January 3 - 4

Beefy Mac and Cheese
Ingredients:
3 boxes Mac and Cheese
6 cups water
1/2 TBSP salt
8 oz softened butter
10 oz Ro-tel
1 lb browned ground meat
1 c milk or half and half
2 c shredded cheese
*Optional*
Steamed broccoli and cauliflower can be added at same time as meat and rotel.
Directions:
Prepare mac n cheese according to box directions. Add salt and pepper when you add the pasta to the 6 cups boiling water.
Turn heat to low when pasta is al dente but do not drain ANY water.
Add milk , butter, cheese powder, shredded cheese, Ro-tel and browned ground meat.
Gently stir until cheese is mostly melted then remove from heat and continue to stir until all cheese is melted. Add any spice you desire then serve .
On day 4, we were eating on the large roll of the chicken spread pinwheels.
Here is a re-cap of that recipe if you did not see it in the previous video.
Fiesta Ranch Chicken Spread:
8-12 oz well softened cream cheese
24-32 oz canned or rotisserie chicken (already fully cooked)
1 - 2 TBSP EACH (To taste preference) :
smoked paprika
granualted garlic AND minced garlic
chopped peppers
taco seasoning AND Ranch (dip and dressing) dry mix
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded cheese (I used Fiesta blend)
1/3 c mayo OR sour cream (I prefer sour cream but we were out)
Blend all of the above until all ingredients are well combined and smooth
Refrigerate spread for 2-3 hours so all ingredients are well married.
We use this spread on tortillas for wraps with Romaine lettuce.
It is also great for sandwiches, veggie trays and cheese boards.
My Maggie loves her's wrapped up and served warm in crescent rolls.
Here are thge directions for that serving suggestion.
Crescent Roll and pinwheel Ingredients:
2 cans (8-10 count) refrigerated crescent roll dough, crescent sheets or flaky pastry sheets (Like phyllo) unrolled and any holes pinched close.
1 beated egg yolk and 1 tspn milk mixed with 2 TBS grated parmesan (or melted butter)
DIRECTIONS for use with pastry:
Spread evenly approximately 2 cms of chicken mixture all over cresent or pasty dough
Roll tightly length-wise with opening pressed close and on bottom
Cut 3 small slits across top of roll to allow venting or cut into 1 inch individual pieces to make pinwheels
Lightly brush roll (before cutting into pinwheels) with milk and yolk mix
Cover and bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes then uncover, brush lightly again and return to oven for additional 20-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fully cooked. Knife inserted in middle slit on top of roll.
Pinwheels will be golden brown throughout the pastry and the chicken spread will look slightly dry.
Allow to cool 1-2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack-very important or they will become soggy if allowed to cool on cookie sheet.