Jalapeno Bacon Mac N' Cheese

My husband and I went to Kirby's Steakhouse for our anniversary and had some of the best Mac N' Cheese with jalapenos and bacon in it.  So I found a recipe to try for something similar to what we had.  As usual I did not follow the recipe exactly and did some of my own things.  The kids didn't care for this but it really is good.  I hope to get it  a little more creamy next time I make it and add more jalapenos for flavor.  All in all a good side dish though!

Ingredients
12 oz large elbow pasta
4 Tbsp salted butter
4 jalapenos, seedless & diced
1/2 cup crumbled bacon
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz cream cheese softened
Paula Dean Seasonings
Panko Bread Crumbs
Olive Oil

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Boil elbow pasta as directed, rinse and drain.  In same saucepan melt butter on medium heat.  Add diced jalapenos and cook 2-4 minutes.  Add crumbled bacon stirring in about 1 minute.  Whisk in flour and cook about 1 minute.  Add milk, pepper jack cheese, and cream cheese cooking and stirring until melted and blended.  Mix in Paula Dean Seasonings and stir well.  Stir in pasta and mix all together.  Pour pasta in 2qt baking dish.  Sprinkle Panko bread crumbs on top and lightly drizzle olive oil over them.  Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees, and then turn broiler on and broil about 3 minutes or until top is browned.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

This is an all time favorite dish in my house!  It truly is some of the best chicken spaghetti I've ever had.  My friend shared her recipe with us many years ago and it's the only way I've made chicken spaghetti since.  I really don't like chicken spaghetti if it is dry and thick.  With this recipe it never seems dry, and that's one of the biggest things I love about it!


Paula Dean Seasoning (salt, blk pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)
Montreal Steak
Tones Garlic & Herb
Lawry's Seasoned Pepper
Chicken Bouillon
1 can Original Rotel
1 can Mild Rotel
2 can Cream of Chicken
1 can Cream of Mushroom
2 lb Velveeta 
2.5 lb bag chicken tenders
2 12oz boxes of thin spaghetti noodles
Shredded cheddar cheese

Place frozen chicken tenders in 5qt pot, cover with water and boil until cooked and fork inserted causes tender to split.  Be careful not to overcook and dry chicken out.  Remove from burner, cover with lid and let sit for 15-20 minutes to cool some.

Prepare spaghetti noodles as directed on package. I break mine in half before placing in pot.

Remove chicken from pot, place in dish or on plate and shred to pieces with two forks.

Pour about 4 cups of broth into bowl or container for use later.  Leave remaining broth in pot.  This allows all the seasoning to be used in making the sauce.  Place sauce back on burner and set on medium heat.  Add rotel, cream of chicken, and cream of mushroom.  Begin cutting velveeta in chunks and add a little at a time to pot, allowing it to melt some before adding more.  Continue stirring until all ingredients are blended together and smooth.  During this you will need to add more form the reserve broth as needed to thin out sauce.  You want it to run off spoon smoothly, not too runny and not thick.

Place noodles in two 9x13 glass baking dishes.  Stir chicken into them both.  Pour sauce into baking dishes a little at a time, stirring it into the noodles and chicken.  Cover with shredded cheddar cheese.  Bake 20-25 minutes.