We’re eating uber-creamy macaroni and cheese filled with sharp cheddar, herb chevre, buttery brie, applewood-smoked bacon, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil topped with Italian bread crumbs for an extra crunch.

Oh macaroni and cheese, what a love/hate relationship we have! I love you! I love you deeply, deeper than words can describe… but you’re soooooooooo bad for me! You’re like that super hot bad boy on the motorcycle with all the tattoos doing naughty things that feel oh-so-right. When I make you, I have an “eff it all” attitude like I have when I meet said aforementioned biker. I throw caution to the wind for just one night. I mean, when you’re using a pound of cheese in a recipe, why not go ahead and throw in some bacon… and if you need butter for the roux anyway, why not substitute 1 of those tablespoons with bacon fat for that extra naughty bacony goodness flavor? I’m pretty sure I read somewhere one time that bacon fat is no worse for you than butter, so what the hell? Substitute all the butter in the recipe with bacon fat if you’re really feeling mischievous.

I developed this bad boy biker of a mac & cheese recipe as part of the Knorr4 so of course the bechamel-based cheese sauce is spiked with at tub of Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock for an extra depth of flavor. I mean, bikers can be deep right? Go ahead, make this mac & cheese and be a little naughty. I guarantee you’re gonna enjoy yourself.

*I am a professional recipe developer being paid by Knorr as part of the Knorr 4 promotion. While Knorr is footing the bill, all content and opinions comes directly from my (sometimes offbeat and slightly cheesy) brain.

Recipes in this post:

• Macaroni & Three Cheeses w/ Bacon, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Basil

Related posts:

1. Baked Rigatoni with Turkey Bolognese
2. Bacon Wrapped Fig & Blue Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
3. Fig Jam & Sweetened Chevre Turnovers

You know when you meet people and you just instantly get along with them? I’ve been crazy fortunate to experience this with a few different food bloggers and people over the past couple of months. Two of whom have been life changing. Back in September I got an invite to dinner with two of the Three Many Cooks women, Pam and Maggy Anderson and my good friend and fellow San Diegan, Lori of RecipeGirl. At dinner we shared drinks and tasty grub; laughed about life and chatted about the industry of not only food blogging but also cookbook writing and recipe development. I walked out of that dinner knowing that not only did I have a couple of new dear friends but I also had a mentor and inspirational role models in both Pam and Maggy.

Party pics! From left to right: Lori, Pam, Maggy and Me

You will not meet a more loving, genuine family than the ladies of Three Many Cooks. Each of them brings something different to the table (and their blog!) but its the fact that they do what they do in order to have an activity to share with one another and a way to bond that really moves me. I don’t have that with either my mother or my sister and think it’s pretty freakin’ special what they’re doing. (And btw, Dianne & Todd of White on Rice did an amazing cookbook trailer that you must watch. So moving.)

The concept behind Pam’s newest book, Perfect One Dish Dinners is great dishes that you can make effortlessly in one single dish so that you are able to spend time with your family and friends instead of slaving away in the kitchen. If you know me as a cook, you are probably thinking – “Amanda, there is no effing way you can make a meal with just one dish!” and you know what? You’re normally right. BUT…. I did! I made Pam’s Festive Roasted Chicken and Stuffing (pg.194) and because I was already in a festive mood I also made the appetizer she suggests to go with the meal – Baked Camembert with Cranberry-Orange Relish. (Recipe below!)

I made just a couple of changes to the chicken recipes in order to use up items I had on hand – Pam calls for italian or french bread but I had some seedy sourdough on hand so I subbed that as well as subbing dried tart cherries for the golden raisins and fennel for the celery (my roommate can’t stand celery and I didn’t want to eat alone!). The chicken and stuffing came out perfectly so did the baked Camembert, and seriously – it was far and away the most effortless meal I made all week! The book does exactly what it’s supposed to: feeds a group great food and frees up your time to spend with those you love.

