21st Century Mac N Cheese

Serves 4 and doubles easily.

* 1/2 pound (2 cups ) raw penne pasta, cooked and drained
* 1 large egg
* 1 cup milk
* 1 small clove garlic
* 3/4 medium onion, coarsely chopped
* 1 generous cup (5 ounces) shredded good quality, extra-sharp cheddar cheese
* 5 ounces cream cheese, crumbled
* 2/3 cup (3 ounces) shredded Gruyere cheese
* Generous 1/8 teaspoon each hot red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper
* Generous 1/4 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 12 saltines, coarsely crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking
dish, and add cooked macaroni.

2. In a blender or food processor combine egg, milk, and
garlic, and process 3 seconds. Add onion, cheeses, peppers,
salt, and paprika, and blend 10 seconds. Turn into dish,
folding into macaroni. Casserole could be covered with plastic
wrap and refrigerated up to 24 hours at this point.

3. To bake, bring casserole close to room temperature. Melt
butter in a small saucepan. Coat crackers with butter and
spread over top of casserole. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, or
until thick yet creamy. If top is not golden, slip under
broiler for a minute. Remove from oven, let stand about 5
minutes, and serve.

Smoky White Chili w/Grilled Chicken

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 large)

2 - 7 oz. Cans diced green chilies

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, or to taste

6 - 15 oz. Cans great northern beans or white cannellini beans, rinsed

8 cups (2 qts.) Reduced sodium chicken broth

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/4 cup lime juice

Heat a grill to medium high.

In a dutch oven or other large pot over medium high, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until softened about 5 minutes.

Stir in the chilies, cumin, oregano and chipotle chili powder. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Stir in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, grill the chicken until well browned and an instant read thermometer registers 165F when inserted at the thickest part of the breast, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cool for 10 minutes. Cut the grilled chicken into 3/4 inch dice, then set aside.

Using a ladle, transfer 2 cups of the beans and cooking liquid to a bowl and mash with a fork.

Stir the mashed beans back into the simmering pot. Add the chicken and lime juice, then cook for 10 minutes more.

Serves 12

Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/Cream Cheese Frosting

Here are the basic recipes. John uses a gluten-free baking mix instead of the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Please note that most white sugar is not vegan. If you want your recipe to be vegan, you have to buy vegan sugar. (That's what we use!) All the frosting we made was vegan. You can play with the recipes to meet your dietary needs. Enjoy!

From Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World

Carrot Cake Cupcakes - These dense, moist cupcakes pack in 29.3 percent more carrots, raisins and nuts per square centimeter than the leading vegan carrot cupcake. An engineering miracle when topped with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting, not to mention yummy.

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup soy yogurt (plain or vanilla)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup finely grated carrots

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together sugar, vegetable oil, yogurt and vanilla. Sift in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices) and mix until smooth. Fold in carrots, walnuts and raisins.

3. Spray the cupcake liners with non-stick baking spray. Fill the liners two-thirds full. Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted through the center of one comes out clean.

4. Once fully cooled, top generously with cream cheese frosting. To decorate place some chopped walnuts on a plate, then roll the edges of the cupcake in the chopped walnuts. A raisin in the center is a cute garnish, or if serving immediately, sprinkle finely grated carrot in the center.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup vegan butter

1/4 cup vegan cream cheese

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream together butter and cream cheese until just combined. Use a handheld mixer to whip while adding the confectioners' sugar in 1/2 cup batches. Mix until smooth and creamy, then mix in the vanilla. Keep tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

My family recipe for Carrot Cake

2 cup flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup oil

4 eggs

2 cup grated carrots

8 oz crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup walnuts

Combine ingredients. Pour into greased and floured 13x9x2 pan. Bake at 350 for 40 min.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 box powdered sugar