Google Dinner

Unlike many of you who talk about recipes you've had for more years than I've been alive, which you found in old, worn out cookbooks, I fancy finding my recipes via my tried and true friend, Google.  Google and I are pretty tight; in fact, we keep up daily.  Whenever I don't know something, I pop it into my Google bar and see what it gives me.  I am also known to go to Google when I'm in need of an easy and yummy recipe.  By simply typing in "World's Best ____" I am bound to find a great recipe.  This time, I don't believe I used the "World's Best" trick.   I actually don't remember what I typed in to get this ham recipe.  But, it could easily pass for the World's Best Easy Ham. And the mac & cheese I found by Googling "crock pot mac & cheese."  Of course, when I saw that the recipe was from the queen of butter and fat herself, my Food network pal and role model (not really) Paula Deen, I knew this one would be great!

The macaroni and cheese isn't quite as easy as I like a crock pot recipe to be.  I prefer to dump, mix and go.  But, this one requires that you boil the macaroni for a few minutes first.  In the end, it makes the meal come together much quicker.  So, I guess it is worth it!

Begin by dropping your macaroni into boiling water.  It only needs to cook for six minutos, so don't forget about it back there.  The rest of the ingredients are, in fact, dump-and-goers and that makes a lazy crazy mama like me very happy.  So, while the noodles are cooking, into a bowl go the milk, cheese, butter, sour cream, eggs, soup, salt, pepper and ground mustard.  Lastly, drain your partially cooked noodles and pitch them in the cheese mixture.  Give it a good swirl around with a long handled spoon; drop it in the pot, park the lid on top, turn it on and let it go.

Paula Deen's Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

(Because I have edited the recipe slightly, I am not linking the original recipe here.  But, if you Google ;) Paula Deen Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese, you can find it in less than a second.)

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Cook macaroni in boiling water for six minutes.  Mix all remaining ingredients together in a bowl.  When pasta has cooked for six minutes, drain and add to the bowl.  Combine and pour into a heavily greased crock pot and cook on high for two hours.

Contrary to typical crock pot rules, you will need to lift the lid and stir this occasionally so that it all gets incorporated and doesn't stick to the side of your crock pot.

Now for the ham.  This seriously couldn't get any easier, unless you want to fork out the dough for a ready to eat pig from Honey Baked Ham, which I don't.  So, try this instead.  Obviously, I am only cooking for two, so my ham is tiny.  In fact, today I am cooking 1/2 of a small pre-cooked ham.  So, you will likely do this a little differently if you are cooking for a larger crowd.

Bake ham, loosely covered, at 325 degrees for about fifteen minutes per pound.  About twenty minutes before cooking is finished, take the ham out and cover with glaze.  Replace in oven and finish cooking.

Balsamic Ham Glaze:

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard

Mix thoroughly; pour over ham toward end of baking time.

Of course, if you are cooking a large ham, you can easily adjust these ingredients to fit the crowd you are serving.  Basically, you can't mess this up.   I've never actually measured it; I just pour some brown sugar in a bowl, add some vinegar until I get the consistency I want, then sprinkle the ground mustard on top and mix it all together.  It is yumm-o!  Even my not-so-ham-loving husband enjoys this meal.... At least, he doesn't complain about it.

Serve both super simple Google recipes with a little roasted broccoli (because I could almost exist solely on the stuff) and show your family you love them lotsa!

~Abby


PS.  I don't know why the fonts sizes are wiggin' out on me.  Sorry.  I hope you have a microscope handy.