A Boy and His Cheese

My son has a real love affair going on; and even at the age of 12 1/2, I'm okay with it. Why? Because it's with cheese!  It started at a very young age, and it has only grown deeper and more real with every passing year.

Just how far will he go for the cheese? Well, every week he accompanies me to the grocery store so that 1. He can spend time with me and 2. He can see if there are any free cheese samples. True story. 

Lately, he has also been watching a lot of Food Network shows on demand. Actually we watch them together when I'm feeding baby Max a bottle. He has always watched cooking shows with me, but now he is actually taking notes of recipes he wants to try. And that is how we stumbled up on this cheesy dream.

He was watching a recent episode of Pioneer Woman  and this was one of the dishes featured in the episode. Right away he declared "Mom, we need to make this!" Well, how could I argue with that? 

If your kids are mac n cheese lovers like him, they are going to flip for this! It's SO much better than any box! Plus, if they are little sous chefs, they can do a lot of this with you! He did! 

It is no wonder the boy loves his cheese so much, after all, it's a family trait! 

Easy Shells n Cheese

2 lb. small shell pasta

1 lb. Velveeta, cubed

4 c. finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

4 c. milk

2 TBS butter

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Cook pasta to al dente. Drain well. As the pasta cooks, in a large pot or dutch oven, heat milk and butter over medium low heat. When up to temperature, turn heat to low, stir in Velveeta until completely melted and smooth. (This will take a little time, just be patient.) Stir in shredded cheese until melted. Turn heat up to medium. Season with Salt and Pepper. After pasta is drained, add to sauce and mix to combine. 

Recipe From Pioneer Woman

Summer Break

That's right. We waited 9 long months, but summer vacation is finally here. Yes, I'm one of those moms who count the days, just as much as the child does. I can't help it. I LOVE having my boy home with me all day, every day. And now that it is actually boys, I'm even more excited!

We have lots of fun things planned over the next few months, and they will all be even more special since it is Max's first summer. One of the things Alex has been planning on is getting into the kitchen and cooking even more than he usually does. He actually has a couple cookbooks of his very own, and he has been picking out the recipes he wants to try for a few months now. 

This was the first one we decided to make. A homemade sauce that we can have on a hot day without heating up the house? Sign us up!

This is technically a spaghetti sauce, but we had 2 boxes of ziti in the cupboard, so that's what we served it over. Absolutely delicious! 

If your kids are home and you've already run out of things to do with them, try cooking with them! You would be surprised just how much they will love getting involved in making what they eat, and you will love the memories you make!

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, with juice

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 TBS sugar

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 dried bay leave 

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown beef with onion. Drain if necessary. Add to slow cooker. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, and seasonings. Stir well. Cook on LOW for 6 hours. Turn off heat and let sit covered for 1 hour before serving. Serve with your favorite pasta.