Baked Mac and Cheese

Contest #4 Comfort Food
Recipe Creator: Amy Cooper

Ingredients
8 oz Elbows or Ingredients
8 oz Elbows or Shells
¼ Cup margarine or butter
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 Teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 Teaspoon salt (optional)
1/8 Teaspoon black pepper
2 Cups milk
2 Cups (8 oz) shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese Cover with your favorite crunchy.  I like crumpled up ruffles potato chips or Ritz Crackers
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350˚F. 
Cook pasta for 3 minutes and drain. 
In medium saucepan, melt margarine. Blend in flour, mustard, salt, and pepper. 
Cook until mixture is smooth and bubbly; gradually add milk.
Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; simmer 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Gradually mix in cheese. Stir over low heat until cheese is melted.
Add pasta; mix lightly. Pour into 2-quart casserole.
Top with croutons. Bake 25 minutes.

Meet the Chef:

"After meeting my husband and deciding to start a family, I became a stay at home mom and fell in love with cooking for my family.  I enjoy cooking any type of meal or protein and love expanding the flavor profiles in foods.  I very rarely follow a recipe and often put my own spins on them."

Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bread Pudding with Crown Maple Caramel Sauceand Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Contest #3 Anything/Everything Pumpkin

Recipe Creator: Chef Langdon

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream plus 1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 egg yolk

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground allspice

pinch of ground cloves

2 tbsps bourbon

5 cups day-old baguette or crusty bread (I used challah), cubed about 1-inch

6 tbsps (3 oz.) unsalted butter, melted

6 oz Favorite chocolate bar, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Toss the bread together with the butter in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the pumpkin, milk and cream, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, salt, spices, and bourbon in another large bowl. Pour the pumpkin custard over the bread cubes and toss to coat. Pour 1/3 of mixture and drizzle with melted chocolate, do this until mixture is all gone. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish and bake 25 to 30 minutes until custard sets. You can also do this in individual ramekins. The ramekins bake faster, so start checking them after 15 minutes

Crown Maple salted Caramel sauce:

Ingredients

1/4 c unsalted butter

1/2 c brown sugar

3/4 c heavy cream

1/8 tsp course kosher salt

2 oz crown royal maple liquor (or maple bourbon)

Directions

Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and crown maple. Whisk until sugar melts and mixture is thick and starting to boil. Slowly pour cream and whisk until incorporated. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking often, though not constantly. Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Whisk in coarse salt. Makes about one cup.

Meet the Chef:

My passion for food started at a young age. I grew up in a household with a chef for a father.  My dad has been a chef for 35+ years and has been my mentor and go-to man for questions. Every family meal at the dinner table we would talk about food. I knew I always wanted to do something with food. My dad tried to warn me about the long hard and stressful hours working your way to the top in kitchens but this didn't stop me. 

I decided to take my love for food to the next level and apply for Johnson and Wales University Culinary Arts program. Since graduating I never looked back. Constantly trying to perfect and progress my culinary technique. Every day is a different new and challenging day which can be extremely rewarding. I get to use all 5 of my senses in the kitchen and it fuels the fire for my cooking. 

After graduating, I moved down Hilton Head Island and recently moved to Charleston, SC to work in one of the top rated restaurants in the Charleston area called the Fat Hen. I love to cook on my days off, brew my own craft beer, head to Folly Beach with friends and explore the farmers markets for the local fresh produce. 

I believe everyone can learn how to cook because it's fun!

Pour a glass of wine or crack a bottle of good beer and get cookin'! 

Instagram: @Chef_Langdon

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Skewers

Contest#2: National Bacon Day 

Recipe Creator: Kerry Champion

Ingredients:

Bamboo Skewers

1 Pound Bacon

Salt To Taste

Pepper To Taste

BBQ Sauce of your choice 

Directions:

Soak bamboo skewers for at least an hour. 

Cut bacon strips in half and wrap around peeled and deveined shrimp.

Season with salt and pepper

Grill on low heat until shrimp is cook and bacon is crispy. 

Baste with BBQ sauce either bottled or homemade.

For the BBQ Sauce:

Ingredients:

1 Bottle BBQ Sauce 

1/4 Cup Beer or 2 Tablespoons Bourbon of your choosing 

Hot sauce to taste! 

Directions:

Stir well. Ready to use.

Meet the Chef:

Hi! My name is Kerry Champion! I'm 30 and started cooking when I was about 12. I spent 12 years working in various restaurants and my love of different types of food continues to grow! I love experimenting with new ingredients and challenging myself to make delicious treats for friends and family!

Oreo Brownie Trifle by Rachel Luongo

Contest #1-Desserts

Recipe Creator: Rachel Luongo

Ingredients:

• Two boxes of your favorite fudgy brownie mix. (I used Ghirardelli double chocolate brownie mix)

• One - two packages of double stuffed Oreos. (Depending on how much you love Oreos)

• Two jars of store bought hot fudge.  (Feel free to use any brand or even make your own)

• Two packages of cream cheese. (Room temperature)

• One package of instant vanilla pudding. (Any brand)

• Two packages of instant chocolate pudding. (Any brand)

• Two containers of cool whip.

Directions: 

1. Make the brownies following the box directions. Cut into small squares.

2. Crush all the Oreos into pieces, set aside. 

3. Make vanilla and chocolate pudding according to packages. Set aside. 

4. Take softened cream cheese and beat until smooth. 

5. Fold vanilla pudding into softened cream cheese. Set aside. 

6. Fold one container of cool whip with the chocolate pudding to create a mouse. 

7. Heat hot fudge until smooth and liquid-y. 

To assemble:

• Start by pouring some hot fudge into the bottom of your trifle dish. 

• Next place the brownies into a single layer. 

• Next, layer with the chocolate Mouse. 

• Cover mouse with a layer of Oreo crumbs. 

• Next, layer cream cheese pudding mixture. 

• Pour hot fudge over cream cheese layer. 

• Repeat steps until trifle dish is almost full. 

• Top with cool whip and Oreo crumbs. 

Enjoy!

Hello! 

My names Rachel Luongo and I'm 24 years old. 

I've lived in Southington my whole life and love living here. 

I grew up in the kitchen and have always loved cooking and baking. 

Coming from an Italian family, I've always been surrounded by food and the happiness it brings. I come from a long line of amazing cooks and I'm proud to be following in their footsteps!

Sources: http://scissorsandspatulas.com/2011/12/chocolate-brownie-trifle-recipe.html

http://nap-timecreations.com/2012/08/five-layer-oreo-dessert-and-tasteful.html