2006-12-28

hodge-podge Shepard's Pie

found here: http://www.haloscan.com/comments/mothership/6409402327281165460/#229306
in the comments to this post: http://momm-eh.blogspot.com/2006/12/feed-my-family.html

Ingredients:
Ground Hamburger (about a 1lb)
Potatoes (peeled and cubed)
Carrots (peeted and chopped)
Mashed Potates (Roughly 4-5 potatoes mashed, or buy Instant stuff like I do)
Shredded Cheese of your likingButter (2 TBS)
Optional items: onions, peas, sweet potatoes... you get the idea)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Get out a glass or metal baking pan (doesn't matter on the size really).

In a large bowl mix: chopped potatoes, carrots, raw ground hamburger, optional items. Once mixed well.
Spoon all of the contents into the baking pan. Place dabs of the butter over the top (about 1TBS on each half).

Spoon the Mashed potatoes over the top and spread to cover (like frosting). Sprinkle with the shredded cheese.

Place in the oven (lower rack) for about an hour (maybe an hour and a half depending on your likes or dislikes). In my family, I have to cook it until the Carrots and potatoes are mooshy (and the ground beef will be cooked thoroughly by then too).

Mac and cheese

found this here: http://www.haloscan.com/comments/mothership/6409402327281165460/#229276
in the comment section from this post: http://momm-eh.blogspot.com/2006/12/feed-my-family.html

YOu will need: about half of a standard bag of macaroni, one-and-a-half cups of milk (2% works fine), three tablespoons of flour, two tablespoons of butter, a tablespoon of cooking or olive oil, and one of those one- or two-year-old extra-old cheddar cheese wedges from PC. (You can use another kind of cheese, of course, but I find that size is perfect for one batch of mac and cheese.)

While the macaroni is boiling, melt the butter and oil in a large saucepan (large enough to add all hte macaroni to when it's done--a wok is about the right size, if you have one). When it's melted, add the flour and stir constantly for one to three minutes. If it's starts turning brown, you've been cooking too long. I find one minute is generally not too short.

Then slowly add the milk, whisking as you go. Don't worry if it's a bit lumpy, it'll all smooth out when you add the cheese. (I forgot to add that the cheese should be grated before you even add the macaroni to the pot, because it'll take a few minutes). Stir until the mixture is slightly thickened and bubbly. Now add grated cheddar to the milk mixture by the handful, stirring until melted; reserve one or two handfuls of the cheddar cheese for a topping.

Once the sauce is done and the macaroni is done, drain the water from the macaroni and add it to the sauce pot, stirring to coat, then add the remaining cheddar cheese to the top. You can stick it in the broiler if you like, but I think that's overkill. I usually just wait until it's melted, or melty, and then it's ready to eat.