Panera Bread's Signature Macaroni & Cheese

** Recipe from Panera Bread **

* 1 (16 oz.) package of rigati pasta (or other small pasta shells)
* ¼ c. butter
* ½ c. all-purpose flour
* 2½ c. 2% reduced fat milk (or cream)
* 6 slices white American cheese, chopped
* 1 c. (8 ounces) shredded extra-sharp white Vermont cheddar
* 1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
* 1 tsp. kosher salt
* ¼ tsp. hot sauce

Prepare pasta according to package directions.  Melt butter over low heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 min, whisking constantly.  Gradually whisk in milk (or cream); cook over medium heat, whisking until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat.  Add cheeses, mustard, salt, and hot sauce, stirring until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.  Stir in pasta and cook over medium heat for 1 min. (or until thoroughly heated).

Funfetti Cake Batter Pie

** Recipe from Gingerbread Bagels **

Crust:
* 1/2 pkg. Golden Oreos or 2 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 11 graham cracker sheets)
* 1 Tbl. sugar
* 1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted
Pudding:
* 3 c. whole milk
* 4 egg yolks, at room temperature
* 1/4 c. cornstarch
* 1/3 c. sugar
* 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
* 1 1/2 Tbl. unsalted butter, diced and at room temperature
* 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 6 Tbl. Funfetti Cake Mix
Whipped Cream:
* 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
* 1 Tbl. sugar
* Rainbow Sprinkles

For crust:  Heat oven to 350.  In a large food processor, grind up Oreos into fine crumbs. You should have 2 c. of cookie crumbs. Put crumbs in a large mixing bowl & add sugar. Mix ingredients together. Then add melted butter & mix to coat crumbs.  Put crumb mixture into a 9" pie plate. Press into sides & bottom of pie plate. Bake 8 minutes.  Cool crust completely on a cooling rack before filling with pudding.
For Funfetti Cake Batter Pudding:  Pour milk into a large saucepan. Heat over medium until almost simmering. Make sure to watch milk so it doesn’t overflow while you work on the next step.
In a large mixing bowl with the paddle attachment (a handheld mixer works too), mix together egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar & kosher salt for 4 min. on medium speed. Mixture should be thick.  On low speed, carefully pour the milk into the mixing bowl.  Continue to mix until milk is combined with the other ingredients.  Pour mixture back into large saucepan & heat over med-low, whisking constantly. Pudding should take 7-10 min. to thicken.  Once thickened, remove pan from heat. Add in butter & vanilla. Whisk.  Put a sieve over a large bowl. Pour pudding mixture into sieve and using a spoon or spatula, press the pudding through the sieve. This will help eliminate any lumps in the pudding.  Then whisk in cake batter mix. Make sure to whisk ingredients really well.  Pour pudding into cooled pie crust. Evenly spread it out with a spatula.  Cover pie with plastic wrap. Be sure to press the plastic wrap against the pudding. (So a film doesn’t form on the pudding.)
Chill pie in refrigerator for 6 hrs.
To make the whipped cream:  Pour heavy whipping cream in a large mixing bowl with whisk attachment. (a handheld mixer works fine) Turn mixture on high, and while it’s mixing, slowly add in sugar. Mix until stiff peaks form.  Once pie is done chilling, top with whipped cream & sprinkles.

Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Cinnamon Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

** Recipe from Picky Palate **

* 3/4 c. all purpose flour
* 1/2 Tbl. baking powder
* 1/4 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/2 c. granulated sugar
* 1/4 c. canned sweet potato puree
* 1 large egg
* 3/4 c. buttermilk
* 4 Tbl. softened cream cheese
* 4 Tbl. softened unsalted butter
* 3-4 c. powdered sugar
* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.  In a large bowl add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar, sweet potato, egg, and buttermilk. Mix until well combined, about 15-30 seconds with a large spoon. Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full with batter.  Bake 20-25 min. until cooked through. Let cool completely.  To prepare frosting: place butter & cream cheese into a mixing bowl, beating until creamy and smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar until you get the consistency you desire….between 3-4 cups. Stir in cinnamon then frost over cupcakes.

Lasagna Soup

** Recipe from  a farm girl's dabbles **

Soup:
* 2 tsp. olive oil
* 1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
* 3 c. chopped onions
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tsp. dried oregano
* 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
* 2 T. tomato paste
* 1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
* 2 bay leaves
* 6 c. chicken stock
* 8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
* 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
* salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cheese Mixture:
* 8 oz. ricotta
* 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* pinch of freshly ground pepper
* 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces,  & brown for about 5 min. Add onions & cook until softened, about 6 min. Add garlic, oregano & red pepper flakes. Cook 1 min. Add tomato paste & stir well to incorporate. Cook 3 -4 min, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.  Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil & then reduce heat and simmer 30 min. Add uncooked pasta & cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare cheese mixture. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.  To serve, place a dollop of cheese mix in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Layered Pumpkin Pie Toffee Cheesecake

** Recipe from Our Best Bites **

* 2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (just short of 2 sleeves)
* 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
* 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 c. sugar
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 5 eggs, at room temperature
* 1 bag toffee bits
* 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin (or use homemade, it’s 1 3/4 c.)
* 3/4 c. whipping cream
* 2/3 c. sugar
* 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie seasoning
* 1/8 tsp. salt
* whipped topping or sweetened whipped cream

Heat oven to 300.  Spray a 9 or 10″ springform pan with cooking spray.  In a small bowl, mix crumbs and butter.  Press in bottom of pan.  Bake 15 min.  Remove from oven & set aside.  In large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/2 c. sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Beat in 2 eggs.  Stir in 1 c. toffee bits. Spread over crust. In another bowl, mix pumpkin, whipping cream, 2/3 c. sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie seasoning, salt & remaining 3 eggs just until blended.   Slowly and carefully spoon over cheesecake layer.  Bake for 2 hrs. or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2" from edge of pan but center still jiggles slightly when moved.  Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4".  Leave cheesecake in oven 30 min.  Run spatula around edge of pan.  Cool 30 min.  Refrigerate 6 hrs. or overnight.  Run spatula around edge of pan; remove side of pan.  Pipe whipped topping or whipped cream around edges of cheesecake; sprinkle with remaining toffee bits.

Dark Chocolate Chip Comfort Cookies

** Recipe from Bakerella **

* 1 1/2 c. flour
* 1/2 c. cocoa
* 3/4 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 c. butter, slightly softened
* 1 1/2 c. sugar
* 1/2 c. peanut butter
* 2 eggs
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 10 oz. dark chocolate chips
* chopped pecans, optional

Heat oven to 350.  In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, soda & salt using a wire whisk and set aside.  In another bowl, cream butter, sugar & peanut butter until light and fluffy.  Add eggs & vanilla and mix until combined.  Add flour mixture to creamed mixture & mix until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Roll cookie dough into 1-1/4" balls. (If desired, roll balls in chopped pecans.)  Place on parchment paper covered baking sheet.  Bake 10 min.  Place cookies on cookie rack to cool.  Makes about 30 - 2" cookies.