the medley of flavors is amazing! I would love to make this in a dutch oven camping!
Tilapia with Bacon, Peanuts and LeeksRecipe by: Emily
4 Tilapia fillets, or any mild white fish
6 strips of Bacon
1 -1 1/2 cups of Lightly Salted Peanuts
1 cup chopped Leeks, clean well . . . you can also substitute onions or shallots
1 cloved Garlic, minced
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup Flour
Seasoning Salt
Butter

1. Dice the bacon strips and add them to a large skillet over medium low heat and allow them to render down and crisp.
2. While the bacon is cooking chop and clean the leeks, set aside. Lightly flour the fish fillets in flour seasoned with salt and pepper or seasoning salt and pepper.
3. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave the bacon drippings in the pan and heat the skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil or butter to the pan (or a combo of both) if needed to cook the fish in. Brown the fish fillets on both sides in the bacon fat until cooked through. Set aside on a platter and cover with tin foil to keep warm.
4. Add the leeks to the skillet along with a tablespoon of additional butter if needed. Cook the leeks for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add the peanuts and minced garlic to the leek mixture and continue to cook until the peanuts begin to lightly brown and the leeks are soft. Add the crisped bacon back to the pan and cook for another minute or two. Taste mixture and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Spoon mixture over fish fillets and serve. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Penuche Frosting

I have never had a good experience making penuche candy . . . but the frosting is super easy AND delish! It had a rich caramel like buttery flavor that makes this girl weak in the knees . . . so good!The frosting has found its way into our favorite finds file!!! I love to frost cupcakes and then sprinkle a little dark chocolate on top to round it out . . . delish!!!

Penuche Frosting

1 cup Butter or Margarine
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
4-5 cups powdered sugar

1. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and bring to a boil, stir constantly; reduce heat to low. Continue boiling and stirring for0 2 minutes. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling; remove from heat. Pour mixture into medium bowl; refrigerate 1 hour or until room temperature.
2. Beat powdered sugar into cooled brown sugar mixture with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time if needed. If filling is too soft, cover; return to refrigerator 15 minutes to firm up. Spread on cake or cupcakes. Enjoy!

6 Ingredient Chicken Enchilada's

This recipe is way easy and delish . . . I used corn tortilla's this time around and they weren't as forgiving getting them out of the pan as when I use flour tortilla's . . . but they were still a delight!
On a side note I was informed that their was an article in the paper about me and the 3 other gals from Southern Utah who have recipes in the new Worldwide Ward Cookbook . . . check it out if you wish . . . News Article . . . also I will be giving one away in April so check back to enter and win!Chicken Enchilada's
Recipe by: Emily

4-5 Chicken Breasts, I used boneless and skinless, but use what you like
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Large Can Verde Enchilada Sauce
1 cup Sour Cream
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Flour or Corn Tortilla's

1. Lay chicken breasts in a 9x13 baking dish and cover with the enchilada sauce, bake in a 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until the breasts are cooked through.
2. Shred or cube the baked chicken breasts and place in a large bowl. Add the verde enchilada sauce back to the cooked chicken and then add the can of cream of chicken soup, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, and 1 cup of sour cream. Combine chicken mixture and then spoon into corn or flour tortilla's. Fill totilla's with as much or as little filling as you desire. Lay filled torilla's in a 9x13 baking pan until full . Cover the filled with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
3. Bake enchiladas in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with salsa, sliced olives, sour cream etc. Enjoy!

Rustic Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings

I love this recipe! This is one of my favorite dishes to make on snowy days, or when I need something to do to clear my head . . . I LOVE the dumplings and the texture and lightness that they have. They aren't goopy like some dumpling recipes that I have tried and it doesn't feel like paste is stuck to your ribs when you eat these.
Rustic Chicken and Herbed Cornmeal Dumplings
Recipe by: Emily

2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken thighs and/or Breasts
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Tbsp Butter
1 large Onion, chopped
2 cups Chicken Broth
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh Thyme or 3 tsp dried Thyme
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
2 tbsp Flour
2 cups Milk
2 Celery stocks, chopped
3 Carrots, chopped or sliced 1/4 inch thick

Dumplings

1/4 cup Flour
1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp cold unsalted Butter, cut in bits
2/3 cup Milk
1/2 tsp Freshly minced Parsely
1 tsp freshly chopped Chives, or any other herb you like

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, brown chicken on all sides until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside.
2. Melt butter in the pot, add the onion, carrots and celery; cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons flour in a bowl. Whisk in milk into the cornstarch, then whisk milk mixture into broth. Boil and continue to whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Dumplings: (mix the dumplings while the other ingredients cook)
1-In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Add butter. Use a fork, pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the cornmeal mixture. Add the the milk and herbs and stir with a fork until dough comes together. Return chicken mixture to a simmer, and drop dough by tablespoons on surface of stew. Cover; cook for 15 minutes without lifting lid. The dumplings will puff up as they cook. Enjoy!

Friendlier Carbonara

Raw eggs kinda ewwww me out . . . I realize that in tradtitional carbonara recipes eggs, cream, bacon and cheese are the main ingredients . . . but for those of who shirk from making carbonara because of 1-the fat content and 2-the whole raw egg factor . . . then this recipe is for you . . . use the lower fat options for an even more health friendly route, or adjust to whatever is floating about in your fridge. We loved this sauce! It would also be a great sauce on a thin crispy pizza crust or if instead of using bacon, or going all bacon, add shrimp, clams or scallops instead. Delish!
Friendlier CarbonaraRecipe by: Emily

5 strips of Bacon, diced (I use the center cut bacon, less fat, more meat, or you can use turkey bacon but may need to add a little extra oil)1 tsp Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
2-3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Flour
1 1/2 Cups Milk (or half and half for an even richer sauce)
1/2 cups Sour Cream (low fat or regular)1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 Tbsp Parsley, chopped
Salt
Black Pepper
Pasta

1. Cook the bacon in the olive oil over medium low heat, until it begins to render down, about 5-7 minutes. Add the onions and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, until the onion begins to caramelize.
2. While the onions and bacon cook whisk the sour cream, milk, cheese and 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper together, set aside.
3. Add the garlic to the bacon and onions and cook for one minute. Sprinkle the flour over the bacon and onion mixture and cook for another minute.
4. Stir in the milk/cheese/sour cream mixture. Allow to simmer, stirring to prevent burning, until thick. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Stir in parsely and remove from heat. Serve over pasta with additional parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

add additional milk if you want a thinner sauce