Home Cookin' from Herndon

Since I posted an early Connie's Kitchen this week, I decided to share a recipe from my Sister in-law today instead. Danielle and Chris, my brother and sister in-law, really enjoy cooking and grilling. With four kids at home, they get pretty creative on a budget and I love that. I also love that they are introducing their children to all kinds of foods and not just chicken tenders, fish sticks, hot dogs...ya know typical kids go to's. 

Their kids get to eat Ribs, pork tenderloin, pasta dishes, casseroles, and they always try to work in veggies to balance out the meal. A couple of their children even love spicy food and will eat jalapenos! I love it! I have watched their youngest son eat a jalapeno, twist up his face like "oooh that's hot", and then ask for another one and do that over and over again. It is priceless. 

So Danielle and I text a lot. We love to swap pictures of our kids and recently we have been sharing pictures of the food we have cooked. She texted me the other day about a new dish she thought up and took the time to take pics and send me the recipe so I could make it myself. It sounded so good I just had to share. She made sour cream corn bread, a meaty broccoli and cheese mac, and sweet tea. Sounds like a little bit of southern heaven in the summer time. (said with thick southern accent) AND SHE ADDED BACON! 

I think this meal is a perfect sunny summer Friday treat. 

Sour Cream Corn Bread

-just check out the image below for the recipe. So cute!

Next up is what I have named:

 Meaty Broccoli Mac

Take a pack of ground beef and cook and season with garlic powder, minced onion, and paprika. 

Cooked frozen broccoli, chopped. Set meat and veg aside.

Fry bacon, drain fat. 

She used the noodles from a store bought Mac and cheese (could use regular elbow macaroni). Made the rue in the pan She fried the bacon in. To make a rue- 6 TB each butter and flour, 3 cups milk, melt butter, add flour bring to boil making sure to keep stirring so it doesn't burn. Add milk. Boil. Add cheese (3 cups shredded sharp cheddar) add spices to taste, She used garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika, minced onions, garlic pepper and some ranch dressing. 

Mix the chopped broccoli, and noodles with the meat, add sauce.

Enjoy with some delicious sweet tea!

Sweet Tea

 Use a 1 gallon pitcher. Boil water and 6 tea bags, for 5 minutes. Pour in pitcher, add 2 cups sugar, stir to dissolve. Add cold water to fill pitcher. Cool in fridge or poor over ice.