Wow, dude – apparently I’m in some kind of weird Kumbaya place in my posts lately where all I feel like doing is gushing about the awesomeness of those around me. I guess there are worse places to be. Just don’t think it’s only going to be rainbows and unicorns on this site all the damn time. I’ll return to my normal off-colored quirky self eventually but for now, go pick up a copy of Perfect One Dish Dinners and join me in gushing over the awesomeness of that is Pam Anderson! Love you, Pam!

Note: Don’t even think this is a sponsored post for one minute! If you know this site – you know I don’t do sponsored posts. Period. All opinions are mine and mine alone.

This post is part of a group on Sunday Suppers. (yeah – I know, I didn’t really talk about Sunday Suppers – shut up.) Check what everyone else in the group made from the book!
DadCooksDinner.com
RecipeGirl.com
ArtofGlutenFreeBaking.com
KitchenGadgetGirl.com
MyBakingAddiction.com
Wenderly.com
BluebonnetsandBrownies.com
TheSensitivePantry.com
WhatsCookingBlog.com
TwoPeasandTheirPod.com
WhatsGabyCooking.com
Bellalimento.com
SmithBites.com
MyFavoriteEverything.com
FoodForMyFamily.com
SavoringTheThyme.com
Ivoryhut.com
DineAndDish.net
GlutenFreeGirl
Picky-Palate.com
TickledRed
SheWearsManyHats.com
WhatWereEating.com
ThisWeekForDinner.com
SugarCrafter.net
GoodLifeEats.com
LaFujiMama.com
HowTo-Simplify.com
RookieMoms.com

Recipes in this post:

• Baked Camembert w/ Cranberry-Orange Relish

Related posts:

1. Super Easy Sriracha-Peach Chicken Wings
2. Two Tasty Turnover Recipes!

We’re eating corned beef and sharp cheddar sandwiches on freshly-baked flaky croissants dressed with whole grain mustard, watercress and caramelized onions deglazed with balsamic and cider vinegar.

Sandwiches can be the most simple thing to cook and often times one of the most satisfying things to eat. At least that’s the p.o.v. in our house. That’s definitely the case with this sandwich! It was a breeze to make yet soul satisfying to devour. Tyler said it was ranked right up next to the Father’s Office burger – his favorite burger of all time. Damn high praise indeed! Caramelizing onions takes quite a long time but you can make the onions several days in advance and store in a sealed in the fridge until ready for use. We hope you guys make this sandwich and enjoy it as much as we did!

Recipes in this post:

• Ultimate Corned Beef Sandwiches
• Caramelized Onions with Balsamic & Cider Vinegar

Related posts:

1. Bacon Wrapped Fig & Blue Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
2. Hearty Red Wine Braised Short-Rib Beef Stew
3. Chipotle Glazed Meatloaf

We’re eating flaky cream cheese pastry turnovers filled with cinnomany mission fig jam and sweetened whipped chevre and cream cheese.

It appears I have come down with a mild seasonal ailment: fig obsession! Pair that obsession with a huge block of chevre I got from Costco a couple of weeks ago along with the dreamy memory of Nicole’s blueberry-rubarb turnovers I ate back in June and you’ve got the equation for some reeeeaaally freaking tasty pastries! I can’t think of a thing that I would change about this recipe. The sweet, cinnamony fig jam worked perfectly with the sweetened chevre and the no-fail cream cheese pastry crust from The Art and Soul of Baking. If you live in an area that grows figs, I suggest snatching some up and making these turnovers immediately! And if you live in the San Diego area and make them I would love for some to be delivered to my apartment… just sayin’!

Side Note: Nicole’s post I mentioned above offers a detailed photo tutorial of how to shape, cut and seal turnovers if you need some visuals to go along with a recipes!

