Cheese And Pasta In A Pot Dee Dees Food

CHEESE AND PASTA IN A POT - DEE DEE'S

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brown meat in a little olive oil in a large skillet; drain off excess fat. NOTE: I also rinse the browned meat and drain to make sure I get most of excess fat removed.
• Return meat to skillet; add onions, garlic, spaghetti sauce, stewed tomatoes and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper; mix well. Simmer 20 minutes until onions are tender.
• Meanwhile, cook shell macaroni according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
• Place 1/2 of the pasta in a greased large deep casserole dish. Cover pasta with 1/2 of the meat sauce. Spread 1/2 of the sour cream over meat sauce; top with Provolone Cheese. Repeat next layer ending with Mozzarella Cheese.
• Cover casserole; bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Remove cover; continue baking until Mozzarella Cheese melts and browns slightly.

DEE DEE'S ITALIAN MEATBALLS AND PASTA

Steps:

• 1. Soak bread slices in milk; squeeze excess moisture out of bread. Combine bread and remaining ingredients together except for the olive oil; mix well. Form meatballs. I made 21 large meatballs using a 1/4 cup measuring cup. You can make any size you desire.
• 2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over a medium heat; add meatballs and brown. Once browned, cover an reduce heat to low (just to keep warm). Prepare sauce.
• 3. SAUCE: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook until tender.
• 4. Add red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper; stir. Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat slighly and let simmer for 15 minutes covered. Remove lid and simmer another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to thicken.
• 5. Add meatballs to sauce, cover and simmer for another 30 minutes.
• 6. Plate up pasta, place 2 or 3 meatballs on top of spaghetti (or pasta of choice) and spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle with a little parmesan. Serve with a side salad and a fresh roll.

DEE'S SMOKED MAC N CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Boil macaroni in salted water until very al dente (about 5-7 min). It will cook the rest of the way in the smoker. Drain and set aside. Spray aluminum (disposable) casserole or lasagna pan with non-stick spray.
• 2. In a large heavy pot on medium heat, melt butter or bacon grease. Sauté chopped onion and garlic till opaque. Stir in flour and cook for a minute. Stir in wine and cook until evaporated.
• 3. Whisk in both kinds of milk, mustards, and cheeses. Cook until sauce is smooth and bubbly. Stir constantly to avoid burning. Season to taste.
• 4. Mix cheese sauce with macaroni and pour into prepared pan. Top with extra cheese.
• 5. Smoke in smoker for 2-4 hours (depending on the type of smoker you use) and smoke until light golden brown. Enjoy!
• 6. **Sauce should not be too thick. So if you want it creamy when it's done, thin it with a little more milk. If you like it drier, keep the sauce thicker. The longer cooking time in the smoker as opposed to baking in the oven, makes the cheese sauce soak into the macaroni. If you just want to make it in the oven, bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until light golden brown.