Lovin' From the Oven

Macaroni and Cheese

by 6 Comments

november-13

I normally don’t do this kind of thing, but I decided to give it a try for once. I entered a mystery ingredient surprise blogger (WHEW that was a mouthful!) contest and just so happened to become a finalist!! I can’t believe it!!

Please vote for my macaroni and cheese recipe here: http://www.mysteryingredientbloggershowcase.com/#vote

There’s no registering or anything like that. Simply click “vote” next to my name (Kim) and recipe! You can vote once a day for the next two weeks. Thank you so much for your support!

november-14

They sent me a “mystery ingredient” in the mail to make something with. When I opened the brown package, I found out that it was Colman’s mustard. At first, I panicked a little bit. What on Earth am I supposed to do with mustard? My DF hates it and I only eat it on hot dogs, hamburgers, and sandwiches. Lucky for me, they sent two forms of mustard.. regular mustard and mustard powder.

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I used the mustard powder to create a simple dish: mac n’ cheese. It’s such a great comfort dish, especially during the colder months. It’s so easy to make that it’s almost embarrassing to make it from a box!

november-16

I made a bread crumb/Cheez-It mixture to add on top for an extra layer of crunch. My DF ate 1/4 of the pan and didn’t even question the ingredients used because of how inviting the dish looked. You can’t go wrong with mac n’cheese, whether you’re six years old or sixty.

november-11

Again, I would really loveeee if you could vote for my macaroni and cheese recipe here (and don’t be afraid to share with others!). All you have to do is click on the orange “vote now” button next to my name. 

I’m really excited about this contest so I’m sorry ahead of time if I talk about it too much. Thanks again!!!

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Macaroni And Cheese

Ingredients

  • 1 box (I used 13.25 oz) whole wheat elbows
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons flour
  • 3/4 tsp dry mustard
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 1/4 cups milk
  • 5 cups cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup cheez-its, crushed
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large saucepan, cool the pasta for 6-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  3. Using the same pan over medium-low heat, completely melt your butter. Add in the flour, dry mustard, salt, and pepper and mix well.
  4. Slowly stir in the milk and bring the temperature up to medium high until it begins to bubble. Bring the temperature back down and let simmer together for about a minute.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in 4 cups of cheddar cheese until it is completely melted. Stir in the cooked pasta until it is evenly coated in the cheese mixture. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan.
  6. Put the last cup of cheese on top.
  7. Now, make the topping by mixing together the cheez-its and bread crumbs. Pour evenly over the pan.
  8. Top the pan off by sprinkling paprika and cayenne pepper on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
https://lovintheoven.com/macaroni-and-cheese/

Also, here’s a coupon for you to use if you plan on purchase mustard anytime soon!

Colman's Mustard Coupon

Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Cream Glaze

by 6 Comments

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Good Lord. The one thing I fear more than yeast is cinnamon rolls. Not eating them, making them.

I fear that it begins with yeast.
I fear waiting for the yeast to work its magic and the dough to rise.
I fear rolling out the dough.
I fear the dough sticking to everything in my kitchen.
I fear not being able to make a tight enough roll.
I fear slicing the rolls into parts too big or too small.
I fear the rolls falling apart after being cut.
I fear putting in hours of work only to have a failed project.

But you guys… something miraculous happened. I made cinnamon rolls. I. Made. Cinnamon. Rolls. Thank you Pioneer Woman!

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Fear number two overcome: My dough rose beautifully!

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How to overcome the sticky dough? I rolled it between two pieces of wax paper. Bring on the next fear!

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Alright, well the rolling part was a little difficult for me. I may or may not have had to re-roll some of them after slicing my log.

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But that’s okay because they still looked semi normal:

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…Minus the two at the bottom with little embryos.

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Nothing a little glaze couldn’t cover.

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These were divine, more than anything I could have asked for. Was it worth the labor? I only say no because I’m lazy and because cinnamon rolls could easily be bought. Seriously… yeast dough is SO MUCH work! Is it worth making once a year? Definitely. So if I ever make cinnamon rolls for you, know that I love you. Deeply and truly. I might as well be proposing to you.

They’re best warm, so if you’re not eating them right away, nuke them in the microwave for a couple of seconds before devouring. I’m craving one now just looking at the pictures.

You can find the original recipe from Pioneer Woman here. Since I didn’t have the need for enough rolls to feed an army, I cut the recipe in half, as follows (I still ended up freezing half and saving it for later):

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Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Cream Glaze

Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 packages active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 4 cups (plus 1/2 cup extra, separated) AP flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon (heaping) baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (scant) baking soda
  • 1/2 tablespoon (heaping) salt
  • plenty of melted butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • generous sprinkling of cinnamon

Directions

  1. Heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside for about 45 minutes and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute. Add 4 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour.
  2. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)
  3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. To assemble the rolls, remove the dough from the bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin. To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle the ground cinnamon and the 1 cup of sugar over the butter.
  4. Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down.
  5. Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One “log “will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)
  6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown.
https://lovintheoven.com/cinnamon-rolls-with-vanilla-cream-glaze/

For the glaze, I stuck to a simple vanilla one rather than the maple one that Pioneer Woman has on her blog. I used the recipe from How Sweet It Is. She says that it’s enough for one pan of cinnamon rolls, but I used it for two:

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Vanilla Cream Glaze

Ingredients

  • 1 heaping cup of powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons milk

Directions

  1. Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Evenly pour the glaze over the cinnamon rolls when they come straight out of the oven and let them absorb all the goodness.
https://lovintheoven.com/cinnamon-rolls-with-vanilla-cream-glaze/

Spiced Up Ramen & Winner

by 5 Comments

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First of all, the lucky winner of the $50 Drugstore.com gift card is comment number 45, Melanie! I’ve sent you an email, so please check your mailbox and respond ASAP!

Next, I’ve pretty much been living out of a suitcase for the past week and a half because of training. I’m either staying in Burlingame or fighting traffic to get home and sleep/study… only to wake up at 5 AM the next morning and do it all over again. The last thing I want to do when I get home from a 12 hour day of training is cook. What’s my solution? Instant ramen! There are so many things that you can do with a bag of ramen to spruce it up. Here’s one of my favorite ways:

Ingredients

  • 1 bag of Maruchan Instant Ramen, any flavor (I used chicken)
  • 1 egg, beat
  • 1 precooked sausage
Directions
  1. Boil water as directed on package of ramen. 
  2. Slice your sausage and toss it into the boiling water.
  3. Add the ramen and seasoning from package.
  4. With the water still boiling, slowly pour in the egg until cooked. 
  5. Serve once the ramen is thoroughly cooked. 

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