Christmas Dinner 2016

This is our first Christmas in Michigan! It'll be a smaller crowd than usual, but we're still planning some good food (naturally!).

Christmas Eve
Crackers with cheese and sausage
Hummus and pita chips
Apple rings
Veggie pizza
Fall Kale Super Salad
Apple crisp


Christmas Dinner
Filets
Kale colcannon
Brussels sprouts with balsamic & cranberries
Hasselback Butternut squash with bay leaf
Cranberry sauce
Butterhorns
Tiramisu

Week 349 Menu

Sunday: Chicken carnitas in lettuce cups
Monday: Burgers and cauliflower rice
Tuesday: Leftover carnitas with sautéed kale and roasted sweet potatoes
Wednesday: Pumpkin muffins
Thursday - Friday: Play it by ear with family in town
Saturday: Christmas Eve snackys

Week 348 Menu

Sunday: Mac and cheese casserole and cauliflower rice
Monday: Ginger fried rice
Tuesday: Meatball subs
Wednesday: Chicken piccata and roasted sweet potatoes
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Husband cooks Blue Apron
Saturday: Out

Menu 347 Menu

Sunday: Husband cooks Blue Apron (baked cod)
Monday: Sweet potato lasagna
Tuesday: Yorkshire Pudding and buttered peas
Wednesday: Homemade calzones
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Pizzas
Saturday: Out

Week 346 Menu

Sunday: Grilled cheese and roasted sweet potato soup

Monday: Taco Bake

Tuesday: Cacio e pepe

Wednesday: Chicken nuggets and butter peas

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pizzas

Saturday: Out

Week 345 Menu

Sunday: Mac and cheese casserole, roasted sweet potato
Monday: Blue Apron (husband cooks)
Tuesday - Friday: Thanksgiving at Babas!!
Saturday: Date night.

Baked Mac and Cheese Casserole

This is the Lawrence family's FAVORITE mac and cheese. It comes from the Cook's Country magazine, and is surprisingly UN-fussy for an America's Test Kitchen recipe.  It's a baked casserole with a bread crumb topping.....and that means it has to cook for 25 minutes. The recipe also calls for 20 minutes to set before cutting into it. Do not taking this setting time for granted!! With the resting time, you will have a more solid, freestanding piece of mac and cheese casserole (instead of a melting pool on your plate). Because this recipe takes over an hour from start to finish, we save it for weekends...and have precious few leftovers! 

The mustard, cayenne, and Worcestershire sauce lend an interesting flavor. This casserole sets up to be pretty solid. Rather than stringy, pull-apart cheesy, the sauce is more of a creamy béchamel. It is so rich and tasty.

For reference, this is our favorite, quick, weeknight mac and cheese.

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
from America's Test Kitchen


8 oz elbow macaroni
2 c shredded mild cheddar cheese
2 t cornstarch
4 T unsalted butter
1/2 c panko bread crumbs
1/2 c onion, finely chopped
3 T flour
2 t mustard
1/8 t cayenne pepper
2 c water
1 c heavy cream
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add macaroni and 1 T salt. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain macaroni and set aside.
3. Toss mild cheddar cheese with cornstarch and set aside.
4. Melt 1 T butter over med-low heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook until golden (~4 min). Set those aside.
5. Now heat the saucepan up to med-high heat and melt the remaining 3 T butter. Cook the onion until soft (~3 min). Stir in flour, mustard, 1/2 t salt, 3/4 t pepper, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.
6. Whisk in water and cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low. Cook until thickened (~5min).
7. Remove sauce from heat and whisk in mild cheese/cornstarch mixture until melted. Then whisk in eggs, yolk, and Worcestershire sauce.
8. Add macaroni and stir until combined.
9. Transfer the mac and cheese to an 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with sharp cheddar, then breadcrumbs. Bake until well browned and set (20-25 min).
10. Let set for 20 minutes. Then serve!