Spinach Artichoke Dip

What You Need:
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 (10 oz.) pkg. chopped spinach, thawed
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1 (10 oz.) jar Alfredo pasta sauce (I like Bertolli or Classico)
1-1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz. cream cheese, softened

What You Do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Use an old kitchen towel to drain the spinach by placing the thawed spinach in the center of the towel. Over the sink, squeeze the liquid out of the spinach. Dump the spinach into a large bowl and break it up with a fork.
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl of spinach. Combine. Transfer to a 2-quart dish and bake in the preheated oven. Halfway through baking time, stir the dip.
4. Serve warm with tortilla chips or toasted slices of French bread. I like to keep the dip in a small crock pot.

Crusty Homemade Mac-N-Cheese

This is a little time-consuming to make but SOOOOO worth it! Sinfully deee-licious!

What You Need:
16 oz. Barilla elbow macaroni
10 tablespoons butter, divided
8 oz. Velveeta, cubed
1 cup medium Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup extra sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Muenster cheese, shredded
1 cup Colby-Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs

What You Do:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente according to the manufacturer's instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In the large pot, add 9 tablespoons of butter and melt over medium heat. Add in the Velveeta slowly and stir constantly until the butter and cheese are melted and come together.
4. Gradually add in the Muenster cheese, medium and extra sharp Cheddar cheeses, and Colby-Jack cheese; mix well.
5. Combine the half-and-half and the milk and stream them into the cheese mixture, stirring constantly.
6. Temper the egg by adding a small amount of the cheese mixture to the beaten egg and mixing well. Then add the egg to the large pot of cheese.
7. Pour in the cooked macaroni and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 9"x13" baking dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Dot with remaining tablespoon of butter.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges. Then, to make the top nice and crusty, place under the broiler for 5 minutes.

Cheesy Potatoes

This recipe is a MUST at pretty much every family function. I've never known anyone to NOT like it. It's great as leftovers and for breakfast too!

What You Need:
1 bag frozen Oreida hash browns
1 stick butter, melted
1 can cream of chicken soup
8-10 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
8-10 oz. sour cream
1/4 - 1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 roll Ritz crackers, crushed
Salt & pepper to taste

What You Do:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place frozen potatoes in a large bowl. Pour melted butter over potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and onions. Combine.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the soup and sour cream. Pour mixture over potatoes and mix well.
3. Add cheese, mix, and transfer to a greased 9"x13" baking dish. Top with crackers and bake for 30-45 minutes.