Baked Mac and Cheese

I made this for Benjamin's birthday and it was really quite yummy. Rich and creamy. Just what you want out of your mac and cheese! I got the recipes from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
2 eggs
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon seasoned salt 1 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces process cheese (Velveeta), melted
2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese,
divided
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese,
divided

Directions:
1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, butter, mustard, seasoned salt and pepper until combined. Stir in the process cheese and 1-1/2 cups of each cheddar cheese.
2. Drain macaroni; stir into cheese mixture. Pour into a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Top with remaining cheeses. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are bubbly.

Favorite Tarts

Filo Dough is my favorite way to make beautiful and super yummy tarts! Here is how I did it. I bought some frozen filo dough at the store. I thawed it following their directions. Then using lost of slightly damp paper towels to help keep the dough from drying out as it does very quickly. I used three sheets of filo dough at a time brushing butter in between each sheet. Then I cut the three layered sheets using cooking scissors to cut them into small rectangles. Then I gently pressed then into a small cupcake pan. I think I baked them at 400 degrees. I baked them until light golden brown about 5 minutes. I removed them immediately from the pan to cool on my counter then I continued working with three sheets at a time. You get a lot of the tarts from one package. These can be made a day ahead of time and still be great.

I filled them with two different types of filling:

The raspberry ones I filled them with layered vanilla pudding, homemade raspberry syrup, and then whipped cream.

The chocolate tarts had vanilla pudding, homemade chocolate ganache, and whipped cream.

Benjamin's Birthday Cake - Peanut Butter and Chocolate

Fudge Version

Adapted from recipes from this blog

One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart's CupcakesMakes 18 cupcakes

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. warm water

1 package of chocolate instant pudding mix

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners (Amy's note: I always use baking spray with flour instead). With an electric mixer on medium speed, combine dry ingredients. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and water; beat until smooth and combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. then stir in the box of chocolate pudding mixes.
2. Divide batter evenly among 18 cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto rack and cool completely.Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 3 months in an airtight container.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking BookMakes 3 cups, enough for 24 cupcakes or the top of 1 sheet cake

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into chunks and softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Beat the butter, peanut butter, cream, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
2. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar, and beat until incorporated and smooth, 4-6 minutes. Increase the mixer speed and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.

Fluffy Version

from this really cute blog

One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes

Adapted from Martha Stewart's CupcakesMakes 18 cupcakes

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

2 eggs

3/4 c. buttermilk

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. warm water

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners (Amy's note: I always use baking spray with flour instead). With an electric mixer on medium speed, combine dry ingredients. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and water; beat until smooth and combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

2. Divide batter evenly among 18 cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto rack and cool completely.Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 3 months in an airtight container.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking BookMakes 3 cups, enough for 24 cupcakes or the top of 1 sheet cake

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks and softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 tbsp heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Beat the butter, peanut butter, cream, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.

2. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar, and beat until incorporated and smooth, 4-6 minutes. Increase the mixer speed and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.