Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
(Revised 10/24/2010 to remove salt and pepper and adjust cooking time and ingredient adjustments)
Prep Time about 20 minutes, Cook Time: 40-50 minutes; recipe serves 6-8. The leftovers should make for some mean fried Mac and Cheese cakes!
INGREDIENTS
• 1 Lb. Elbow Macaroni
• 6 Tbsp. Salted Butter
• 5 Tbsp. Enriched Flour
• 1 Tbsp. Corn Starch
• 1 ½ Tbsp. powdered Mustard
• ¼+ Tsp. Cayenne
• 4 Cups 2% Organic Milk
• 1-12 Oz. Can Evaporated Milk
• 2 Cups Monterey Jack and Mild Cheddar, shredded
• 1 ½ Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded fine
• ½ + Cup Sweet Onion, finely diced
• ½ + Tsp. Paprika
• 1 ½ Tsp. Kosher Salt
• 12 – 16 oz. Baked ham, diced (not smoked)
TOPPING
• 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1/4 of cheeses from recipe
DIRECTIONS
1. Fire up the BGE to full flame and grid on the fire ring then bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add macaroni and cook to al dente.
3. While the Pasta is cooking melt 5 Tbsp. butter in separate pot on the grid.
4. Whisk in the flour, cayenne, paprika, salt,, paprika and powdered mustard, stir until slightly browned (keep it moving constantly); simmer for several minutes making sure it is free of lumps.
5. Stir in the milk, evaporated milk and onion. Simmer for ten minutes then stir in 3/4 of the cheese.

6. Fold the diced ham and macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole pan.

7. Top with remaining cheese and Panko bread crumbs.

8. Remove grid and place plate setter legs down (indirect set up). Adjust temperature to 350 degrees. Place a pizza stone on the plate setter and then place casserole pan on stone. Bake for 40 minutes then remove from BGE and rest for TEN (10) minutes before serving.

Ham and/or Pea Variation – Add ½ cup frozen peas; substitute deli sliced ham or eliminate the ham altogether.

Dessert was this great Candy Corn Jello recipe...

Chicken and Summer Vegetable (Wok or Skillet and Organic)

This recipe is a quick and easy variation on a skillet version I read in Food and Family magazine from Kraft that substitutes Lawrey's BBQ sauce for theirs and is prepared in a WOK instead of in a skillet or on the stove. Prep to Eat Time (including firing up the BGE) is about 1 hour and serves 3-4 depending on the quantity of chicken you prepare and serving size.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 Large, Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (organic)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper (organic)
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper (organic)
• 1 Orange Bell Pepper (organic)
• 2-4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 ½-2 Cups, Water
• ¼ Cup Lawry’s Baja Chipotle Marinade (w/lime juice)
• Options: Substitute any marinade or BBQ sauce you wish!
• 1/4 Cup – Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 Cup – Colby/Monterey Jack Cheese (Substitute a 4-5 cheese combination)
• 1 Large or 2 Medium Tomatoes Chopped (Organic or substitute 1 -14 oz can of Diced Tomatoes, drained)
• 4-6 Small Green Onions (Organic)
• 1 ½ Cups, Instant Rice
• EVOO


DIRECTIONS
1. Heat Big Green Egg to Medium High to High Heat
2. Coarsely chop Bell Peppers and Tomato, slice Green Onions and mince the garlic cloves. Set Onions aside.
3. Shred all cheese (or use pre-packaged shredded cheese) and set aside.
4. Put water in Wok (or Flame ware/Broiler, etc.) and bring to near boil, add rice and stir until tender, remove and place in serving bowl.
5. Coat Wok with EVOO and brown the chicken breasts until almost done then add vegetables and garlic and stir fry 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
6. Add the Cheese and stir until melted then add the BBQ sauce and stir until chicken and vegetables are coated
7. Remove from wok and serve over rice topped with green onions.

Macaroni and Cheese with Ham on the Big Green Egg

Prep Time about 20 minutes, Cook Time: 45-60 minutes; recipe serves 6-8. The leftovers should make for some mean fried Mac and Cheese cakes!

INGREDIENTS
• 1 Lb. Elbow Macaroni
• 5 Tbsp. Salted Butter
• 5 Tbsp. Enriched Flour
• 1 Tbsp. Corn Starch
• 1 ½ Tbsp. powdered Mustard
• ¼ Tsp. Cayenne
• 4 Cups 2% Organic Milk
• 1 ½ Tbsp. Pimentos
• 1-12 Oz. Can Evaporated Milk

• 2 Cups Monterey Jack and Mild Cheddar, shredded

• 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

• ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded fine

• ½ Cup Sweet Onion, finely diced

• ½ Tsp. Paprika
• 1 ½ Tsp. Kosher Salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 1 Slice (approx. 12 Oz.) Baked ham, diced

TOPPING:
• 3 tablespoons butter and 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat Big Green Egg to 325 – 350 degrees F (at the dome)

2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

3. While the Pasta is cooking melt 5 Tbsp. butter in separate pot.
4. Whisk in the flour, cayenne, paprika, salt and powdered mustard, stir until slightly browned (keep it moving constantly); simmer for 10 minutes making sure it is free of lumps.

5. Stir in the milk, evaporated milk, onion and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes then stir in 3/4 of the cheese & season with salt and pepper.

6. Fold the diced ham, pimentos and macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole pan.

7. Top with remaining cheese.

8. Melt 3 Tbsp. of butter in a sauté pan and toss the bread crumbs then top the macaroni with the bread crumbs

9. Place on indirect (plate setter legs down) and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from BGE and rest for TEN (10) minutes before serving.

Ham and/or Pea Variation – Add ½ cup frozen peas; substitute deli sliced ham or eliminate the ham altogether.

CHICKEN AMOROSA PIZZA

Pizza on the Big Green Egg is as close to brick oven pizza as you can get without the brick oven. This recipe features chicken breast and the wonderful sweet taste of Amorosa tomatoes and thin sliced Vidalia Onions to compliment the salty flavor of the green olives and cheese. Utilizing fresh but store bought ingredients you won’t have to slave over the stove preparing gravy but with NO LOSS OF FLAVOR OR ENJOYMENT.

Ingredients / Recommended
2 Chicken Breasts – Boneless, Skinless
1 12 “ Boboli Pizza Crust - Regular not Thin
1 Pkg. Boboli Pizza Sauce (1/2 cup)
2 Cups - Mozzarella Cheese – Shredded
1 Cup - Monterey Jack-Colby Cheese – Shredded
½ - Medium Vidalia Onion
¾ - Green Pepper, paper thin slices
½ cup - Sliced Olives with Pimentos
Olive Oil
4 cloves - Garlic, sliced thin

Preparation and Cooking Directions
1) Remove Grill and let your Big Green Egg go ‘Tex Rex’ for 10-15 minutes.
2) Insert grate.
3) Dice Chicken breasts into ½” pieces and brown in Olive Oil and garlic until done (juices will be running) on a shallow sauce pan on the grate, remove and set aside.
4) Insert Diverter rack and close dome and start to stabilize temperature to around 500 degrees.
5) Slice VERY thin all vegetables and set aside (use a ceramic slicer to get them paper thin)
6) Place Boboli Crust on a BGE Pizza Stone
7) Rub Olive Oil on crust then spread Sauce evenly
8) Add Mozzarella Cheese
9) Layer on the remaining vegetables and cover with the Monterey-Jack/Colby Cheese
10) Top with the sliced Olives and Pimentos
11) Place in Big Green Egg, Close Cover and cook for 2O minutes and DO NOT PEEK!
12) Open BGE, slice with pizza cutter right on the Pizza Stone and serve.