8/18/14

The BEST Chili Mac

Name: Chili Mac
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 Servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs ground beef; 1 onion, diced; 1 15.5-oz can chili beans, undrained; 1 14.5-oz. can petite diced tomatoes; 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce; 1 1.25-oz. packet chili seasoning; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1 cup milk; 1 1/2 cups small macaroni noodles, uncooked; 8-oz. colby jack cheese, shredded and divided

A hearty pasta recipe that combines chili with macaroni & cheese using ground beef, chili beans, noodles and gobs of gooey cheese.

JUMP TO RECIPE

For as long as I’ve been cooking, I’ve always mixed leftover homemade chili with macaroni noodles, throw in some cheese then ate it as a separate meal later in the week.

It was always a win-win because my family – especially when the kids were little – loved it! Actually, they liked it better than plain chili and would get excited when I made chili because they knew what came next.

I thought I was just being cleverly frugal and, in doing so, had invented something new. Then Pinterest happened and I discovered that it wasn’t anything new. It was already a thing.

The BEST Chili Mac! A hearty pasta recipe that combines chili with macaroni & cheese using ground beef, chili beans, noodles and gobs of gooey cheese.

Boo. Life never fails to humble me when I get the big head on.

The good thing was it made me think about making it as a standalone dish and not just a thrown-together thing with leftovers.

I am happy to tell you this has turned into one of our FAVORITE meals and the best part is that it freezes beautifully!

FAQ ABOUT CHILI MAC

Can I double the recipe? YES! I almost always do because the leftovers heat up so well and I love to keep this in the freezer.

Can Chili Mac be frozen? Also, yes! Pour into a 2-quart dish (I use disposable aluminum) then top with cheese (last step). Cover with foil then cool to room temperature. Freeze up to 3 months.

How do you heat after freezing? You can either defrost in the refrigerator overnight then heat, covered, at 350 degrees 45 minutes OR you can reheat from frozen 90 minutes (uncover the last 20 minutes).

What if I can’t find Chili Beans? Just use a can of pinto beans (drained) then add a dash more salt, pepper, garlic and cumin.

Can I use cheddar or another type of cheese? Yep! Use whatever you like best or have on-hand.

Recipe for The BEST Chili Mac

Chili Mac

Yield: 6 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

A hearty pasta recipe that combines chili with macaroni & cheese using ground beef, chili beans, noodles and gobs of gooey cheese.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 15.5-oz can chili beans, undrained
1 14.5-oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 1.25-oz. packet chili seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups small macaroni noodles, uncooked
8-oz. colby jack cheese, shredded and divided

Instructions

Season ground beef and onion with salt & pepper to taste then brown over high heat in a large, wide pot until meat is cooked through. Drain fat then return to pot.
Add remaining ingredients except half of the cheese (reserving half for later). Stir well then bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes; stirring occasionally.
Turn off heat and let pot rest, covered, on the burner for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and noodles are tender. Stir again then top with remaining shredded cheese to serve.

Notes

Chili Beans are beans with saucy chili seasoning. If you can’t find chili beans, just use a can of pinto beans (drained) then add a dash more salt, pepper, garlic and cumin.
Other questions are likely addressed in the FAQ section above the recipe card.

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Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2008

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8/11/14

Red-Eye Gravy

Classic southern red-eye gravy recipe made from country ham pan drippings and black coffee.

It just about don’t get much more Southern than red-eye gravy. When half your suburban neighbors have never heard of it and the other half have never eaten it, we can either call it old-school or we can put another hash mark on our “reasons to move back out the country” log.

I grew up eating it. My nanny made it mostly. And since Nanny spent half her life in a dirt-floor house, I think it’s safe to call this one-old school. Fo sho.

I've heard two theories as to where red-eye gravy got its name. The one I always reckoned was when you serve it on grits, you make a little well or indentation in the grits to hold the gravy so it doesn't run all over the place and it kinda looks like a red eye.

The other I've heard is that when you add the coffee to the pan, the grease takes on a red tint and kinda swirls all together like a red eye. Since this makes me think of gasoline in a mud puddle and/or some creepy character in a sci-fi movie, I like to stick to the first theory.

For those of you who have never had red-eye gravy, I need to warn you this isn’t really gravy. It’s more like a hot liquid that’s only slightly reduced. It runs all over the plate and gets on everything.

My favorite way to have this is with fried ham, fresh-sliced tomatoes and biscuits. I end up mixing half my tomatoes into my grits and sop it all up with a biscuit.

