Mac N'Cheese (Prince)

Borrowed from Prince Pasta

Ingredients:
8 ounces dried PRINCE ELBOW MACARONI or desired-shape pasta (2 cups)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 12-ounce package sliced reduced-fat process American cheese product, torn
Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, for cheese sauce, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Stir macaroni into cheese sauce in saucepan, stirring to coat. Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring frequently. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings. Oven Macaroni and Cheese: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare as above, except increase milk to 2 cups. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart casserole. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Apple Pie

From Betty Crocker

Pastry  - (we use premade but if you want to do it all!)

2

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon salt

2/3

cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening

4

to 6 tablespoons cold water

Filling

1/3

to 1/2 cup sugar

1/4

cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2

teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8

teaspoon salt

8

cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (8 medium)

2

tablespoons butter or margarine

I cheat and use pre-made pastry

1. In medium bowl, mix 2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
2. Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half; shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling. 
3. Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one pastry round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
4. In large bowl, mix sugar, 1/4 cup flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir in apples until well mixed. Spoon into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over filling. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate.
5. Roll other round of pastry into 10-inch round. Fold into fourths and cut slits so steam can escape. Unfold top pastry over filling; trim overhanging edge 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; flute as desired. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.
6. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Serve warm if desired.

It says to wait two hours before eating so the juices have a chance to solidify. I agree that's best, but I can never wait that long!

Apple Crisp

Recipe here

Black Bean Mango Salsa

Borrowed from Hina Suri

Ingredients
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
½ cup Italian dressing, any kind you like (use fat-free or low-cal)
Two 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup chopped red onions
1 small green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red pepper, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
In a food processor or blender, take ¼ cup of the mango with the Italian dressing until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining mango with the beans, red onions, and peppers. To the bean mixture, add the mango puree.>
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and chill until ready to serve.

Butternut Squash Soup

From the Food Network
(one of the many versions that we make)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups good apple cider or juice

Directions

Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.

Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.

Pumpkin Dip

Borrowed from Beth Murray

Fall pumpkin dip that goes well with ginger snaps or cinnamon pita chips.

the dip is really easy... mix together:

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

1 15 oz can of pumpkin

1/2 tablespoon or so of cinnamon

1 teaspon of nutmeg

I mix the sugar and cream cheese first then add the pumpkin.  I also did some extra cream cheese to make it creamy.  I used fat free cream cheese or light - makes it not as bad for you but still really good!

Skirt Steak with Cilantro Garlic Sauce

From Gourmet

For sauce1 medium garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt -- DON'T USE THIS MCUH!
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

For steak1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt -- DON'T USE THIS MUCH!!
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 pound skirt steak, cut crosswise into 3- to 4-inch pieces

Make sauce:Mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt. Transfer to a blender and add remaining sauce ingredients, then blend until smooth.

Grill steak:Stir together cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pat steak dry, then rub both sides of pieces with cumin mixture.

Heat an oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over high heat until hot but not smoking, then grill steak in 2 batches, turning over occasionally, about 2 minutes per batch for thin pieces or 6 to 8 minutes per batch for thicker pieces (medium-rare). Serve steak drizzled with sauce.

Lemon Blueberry Panckes

From People magazine

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cup Cake Flour
• 1 Tablespoon (additional) Cake Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1-1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (more If Needed)
• 1 whole Lemon (more If Needed)
• 1 whole Large Egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
• Zest From 1 Lemon
• 1 cup Heaping Blueberries
• Extra Butter
• Maple Or Pancake Syrup

Preparation/Instructions:

1. Heat heavy skillet or grill over medium low heat.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, mix evaporated milk, juice of 1 lemon (more if lemon isn't very juicy), and lemon zest. Allow to sit for five minutes, then add egg, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix to combine.
4. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. Stir gently to combine. Splash in more evaporated milk if mixture is overly thick. Stir in blueberries. Again, check to make sure mixture isn't overly thick.
5. Melt butter in heated skillet. Drop batter by 1/4 cup measures and fry pancakes on both sides until golden.
6. Serve with softened butter and warm syrup.