Recipe to Share

Before I begin, I'd like to express my appreciation for all of you who responded to my last post. Your thoughts and kind words were a big encouragement to me this week. Those of you who know me well, know that I am a very expressive person. I don't know if this is a blessing or a curse. Many times I have wished I could just hide, and be a more private sort of person; but for me, that would not be me, and I refuse to be something or someone I am not. That being said, my last post was a mixture of feeling the need to vent, and yet wanting to take you all through this journey of love and pain so that you can experience it with us. Most importantly, so that you are informed and tuned in to others who are going or will go through a loss. Our mission at Granting Hope Ministries, is just that- to MINISTER to those who have suffered the loss of a child.
How can we truly minister, if we cannot see or understand the need?!

In the months after Grant's homegoing, I have literally thrown myself into a bunch of projects. One such project is cooking. I've always liked to cook for the most part, but let me tell ya- I'm no Rachael Ray. (love her!) In spite of this truth, I keep striving to keep things new and different. If you're NOT Rachael Ray, this is no easy task- at least for me! A couple of weeks ago, I found a great recipe online. I wish I could say I came up with it all on my own, but alas, this one is not mine to claim. Well, it was a crowd pleaser- if you can call Jake and Kris a crowd, that is. It is very simple, but very tasty indeed. Here it is, and I hope you enjoy it!

Beefy Barbecue Macaroni

Ingredients:
3/4 pound ground beef (ground turkey was tasty too)
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked)
3/4 cup barbeque sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1 dash cayenne pepper
1/4 cup milk ( I used 1 cup )
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese
Additional Cheddar Cheese (optional)

Directions:
In a skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add macaroni, barbecue sauce, pepper and cayenne; mix well. In a saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Stir in cheese until melted. Pour over the macaroni mixture and mix gently.
***Here is where I tried something new- I dumped it all in an oven casserole dish, sprinkled more cheese on top and baked for 10-15 min. at 350 degrees.
Makes 4 Servings. (We had enough leftovers for one more night)

The kids will love this one- you shouldn't have any picky eaters the night you fix this!

Let me know if you try it!