Man, dang. My mouth is watering.

Red-Eye Gravy is a classic southern pan gravy made from country ham pan drippings.

Red-Eye Gravy
1 pound thick country ham or cured ham slices (country ham is customary)
1 tablespoon bacon grease or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup strong black coffee*
1/2 cup water
Pinch of salt

Heat a medium or large cast iron frying pan over medium heat (you can use other types of frying pans but the best red-eye gravy is made in a cast iron pan). Add bacon grease or vegetable oil to hot pan then fry ham until nicely browned on each side. Do not cook at a higher heat than medium. You do not want your pan drippings to burn or brown too much or your gravy will taste burnt.

Remove ham from pan then add butter. Stir butter until melted then add coffee. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the lovely ham bits from the pan. Add water and salt then continue cooking over medium heat until the gravy is simmering. Once simmering, cook for 4-5 minutes or until gravy is slightly reduced. Taste for salt and add if necessary.

Serve over ham and grits.

*We make our coffee really strong so I usually make my red-eye gravy with half coffee and half water and let it reduce a little. If you make your coffee on the weak side, you can probably use all coffee and omit the water.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

8/05/14

Cherry Dump Cake

Home » Desserts » Cherry Dump Cake

An easy cake recipe made with cherry pie filling, pineapple, a cake mix and nuts that finishes like a cobbler or cherry crisp!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

JUMP TO THE RECIPE
RECIPE ALTERNATIVES
MORE EASY CHERRY DESSERTS

I have made some of the neatest foodie friends this year! My friend Mary and her son, Noah are proving to be DE-lightful people to cook for and eat with!

Noah just turned six but has the palette of a refined Frenchman. I first noticed his appreciation for food when I watched him knock out half a tray of marinated blue crab claws. All the other kids were walking a wide circle around them but Noah knew he’d found something special.

Even watching him eat motivates my inner chef. He tastes food the way most people taste fine wine, first putting a little in his mouth and moving it around with his tongue before biting down.

Cherry Dump Cake - An easy cake recipe made with cherry pie filling, pineapple, a cake mix and nuts that finishes like a cobbler or cherry crisp!

I’d love to know what he’s thinking when he’s trying something for the first time. He seems to be as appreciative of contrasts in texture and complimentary flavors as I am.

I even find myself thinking about what Noah would like to try rather than what the adult guests will want when we’re having them over and I’m planning out a menu.

Anyway, we were at their house Saturday for dinner when Mary’s friend, Jennifer popped over with her family. Jennifer went about dumping some stuff in a baking dish, fired up Mary’s oven and had dessert cooking in under five minutes without skipping a beat. Which was pretty impressive. I love friends like that. Ones who make themselves at home in your kitchen.

Jennifer made her Nana’s dump cake for us and it was so good I had to make one for you! We’ve all had dump cakes but this one is a little different than what I’m used to.

This one eats more like a cobbler. I started to call it a cobbler or a crisp but if Jennifer’s Nana is anything like my Nanny was, you best not be screwing around with family recipes too much, so dump cake it is!

I did change the topping a little. Jennifer topped hers with coconut and walnuts – and it is delicious! – but Husband has threatened to boycott if I don’t lay off the coconut in my desserts for a while so I use sliced almonds (plus almonds and cherries are such a great combination!).

RECIPE ALTERNATIVES

I think this combination is DIVINE but there are tons of great ways to change this up! Here are some ideas for flavor variation.

Blueberry pie filling, canned peaches, pecans
Strawberry pie filling, canned pineapple, walnuts
Cherry pie pilling, jarred maraschino cherries, chocolate cake mix
Apple pie filling, canned pears, pecans
Cherry Pie filling, fruit cocktail, almonds

MORE EASY CHERRY DESSERTS

BLACK FOREST OREO DESSERT - A decadent no-bake icebox dessert recipe layered with Oreo cookies, chocolate pudding and cherry pie filling.

CHERRY DANISH CAKE - An easy semi-homemade cake recipe dotted with cherry pie filling, drizzled with sour cream icing that tastes just like cherry danish!

BANANA SPLIT DESSERT - A layered dessert recipe with the classic elements of a banana split with a decadent cream cheese filling and graham cracker crust.

CHERRY CHEESE DANISH BARS - A recipe for tender butter crumb bars with cherries and cream cheese in the middle - just like a cheese danish!

Recipe for How to Cook Cherry Dump Cake