Hannie’s ‘Perfect’ Steak with Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce

I love making myself a delicious dinner. It is an act of self-love. I choose the best ingredients, pick out a delicious wine, and treat myself to a meal I don’t always get [but I think about regularly]. For me, a Steak dinner with all the trimmings is the epitome of deliciousness: good quality steak, creamy blue cheese sauce, a buttery baked potato, and some sort of vegetable. Make it for yourself or share it with someone you love but make sure you really love them because after this meal you won’t be able to get rid of them. Shout out to Spruce Eats for additional guidance on the blue cheese sauce.

Ingredients

Steak

  • One good quality Steak [I prefer a ribeye of sorts]
  • 2 TBSP Butter
  • Fresh Rosemary
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Cast Iron Pan

Blue Cheese Sauce

  • 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/3 LBS Blue Cheese, crumbled [Now you can get all sorts of different blue cheeses like Roquefort, Gorgonzola]
  • 1 TSP Worcestershire Sauce
  • Cracked Black Pepper

Let’s Get Cooking

Remove your steak from the fridge, season each side with salt and pepper, and let rest on the counter for 30 minutes.

While the steak is resting, make your blue cheese sauce

In a small saucepan, pour in the heavy cream and simmer on MED-LOW for about 3-5 minutes, continue to stir constantly. Add in half of your blue cheese and stir until the large crumbles have broken down and the sauce has thickened slightly. Add in the Worcestershire sauce and stir until completely mixed. Stir in the rest of the blue cheese + cracked black pepper, turn off the heat, and remove the pan from the heat. Warm to serve.

Once your steak has rested, grab your cast iron and melt your butter on LOW. Before adding in your steak, add in your herbs and minced garlic and allow to saute for 1 minute. Place your steak in the pan and sear on MED-HEAT for 5 minutes [if going for MED-RARE], basting the steak with the butter and herbs. Flip the steak and repeat the same process for 5 minutes. Cook for a longer time if you would like a more well-done steak.

Remove steak from the pan and allow to rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes.

Serve your steak with the blue cheese sauce and any additional delicious accouterments.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Cracked Pepper Pasta with Spicy Sausage, Spinach, & Sundried Tomatoes

I have been scrounging around in my kitchen because I do not have the motivation to do a full grocery hull even though I should. Instead, I have been attempting to make new creations out of the ingredients I have and this may be one of my favorite things I have come up with. This cracked pepper pasta is perfect for a weeknight meal or meal prep for the week! This recipe is written out as a single serving as I am a single person so feel free to tweak as needed!

Ingredients

  • 1 Serving Pasta of your choosing, cook per package instructions
  • 1 Hot Italian Sausage Link
  • 1.5 TBSP Black Pepper Boursin Cheese
  • 1/2 Cup Spinach
  • 1 TBSP Sun-Dried Tomatoes
  • 1/2 Cup Reserved Pasta Water
  • Salt + Pepper

Let’s Get Cooking

Cook your pasta per package instructions, reserve 1/2 Cup of pasta water.

In a large skillet brown your sausage, making sure to break it down into small pieces. Once mostly browned add in the 1 TBSP of sun-dried tomatoes.

When the sausage is fully cooked add in the reserved pasta water + 1/2 cup spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted. Stir in the 1.5 TBSP of bourisn cheese and simmer until the sauce as thicked.

Stir in your pasta and ensure that it is fully coated.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Chippy Boys

Every once in and while there is a ‘viral’ recipe that I just have to try. I came across this snack recipe from the creator Kaelah on TikTok and it has everything I love in a snack. It’s crunchy with the potato chips, it’s tangy because of the cheese, and sweet with the balsamic – it’s literally perfect! It’s also so freaking easy to make – with 3 ingredients – it’s a win/win! I paired it with sitting outside and a nice Pinot Grigio.

Ingredients

  • Kettle Cooked Potato chips, salted [I used salt & vinegar because they are the best kind]
  • Any funky blue cheese [Gorgonzola, Blue Cheese, Roquefort]
  • Balsamic Vinegar

Let’s Get Cooking

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread out your chips onto a single layer. What’s great about this recipe is you can make as much or as little as you need!