Recipes in this post:

• Fig Jam & Sweetened Chevre Turnovers

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1. Spicy Ginger Brown Butter Blondies
2. Spicy Chipotle Chocolate Cake
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We’re eating succulent grilled bacon wrapped pork tenderloin stuffed with fresh mission figs and crumbled blue cheese. The pork was served on a bed of spicy micro mustard greens and slices of mission figs with a drizzle of pomegranate vinaigrette.

Sure, bacon has blown up into yet another annoying and absurd internet fad, but that’s just because bacon has and always will be one of the tastiest foods known to humankind. If you don’t like bacon I really don’t understand how your deranged brain works. I would take a a slice of bacon over a chocolate truffle any day of the week. I would take this bacon wrapped blue cheese & fig stuffed pork tenderloin over pretty much any sweet item at any point in time. Disclaimer: I’m a savory kind of girl which makes me kind of biased.

This meal was the perfect balance of sweet, savory, smokey and salty…by god I wish I had a serving of it in front of me at this second. Just writing this post is making me salivate. It’s well known that figs, blue cheese and bacon are a great combo and apparently they are even better when grilled with a juicy pork tenderloin and drizzled with tangy pomegranate vinaigrette! I hope you guys enjoy this as much as we did!

Recipes in this post:

• Bacon Wrapped Fig & Blue Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
• Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Related posts:

1. Nothin’ Beats Manda’s Meats
2. Achiote Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
3. Brined Pork Roast w/ Curried Cranberry Apple Sauce

Quiches are an oldy but a goody and we’re taking advantage of that oldy tonight. Dinner consisted of mini-quiches in puff pastry shells with crumbled feta, pepperoni, sauteed crimini mushrooms and leeks, and a sprinkling of italian blend cheese. To lighten the meal up a bit we served a basic romaine salad along side.

T: Ooowee these things were rockin’! It’s been forever since you made any tasty little quiche things, and I’m glad to see them back again. Yeah!
A: no joke! when we lived in baton rouge i was on a quiche kick. there was a period where i was making at least one quiche a week! that’s a bit out of control but they’re just so damn tasty.
T: They really are very very tasty. Are they tricky to make?
A: not at all. for these i even used egg substitute so it was even less work -
T: woah woah… wait a sec. Egg substitute? I’m afraid. Those things tasted good, but I’m still a little afraid of what an egg substitute might consist of.

Millions of quiches… quiches for me

A: actually it’s 100% egg, but not eggs in the shell, you know? i didn’t want to brand drop but i used egg beaters. it’s mainly egg white with a touch of yolk i think.
T: ok, so it would have been the same to just take out the yolk of real eggs?
A: yup. you could do that, but this is way easier. all i had to do was shake and pour.
T: You shook and poured well I must say. I give these a 4.7/5. I could eat these every day… for at least a couple of months. They were so flavorful, and had a great texture too. I like the flaky outsides. The pepperoni really set them off though. What’s your rating?
A: i agree with you, i loved the crap out of these things. just simple quiches in puff pastry shells but still taaaastyyyy. I give ‘em a 4.6/5. the pepperoni and feta went great with the sauteed mushrooms and leeks. i was a little apprehensive about using egg beaters initially but it worked out great. i don’t remember why i got off the quiche kick but it looks like i might be back on.
T: hell. yes. Bring it. Hey, just a thought- these might be good for your brownbag lunches, huh?
A: actually, while you were typing earlier i was thinking exactly that! or for both of our breakfasts. they would be great for a grab and go any time! dude. i can’t tell you how utterly sick of ham on wheat sandwiches i am. like take vomitously sick and multiply it by a billion and that’s how sick of them i am.
T: Been there done that. I’ve reached that point with ham, turkey, and pb&j in the past. Move on, Amanda, and don’t look back. You’ve made your last crappy ham sandwich. Rejoice.
A: i’m starting the “freedom through mini-quiches” movement! are you on board?
T: uhh… actually I’ve got a lot going on.. you’ll have to handle up on that one yourself.

Related posts:

1. Perfect One Dish Dinners: Baked Camembert w/ Cranberry Orange Relish