Caldwell’s Mac and Cheese photo by Michael Paulsen/courtesy Andrews McMeel Publishing.
The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell’s “Old-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese”
Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces large elbow macaroni
- Olive oil
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 ounces shredded mild Cheddar cheese
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and a sprinkle of olive oil. Cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan. Add the chives, evaporated milk, and salt and stir well.
Place half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Cover with half of the cheese.
Layer with the remaining macaroni and top with the remaining cheese. Pour the milk mixture over the top.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the milk mixture is absorbed. Turn on the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes to brown the top of the cheese.
-From Sunday Dinners: Food, Family, and Faith From Our Favorite Pastors by Diane Cowen, Andrews McMeel Publishing
Foreman’s Berry Nut Salad photo by Michael Paulsen/courtesy Andrews McMeel Publishing.
GEORGE FOREMAN’S BERRY-NUT SALAD WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE
Serves 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup olive oil
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
Salad
- 8 cups mixed baby salad greens
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup blackberries or blueberries
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup green grapes
- 8 green olives, pitted and sliced
PREPARATION
Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or shaker bottle, combine the vinaigrette ingredients. Stir or shake until combined. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the salad: Wash the salad greens and place them into a large salad bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes, sliced in half if they’re larger, berries, nuts, grapes, and olives. Top with the vinaigrette, toss, and serve.
-From Sunday Dinners: Food, Family, and Faith from Our Favorite Pastors by Diane Cowen/Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC 2013
Jake’s Banana Pudding photo by Michael Paulsen/courtesy Andrews McMeel Publishing.
SERITA JAKE’S HOMEMADE BANANA PUDDING
Serves 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
Meringue:
- 3 large egg whites
- ¼ cup sugar
Pudding:
- 3 cups vanilla wafers
- 3 bananas, cut into ¼ -inch slices
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the meringue: Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the egg whites in a large glass or metal bowl until they are foamy. Then gradually add the sugar, continuing to beat until the whites are stiff. Set aside.
Make the pudding: Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate with a layer of the vanilla wafers. Top with a layer of the banana slices. Set aside.
In a medium-size saucepan, whisk together the flour and sugar. Stir in 1 cup of the milk and turn on the heat to low.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks, and then whisk them into the cooking milk mixture. Add the remaining cup of milk and the butter.
Cook over low heat until the pudding is thickened, stirring frequently with a whisk, about 15 minutes. Remove the pudding from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour half of the pudding over the vanilla wafers and bananas while it is still hot. Top the pudding with the remaining vanilla wafers and banana slices. Pour the remaining pudding over the top of the second layer of vanilla wafers and banana slices.
Spread the meringue on top of the banana pudding in the pie pan, making sure to completely cover the pudding layer.
Bake for 15 minutes, just until the meringue is browned. Allow to cool, then chill before serving.
-From Sunday Dinners: Food, Family, and Faith From Our Favorite Pastors by Diane Cowen/Andrews McMeel Publishing
Sweet Potato Cazuela from “Entree to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora” by Tina Wasserman. Photo by Dave Carlin
TINA WASSERMAN’S SWEET POTATO PUMPKIN CAZUELA
Serves 8-10
INGREDIENTS
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5.6 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk (about 2/3 cup)
- 2 eggs
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling) or 1 small sugar pie pumpkin
- 1 29 ounce can of yams in light syrup, drained, or 3 large baked sweet potatoes
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 inch piece of stick cinnamon broken into pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 3 whole cloves
PREPARATION
- Place the butter in a 2 quart Pyrex bowl and microwave for 45 seconds.
- Whisk the sugars, flour and salt into the butter to combine.
- Whisk the coconut milk and eggs into the mixture until thoroughly blended.
- Puree the sweet potatoes and pumpkin in a processor work bowl until smooth. Add this mixture to the ingredients in the mixing bowl and whisk until a smooth batter is formed.
- Combine the water with the spices in a small glass cup and microwave for 1 ½ minutes. Strain the spiced water through a fine mesh strainer into the pumpkin -potato mixture and stir to incorporate.
- Butter a 2 quart casserole and pour the mixture into the prepared dish.
- Bake covered in a pre-heated 350F oven for 1 hour. Serve.
TIDBITS
- Sugar pie pumpkins are about 1 ½ pounds and very rounded. Always use them when a recipe calls for cooked pumpkin. Larger pumpkins are more watery.
- Coconut milk is not milk or dairy. It is the liquid formed from ground, fresh, hydrated coconut.
