"Pioneer Woman Cooks" Pot Roast

Lazy Presidents' Day evening, and it feels like a Sunday-dinner kind of day.  Thus, Pot Chuck Roast via Ree Drummond with Roasted Carrots and Rosemary (from my own shrubbery!) with mashed potatoes on the side.  Let's see if her guidelines turn out a moist roast.  Her recipe is here.

About 2 hours from now, I can review!

Bread & Barley Knock-Off Macaroni & Cheese with Pork Belly

Recently, upon trying the newest pub in our town, Bread and Barley, Dan and I had the most tremendous macaroni and cheese.  They make it with smoked gouda, miso cheese, and pork belly.  I made a homemade version today:

8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked el dente and drained
8 oz chopped pancetta
1 stick butter
1/4 c flour
2 C 2% milk
8 oz shredded Asiago Fresco
4 oz shredded Parmesan
4 oz shredded 4-cheese blend (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Asadero, Queso quesadilla)
1 tsp dry mustard
salt/pepper to taste
1 C. panko bread crumbs

Cook the elbows el dente and set aside.  Meanwhile, sauté the pancetta in 3 T butter until just crisping.
In a pot, melt the remaining butter and add the 1/4 c flour to make a roux.  When it is golden brown, add the milk and cook until warm.  Add the cheeses and whisk until melted.  Whisk in dry mustard and salt & pepper.  Add the elbow macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix.  Pour the pasta/cheese mix into a casserole dish or cast iron roasting pot.  In the butter/pancetta pan, add 1 C. panko bread drums and stir until butter is absorbed.  Top the casserole with the bread crumb mixture.  Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees until top is golden brown.  Serve.

Holy Crepe!

I woke up this morning and was craving some crepes, so I opened the fridge and realized I had a lot of spinach.  What better than a spinach/cheese combination, then?  Made the crepes in my large pan since I think my crepe maker is stuck back in a cupboard somewhere.  A little four-cheese mix and some five-minute wilted spinach and we're good to go.