Souped Up Mac 'N' Cheese

8 oz. uncooked macaroni

½ c. milk1

(10¾ oz) can cheddar cheese

½ tsp. prepared mustard soup, undiluted

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 (8 oz) package shredded American and cheddar cheese blend

1 (2.8 oz) can French fried onion rings

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Preheat oven to 400°. Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain. Stir together cheese soup and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in macaroni.Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 7- x 11-inch baking dish. Bake 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with French fried onion rings and bake an additional3 minutes. Notes: Try nacho cheese soup in place of Cheddar cheese soup for a spicier flavor. It’s ‘nacho’ average side dish anymore!

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 vegetables or side dishes

• When preparing a casserole, make an additional batch to freeze for when you’re short on time. Use within 2 months.
• To keep hot oil from splattering, sprinkle a little salt or flour in the pan before frying.
• To prevent pasta from boiling over, place a wooden spoon or fork across the top of the pot while the pasta is boiling.
• Boil all vegetables that grow above ground without a cover.
• Never soak vegetables after slicing; they will lose much of their nutritional value.
• Green pepper may change the flavor of frozen casseroles. Clove, garlic, and pepper flavors get stronger when frozen, while sage, onion, and salt become more mild.
• For an easy no-mess side dish, grill vegetables along with your meat.
• Store dried pasta, rice (except brown rice), and whole grains in tightly covered containers in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate brown rice and freeze grains if you will not use them within 5 months.
• A few drops of lemon juice added to simmering rice will keep the grains separated.
• When cooking greens, add a teaspoon of sugar to the water to help vegetables retain their fresh colors.
• To dress up buttered, cooked vegetables, sprinkle them with toasted sesame seeds, toasted chopped nuts, canned french-fried onions, grated cheese, or slightly crushed seasoned croutons.
• Soufflé dishes are designed with straight sides to help your soufflé rise. Ramekins work well for single-serve casseroles.
• A little vinegar or lemon juice added to potatoes before draining will make them extra white when mashed.
• To avoid toughened beans or corn, add salt midway through cooking.
• If your pasta sauce seems a little dry, add a few tablespoons of the pasta’s cooking water.
• To prevent cheese from sticking to a grater, spray the grater with cooking spray before beginning.