(gluten free) macaroni & cheese

I found this wonderful recipe, used a few alternative ingredients, and ended up with one of the most amazing casseroles I've ever made OR eaten! Here is the original recipe. Brown Eyed Baker gets the credit for this incredible dish!

I was very nervous that it would be the usual homemade mac & cheese - dry, dry, dry. I was wrong. It turned out to be beautiful. It was so moist, so cheesy, so delicious. I will definitely be making this again.

Ingredients

1 lb. pasta
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup Uncle Bob's gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt & pepper, to taste
5 cups milk
4 cups shredded 4-blend Mexican cheese (from Costco)

For topping

15 Ritz-type crackers, crushed
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to large mixing bowl.
3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in the flour, then add the onion powder, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and the mixture begins to boil. (This takes a good 5-10 minutes!) Add the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. 
4. Add the sauce to the pasta and stir until the pasta is coated with sauce.
5. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Mix together the crushed crackers and melted butter until all of the crumbs are moistened, and then sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

Chocolate ice-cream

2 cups milk

2 cups cream

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

About 1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted (with a little cream added)

Stir first four ingredients. Mix in chocolate chips. Pour into ice-cream maker, and let churn until desired thickness is achieved.

Seriously y'all, this is the best ice cream. It's thick and smooth and rich. And easy, which is a big fat bonus.

Peanut Butter pie

Lesson: A peanut butter pie that has nothing but Greek yogurt and peanut butter in it leaves MUCH to be desired!

What was I thinking when I thought it might taste good? I know not the answer.

Thankfully though, I tasted it before pouring it into the oreo crust. So, per my mom's suggestion, I added a fourth of a cup of powdered sugar. Still way too bitter and sour. After adding another fourth of a cup, it tasted kind of yummy.

Taste: Much better
Consistency: Considering I could feel the powdered sugar going down my throat...not very good. (But as you can see, we still ate it out of desperation for something sweet.)

Lesson: don't make a Greek yogurt and peanut butter pie! No matter how simple and healthy it may sound!

Peanut butter is amazing, and it deserves better treatment. Don't you agree?

I'm so excited about this blog! I hope to post not only about my attempts in the kitchen, but hopefully other things I learn as well. I would like to document these failures and triumphs for two reasons: 1) So I can actually remember them, and 2) to inspire myself to keep trying and keep learning.

So, here's to many dishes of good food and good times!

Camille (that's pronounced ku-mheel, thank you very much.)