Ingredients

• 1 lb macaroni (or shells)
• 1 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. mustard
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt or to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 c. ham steak cut into small cubes
• 1 c. cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
• 2/3 c. frozen peas thawed
• 3 carrots shredded

Optional mix-ins:

• cucumber peeled and diced
• dill pickles chopped
• tomato diced
• red bell pepper diced
• celery chopped

Instructions

• Prepare macaroni to al dente according to package directions. After macaroni is cooked, drain well and cool to room temp (see notes below).
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
• In a large bowl toss macaroni with ham, cheese, peas, carrots, and other mix-ins.
• Fold in mayonnaise mixture until pasta is well coated.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
• If the salad seems a little dry after setting up overnight, add some milk a little bit at a time until salad becomes nice and creamy again.

Notes

This is the perfect, traditional macaroni salad. Always a favorite at BBQs, potlucks, and family gatherings! Trust me, it is the best!

Nutrition

Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2895IU | Vitamin C: 12.5mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 1.2mg

Pie Filling

2 cups canned pumpkin puree or fresh pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Directions

For the Pumpkin Pie: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prepare 1 unbaked Perfect Pie Crust, rolled out and placed in a pie pan. Add the pumpkin puree to a large bowl. Pour in the sweet condensed milk. Add the eggs, the vanilla, the spices, and the brown sugar. Whisk until the mixture is perfectly smooth, then pour it into the prepared pie crust. Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 40 minutes more. Watch the crust and make sure it doesn’t brown; lightly cover the pie with foil if it browns too quickly. Remove the pie from the oven when it’s no longer jiggly, then let it cool before serving. Serve on its own (delicious!) or with sweetened whipped cream (even more delicious!).

Ingredients

8 TBL salted butter
One 28- to 32-ounce bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1 medium onion, finely diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese 
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar
2 cups kettle-cooked potato chips 
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Take the potatoes out of the freezer while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, then melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in it. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to incorporate. Cook for a minute or 2 to cook out the raw flour, but do not let it color. Whisk in the milk, making sure to get out all the lumps. Add the broth and whisk again if there are still lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to thicken about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and stir in the Monterey Jack, sour cream and Cheddar. Add the hash brown potatoes and mix everything together. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small pan. Put the potato chips and Parmesan in a bowl and crush the potato chips. Pour in the melted butter and toss to coat. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the potatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking until golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges, about 15 minutes more. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. 

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) butter
1 egg
1 TBL distilled white vinegar
5 TBL cold water

For the Perfect Pie Crust: Combine the flour, salt, shortening, and butter in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, gradually work it all together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat the egg with a fork and add it to the mixture, along with the vinegar and the cold water. Stir it all together until it comes together, adding another tablespoon or two of cold water if it needs the moisture. Form the mixture into three balls and wrap them in individual plastic bags. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer. Remove them from the freezer 30 minutes before you need them.

Ingredients

• 1 package Pillsbury Pie Crusts (double Crust)
• 9 whole Apples Of Your Choice, At Least Two Being Granny Smith Apples, sliced or chipped
• ¾ cups Sugar
• ¼ cups Cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoons Allspice
• Dash Of Salt
• ¼ cups Apple Juice
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425F. Roll one pie crust out into a pie plate. Peel and chip apples (cutting like potato chip slices) into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir to blend.
Combine all wet ingredients in another bowl and stir to blend. Pour dry and wet ingredients over apples and stir well. Spoon apples into prepared crust. Wet your fingers and wipe around the edge of the crust before unrolling your other crust on top. Press to seal around the edges. After you have sealed them together, fold the edges over and crimp them with your fingers. Cut a few slits on the top with a knife. Melt some butter and brush it over the crust, then sprinkle a bit of sugar on top.
Place in the oven and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cover entire pie with foil, leaving the center open. You just want the outer edge covered, to prevent it from burning. Reduce heat to 375F and continue baking for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown.s

Makes 2 pies