Mac & cheese with kielbasa is always one of my favorite treats. I love mac & cheese and this is my favorite version of it. Kielbasa is also a nice protein to have with it since it’s spices are so flavorful and compliment the mac & cheese perfectly.
Cook 1 1/2 cup of macaroni to al dente and drain.
While that is cooking, preheat oven to 375 F. Dice 1 small onion (1/2 cup) and cook in a large frying pan with 4 Tbsp of butter until translucent.
Remove Kielbasa from packaging, remove skin, cut into 1 1/2″ pieces, place into a casserole dish, add 1/4″ of water and set aside.
Once onions are translucent, add 4 Tbsp of flour stir to combine, then add 2 1/2 cups of milk. Heat to a slight simmer.
While that is heating, cube one block of sharp cheese (8 oz) by cutting the block in half the short way, then slicing into slices 1/4 inch thick. Once milk is simmering, remove milk from heat and immediately add cheese and start stirring until all cheese is melted.
Place drained macaroni into a 2 quart size or bigger backing/casserole dish. Then pour the hot cheese over top and carefully stir.
Add Kielbasa to oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir. Return to oven for another 15 minutes. Cook with the mac & cheese. Bake your mac & cheese for 30 minutes until the top has begun to brown and is bubbling hot. Serve together.
A history of my life and Fajitas: I was in love with McDonald’s Chicken Fajitas when I was a young child. I loved the flavors, and remember being filled up on one most of the time, but occasionally being able to eat two; they were so good. I went without another fajita until I was in my mid-teens when I stopped at a rest stop and the Quizno’s had a chicken fajita sub with lime. I had to get it, and it was so good. It tasted just like my childhood. I wasn’t able to have another Fajita until my Senior year of college when my then fiance had an apartment with a kitchen. In that kitchen I cooked many dinners. I cooked Easter dinner, steaks, a giant pot of mac & cheese, fry bread, granola bars, lemon mousse, and so much more. I got to borrow his kitchen every Friday night. That day when we were roaming around Dollar General, I found all the ingredients I had needed to make them, Chicken Fajitas. I bought everything frozen back then and only got the chance to make them two to three times, but that is the bases of what I’ve made today.
Actual information and hints for when/if you make them:
Please use non-stick if you have it. Melted/burnt cheese is one of the worst things to have to clean off a pot. You can also use frozen veggies (that’s what I used), but you can also chop fresh. You can also buy frozen pre-sliced chicken and it is just as good, just a bit less juicy. I had used Tyson Fully Cooked Grilled Chicken Breast Strips when I used to make them. They are good because they have a bit of flavor to them already. I have also used prepackaged shredded cheese, usually a mild cheese mix, but today I decided to do it a bit different with other cheeses. You pick whatever flavors you like. If you want spice, pick a monetary jack or pepper jack cheese. Want a mild flavor, pick mozzarella and cheddar mix. Something bold, go with a Munster or a sharp cheese. Today I split it 1:2 mozzarella and extra sharp cheddar. I also prefer heating my tortillas in a pan. It’s one of my favorite ways to heat them, but feel free to heat them as directed on the packaging. My oil is also brown in the first photo because I had used some butter in the pan, and because I had just used the pan to finish making breakfast sandwiches for the week.
Slice one chicken breast into 1/2 inch wide slices. Then, cut these strips into halves or thirds. If they chicken breast is really thick you will probably have to cut it in half that way too.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Half and slice 1 medium onion (1 cup). Half, clean, and slice 2 bell peppers (one green and red and about 2 cups).
Once the skillet is heated, add your chicken and cook until browned. Add veggies, 3 Tbsp of oil, and 2 Tbsp of water if you are using all fresh ingredients. If using frozen do not add additional water. Continue to cook until all veggies are soft.
Add 1/2 a cup of salsa, and 2-3 cups of cheese. Reduce heat to low and stir until combined and the sauce is thick. Turn to keep warm, or remain on very low heat.
In a skillet, Heat one tortilla at a time over medium high heat. Heat one side for 1 minute until hot to the touch. Flip, fill 1/2 of the way with filling (add more cheese as desired), wrap, then transfer to serving plate. Wait 5 minutes before serving and have extra salsa available for serving.
On a baking sheet bake 1/2 a bag of chicken nuggets as directed on package.
In a serving bowl, microwave 3 Tbsp of butter for 25 seconds.
Add to melted/softened butter, 4 Tbsp of wing/hot sauce (Texas Pete, Frank’s), 1 Tbsp of worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp of cayenne, and 1 1/2 tsp of garlic powder. Mix and microwave for another 20 seconds.
Once chicken is cooked, transfer into serving bowl. Toss until coated then serve with blue cheese.
Cheese, Sausage, Mustard, & Crackers
Cut up your choice of meats and cheeses. Serve on crackers with mustard.
Cheesy Braided Bread
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Using 1/2 a pizza amount of dough, roll into a rectangle until about 1/4 inch thick.
Place shredded cheese down the center 1/3 of bread. Place cuts down either side of the bread, even on both sides.
Begin braiding by placing one piece from one side over one from the other. Continue until all pieces are tucked under.
Place into a large baking sheet that is sprayed with cooking spray. Top with shredded cheese.
Bake for 22 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, slice and serve with choice dipping sauce.
Rolling out dough is probably one of the hardest tasks for me. I always have to roll it out with a rolling pin on my counter because no matter how much I try to hand toss it, I always tends to tear in the center. So, now I use a french rolling pin, and that helps me a lot. Otherwise, making pizzas are easy so long as you give yourself time to let the dough rise fully. To speed things up, you can also make the dough a day early. Also, since this recipe makes 2 pizzas, it’s a fun idea to make them with different toppings, but the world is your oyster! Do as you like!
Into a bowl, bloom 3 1/2 tsp of yeast (1 1/2 packets) with 1/2 cup of warm water.
Add 3 Tbsp oil, 6 cups of flour, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix into a dough, then let rest covered until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 400 F
Punch down dough, remove from bowl, and split in half.
Roll out dough into rounds about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. They should have a diameter of 14-16 inches.
Spray your pizza pan with non stick spray, if applicable, and place your pizza on top. If you are using a pizza stone, you can make it on your stone or your pizza peel.
To make my pizza sauce, open a small can (8 oz) of tomato sauce and add 1 Tbsp of garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp of onion salt, 2 Tbsp dried (or fresh) minced onion, and 1 Tbsp Oregano. (You’ll have to double this for both pizzas.)
Top each pizza with tomato sauce, 8 oz of mozzarella, and parmasean sprinkled over the entire top of the pizza and crust.
Cheese steaks are an easy dinner/snack that can serve a lot of people with little effort in cooking. If you plan to cook lot of steaks, I would recommend using a skillet, but otherwise a frying pan should be enough. you can also cook the steak and just place the cheese on your bread. This is one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in a while and I highly recommend.
This is a good option also for a sandwich buffet. Make up the onion and meat, then make a spread of cheeses, veggie toppings like lettuce, and tomatoes, dressings like mayo, ketchup, and ranch, and other sides like chips, pasta salads, and wings.
Chop 1/2 an onion into slices. Heat a small frying pan to medium-low heat. Add 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter and onion. Stir occasionally.
In a large frying pan, add 1 Tbsp of butter, melt, then cook steak pieces until browning appears on both sides.
Add cheese to your bread, add desired amount of meat, onion, and additional toppings as desired.
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