Choosing Sides
Step inside the Game Day Kitchen for some last-minute side dishes you can whip up for Easter dinner, or whenever you’re hungry.
Shae’s Famous Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Makes 8-10 servings
Total time ~25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 lb Elbow Macaroni
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
10 oz Cheddar cheese (I like to use white Cheddar)
8 oz other cheese (We like to use Gouda)
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Salt & Pep to taste
Directions:
Grate cheese if needed (We buy pre-sliced blocks from Kroger)
Cook and drain pasta according to directions
In a 4-quart pot, melt butter over medium heat
Whisk in flour
Slowly whisk in milk and allow to heat up
When the mixture is hot, cut cream cheese and add to pot. Whisk periodically until cream cheese is melted into the mixture.
Add other cheeses a handful at a time, stirring often
Season with paprika, nutmeg and Salt and Pep
Once cheese is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, add pasta and stir
Serve hot and enjoy!
–Shae Combs
Pommes Anna
Truth be told, despite my love of potatoes, I had never thought about pommes Anna until a friend sent me a recipe from, where else, Tik Tok. It looked simple enough–potatoes, oil, a little buttter, some salt–and I already had all those in my pantry.
After attempting it once, it quickly became a go-to dish. Unlike mashed potatoes, that while delicious do require a lot of active prep, pommes Anna can be left on its own and even be kept warm until you’re ready to eat.
You’ll need a sturdy, oven-safe pan. For two people, I use 3 russet or 8 red potatoes, so adjust accordingly for your crowd. Peel and wash the potatoes, then thinly slice. You could use a mandolin, but having lost part of a finger to one of those, I use a knife.
Heat the oven to 350°. Pour enough oil in the pan to coat the bottom and heat over medium until it is hot. Carefully place a layer of potatoes in a circle; make sure the bottom of the pan is covered. Add small dollops of unsalted butter and a little salt on top of the potatoes, then continue this pattern until you reach the top of the pan. Continue to cook on the stove until the top potatoes begin to soften just a bit. You want the bottom layer–which will become the top–to have a crisp, golden crust.
When the newest layer of potatoes starts to soften, place a piece of aluminum foil over the pan, pressing it to cover the potatoes. Place in the over for 20 or 30 minutes.
When finished, run a spatula around the side to loosen the potatoes and carefully slide onto a serving plate. Let set for a minute or two then slice into wedges and serve. The leftovers, should you have any, will be amazing.
–Tricia Suit
Rich’s Cheesy Easter Bunny
Ingredients:
Two or three Murray’s white cheese balls for the body (available at many Kroger stores)
Two snap peas for the ears
One Triscuit cracker (in the shape of a triangle) for the nose. You’ll want more Triscuits or other crackers when it’s time to eat.
One cauliflower floret for the tail
Two thick onion slices for the teeth. Cut them big-tooth size.
Coffee beans (or raisins or chocolate chips) for the eyes
One bag of baby carrots
Shape the body, head and legs from the cheeseballs.
Assemble the rest.
Place bunny on top of carrots. Add dyed eggs and crackers around the outside if you like.
Eat the bunny.
Happy Easter.
–Rich Walburg