Cheddar

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Leah Short — Sat, 26 Jan 2019 14:41:43 +0000

What’s comfort food for you? A hearty stew? A brothy soup? For me, it’s macaroni and cheese and I had no idea how good it could be until I stumbled on this recipe for Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese! Yeah, it sounds a little weird, but trust me. Roasted butternut squash adds such a depth of flavor, slightly sweet, but complements the Parmesan and sharp Cheddar beautifully. Once blended, it makes this mac and cheese some of the creamiest mac and cheese on the planet.

Cube your butternut squash and roast in the oven. I can’t say enough about roasted veggies. It really brings out the best of their flavor and those crispy bits…

Blend it! Here’s where the magic happens. Greek yogurt and nonfat milk help keep the calories low, but the creamy texture high.

It may be a tinge healthy, but we’re not leaving out the cheese! Salty Parmesan and sharp Cheddar, yes please and thank you!

If it’s cold where you are (and if it isn’t, where are you? can I come? ), a big bowl of this is all you need to get through winter. Cold weather dinner luxury. You won’t be able to get over the creamy, cheesiness of the sauce. I never want to have regular mac and cheese again!

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Crispy Vegetable Quesadillas

Leah Short — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 16:01:35 +0000

Quesadillas are one of those foods that I love, but rarely make at home. Why? Because I stink at getting them restaurant crispy. The skillet method never worked for me. They’d get a little brown or my pan wouldn’t be hot enough and they’d soak up all the oil or butter…and no one wants a soggy quesadilla. Enter Crispy Vegetable Quesadillas and my life has been changed forever. They are seriously crispy and it’s one of those “d’oh, why didn’t I think of that” moments. Use your broiler! Also, there’s quinoa inside and it works. Quinoa…in a quesadilla.

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Corn Casserole

Leah Short — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 16:34:08 +0000

I know this time of year people are looking online for healthy foods and ways to get back in shape after the holidays. Trust me, I’m doing the same thing. As much as I’d love to give you that, I’ve got a list of yummy eats I enjoyed that I’m dying to share with you. I figure this is the good stuff that got me in this wanting to eat healthier predicament, so it must be worth sharing, right? Let’s start with Corn Casserole. I’ve made this creamy, cheesy, insanely delicious casserole for years. However, I’ve never made it with the bell peppers until now. Hello, favorite casserole ever!

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Apple, Almond, Cheddar, & Ham Sandwich

Leah Short — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 12:09:37 +0000

Yep, you read that right. It’s a ham and cheese sandwich…with apple and almond butter. Grossed out? I know it sounds extremely weird, and y’all know how I like the odd recipes, but this Apple, Almond, Cheddar, & Ham Sandwich isn’t all that weird, it’s delicious! The October issue of Cooking Light had a spread (ooo, pun!) about nut butters being more than just part of PB&J’s. They took a different kind of nut butter and paired it with unusual ingredients to make a sandwich. This one is the almond butter version. I was so intrigued, that I had to make it.

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Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wraps

Leah Short — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 11:33:55 +0000

Don’t be fooled by these ordinary-looking wraps. These Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wraps take eating a sandwich to a new level. A spicy, crunchy, creamy, healthy level (check out the fiber!). Anything that I can add avocado to is going to make me happy. You won’t believe the flavor when that avocado is mixed with white beans, onion, and Cheddar, then topped with a crunchy, spicy slaw. Every bite I was saying “Oh my gosh this is good. This is really good!”

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Sausage, Egg, Cheese, & Hash Brown Muffins

Leah Short — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 11:20:15 +0000

Last weekend I was invited to a birthday brunch and needed to bring something to share. After seeing the list was sweet-heavy on what everyone else was bringing, I decided on something savory. I wanted it to be portable, easy to make, and in individual servings (easier to photograph since I wouldn’t be taking pics at the party). It was surprisingly hard to find all of these requirements in one dish, plus add that the birthday girl doesn’t like peppers or onions. I succeeded with Sausage, Egg, Cheese, & Hash Brown Muffins! Individual servings of what you’d find in a typical breakfast casserole and easily adaptable to different tastes.

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Grilled Turkey, Apple, and Cheddar Sandwich

Leah Short — Thu, 01 May 2014 12:42:09 +0000

Lately I haven’t been in the mood to do much cooking if it takes more than a few minutes. I’m craving quick and easy meals, but they have to taste good and they need to be somewhat healthy. After searching for a sandwich that wouldn’t blow out my calorie budget, I finally decided on this Grilled Turkey, Apple, and Cheddar Sandwich. I’m a fan of all three, but I have yet to experience apples with Cheddar. My mom tells me my grandmother used to add a slice of cheese to her apple pie. I haven’t made that leap yet, but I can definitely get on board with a slice of sharp Cheddar and Granny Smiths in the same bite!

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Easy Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Leah Short — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 14:02:57 +0000

I love macaroni and cheese so, so much. It’s probably my #1 comfort food. All that gooey cheese with perfectly cooked noodles. I like homemade, I like the stuff in the blue box (spirals, please), and I even like the frozen kind. Of course, some taste better than others. The bad thing is, it’s pretty much off limits when I’m trying to be good. There’s a certain frozen diet brand that I really like, but let’s face it, it’s never going to win against homemade. You can imagine my giddiness when I stumbled across this Easy Stovetop Mac & Cheese from Cooking Light. It’s low calorie, super cheesy, and a serving is quite a large size. Say what?! Yes, apparently you can have your cake, er mac and cheese, and eat it too!

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Cajun Shrimp & Grits

Leah Short — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 13:00:39 +0000

When I think about a really good shrimp dish, shrimp and grits always comes to mind. If I’m at a restaurant, and it’s on the menu, nine times out of 10 I’m ordering it. There’s something about a bowl full of creamy grits, rich sauce, and succulent shrimp. How about adding a spicy kick? Take it one step further and make it Cajun Shrimp & Grits! Don’t worry about any guilt either…it’s low calorie, too!

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Tex-Mex Pimento Cheese Dip

Leah Short — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 16:21:05 +0000

Let me first apologize to anyone (like myself) that is trying to eat healthier/lighter now that the holidays are over. I have tons of food from the holiday feasting to catch you up on, so my next several posts aren’t going to be anywhere close to figure-friendly. I’m especially looking at you, Tex-Mex Pimento Cheese Dip! I took this to a Favorite Things party and it was a success. It’s cheesy, it’s greasy, and absolutely addicting. Thighs, look out!

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