Country Mac 'N' Cheese

¼ c. all-purpose flour

1 (8 oz) pkg. pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed

1½ c. milk

2 tsp. prepared mustard

1 (8 oz) pkg. elbow macaroni, uncooked

1 tsp. instant minced onion

1 (10¾ oz) can cheddar cheese soup (undiluted)

1½ c. cubed cooked ham (optional)

¼ c. French-fried onions

2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

?

Coat a 3 to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, milk, mustard and onion. In prepared slow cooker, combine flour mixture and remaining ingredients, except French-fried onions. Cover and cook on LOW setting 3-½ hours. Let stand 10 minutes; stir before serving. Top with French fried onions.

Helpful Hints when creating your Appetizer or beverage

• Add flavor to tea by dissolving old-fashioned lemon drops or hardmint candies in it. They melt quickly and keep the tea brisk.
• Make your own spiced tea or cider. Place orange peels, wholecloves, and cinnamon sticks in a 6-inch square piece of cheesecloth.Gather the corners and tie with a string. Steep in hot cider or tea for10 minutes; steep longer if you want a stronger flavor.
• Always chill juices or sodas before adding them to beverage recipes.
• Calorie-free club soda adds sparkle to iced fruit juices and reducescalories per portion.
• To cool your punch, float an ice ring made from the punch rather than using ice cubes. It appears more decorative, prevents diluting, and does not melt as quickly.
• Place fresh or dried mint in the bottom of a cup of hot chocolate for acool and refreshing taste.
• When making fresh lemonade or orange juice, one lemon yields about 1/4 cup juice, while one orange yields about 1/3 cup juice.
• Never boil coffee; it brings out acids and causes a bitter taste. Store ground coffee in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it fresh.
• Always use cold water for electric drip coffee makers. Use 1–2 tablespoons ground coffee for each cup of water.
• How many appetizers should you prepare? Allow 4–6 appetizers per guest if a meal quickly follows. If a late meal is planned, allow 6–8appetizers per guest. If no meal follows, allow 8–10 pieces per guest.
• If serving appetizers buffet-style or seating is limited, consider no-mess finger foods that don’t require utensils to eat.
• Think “outside the bowl.” Choose brightly-colored bowls to set off dips or get creative with hollowed-out loaves of bread, bell peppers, heads of cabbage, or winter squash.
• Cheeses should be served at room temperature –approximately 70°.
• To keep appetizers hot, make sure you have enough oven space and warming plates to maintain their temperature.
• To keep appetizers cold, set bowls on top of ice or rotate bowls of dips from the fridge every hour or as needed.

Helpful Hints when creating your main dishes

• Certain meats, like ribs and pot roast, can be parboiled before grilling to reduce the fat content.
• Pound meat lightly with a mallet or rolling pin, pierce with a fork, sprinkle lightly with meat tenderizer, and add marinade. Refrigerate for 20 minutes and cook or grill for a quick and succulent meat.
• Marinating is a cinch if you use a plastic bag. The meat stays in the marinade and it’s easy to turn. Cleanup is easy; just toss the bag.
• It’s easier to thinly slice meat if it’s partially frozen.
• Adding tomatoes to roasts naturally tenderizes the meat as tomatoes contain an acid that works well to break down meats.
• Whenever possible, cut meat across the grain; this will make it easier to eat and also give it a more attractive appearance.
• When frying meat, sprinkle paprika on the meat to turn it golden brown.
• Thaw all meats in the refrigerator for maximum safety
• Refrigerate poultry promptly after purchasing. Keep it in the coldest part of your refrigerator for up to 2 days. Freeze poultry for longer storage. Never leave poultry at room temperature for over 2 hours.
• When frying chicken, canola oil provides a milder taste, and it contains healthier amounts of saturated and polyunsaturated fats. Do not cover the chicken once it has finished cooking because covering will cause the coating to lose its crispness.
• One pound of boneless chicken equals approximately 3 cups of cubed chicken.
• Generally, red meats should reach 160° and poultry should reach180° before serving. If preparing fish, the surface of the fish should flake off with a fork.
• Rub lemon juice on fish before cooking to enhance the flavor and help maintain a good color.
• Scaling a fish is easier if vinegar is rubbed on the scales first.
• When grilling fish, the rule of thumb is to cook 5 minutes on each side per inch of thickness. For example, cook a 2-inch thick fillet for10 minutes per side. Before grilling, rub with oil to seal in moisture.