Sprinkle your gorgonzola cheese over the chips and broil on HIGH until the edges of the chips start to brown and the cheese gets melty.

Remove from the oven and drizzle over your balsamic vinegar, mix to coat.

& that’s it!

Pair with a nice glass of white wine, share with friends or don’t!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Snoop Dog’s ‘Mack & Cheese’

I first off want to clarify that this is Snoop Dog’s WIFE’s, Shante Broadus’s, mac and cheese recipe. I feel that is important to point out because she deserves all the credit here. The original recipe calls for 5 cups of extra sharp cheddar. Instead, I did half with Colby-jack but you do not have to! I bought fall-shaped noodles from ALDI so I was incredibly excited to make this. I have nothing more to say about this recipe other than you need to make it and the nutmeg is game-changing.

Ingredients

  • 2 TSP Salt + more for the water
  • 1lb Elbow macaroni, or cute fall shapes
  • 2 Cups Whole Milk
  • 1 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 4 TBSP Unsalted Butter
  • 2 1/2 Cups Shredded Extra Sharp Cheddar
  • 2 1/2 Cups Shredded Colby Jack
  • 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 2/3 Cup Sour Cream
  • 1 TSP Cracked Black Pepper
  • 2 TSP Dry Mustard
  • 1/2 TSP Ground Nutmeg
  • 2 TSP Worchestershire Sauce
  • 1/4 TSP Cayenne Pepper

Let’s Get Cooking

Preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly butter a 9×13 in baking dish.

Bring a large pot of water, heavily salted, to boil. Add in the macaroni and cook 1 minute less than the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

In a small saucepan over MED heat, combine the milk and cream and gently heat. Be careful not to boil.

While the milk heats, in a large skillet over MED heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour and whisk constantly for 2-3 minutes. Gradually add in the warmed milk. Cook for 2 minutes whisking frequently or until thickened. Adjust the heat as needed so the milk does not boil.

Gradually add in half of the Colby jack and half the cheddar cheese. Whisk until fully incorporated and smooth. Add in the sour cream and whisk until smooth. Add in pepper + dry mustard + cayenne + Worcestershire sauce + nutmeg. Season with salt.

Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir until combined. Spoon the mixture into the buttered dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Serve warm and enjoy.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Chic-Fil-A Mac & Cheese

Chil-Fil-A makes some of the best mac and cheese ever. However, you can’t go to chic-fil-a every day just to get this mac & cheese, well you can but that’s not very healthy, no offense. So instead of spending all your money by going to chic-fil-a every day, you can make it at home! Thanks to Hot Rods Recipes, I got an idea of exactly how I can make this at home. I made some slight changes because I feel that more Colby jack should be added into the melty cheese rather than just on top.

Ingredients

  • 16 oz Macaroni, or noodle of your choicee
  • 1 1/4 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
  • 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
  • 1 TBSP Romano Cheese
  • 4 oz Colby Jack Cheese, shredded
  • 2 Cups Heavy Cream
  • Salt + Pepper

Let’s Get Cooking

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the macaroni per package instructions. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse.

In a large pot over MED heat, add heavy cream + parmesan cheese + Velveeta + romano + half of the shredded Colby jack. Keep an eye on it to not let it burn. Stir occasionally until melted.

Once melted, pour the cooked noodles into the pot of cheese and stir to combine well. Pour the noodle/cheese mixture into a baking dish. Top the mac & cheese with the remaining shredded Colby cheese.

Turn the broiler on LOW and place in the mac + cheese. This is another time that it is vital that you keep an eye on this so it doesn’t get burnt. Broil until the cheese on top is bubbly and slightly beginning to brown.

Remove from the broiler and serve immeditately.

Made with Love,

Hannah

Honey Chili Brie

It’s the new year and one thing I will never give up is cheese. I love cheese, I love all cheeses; stinky, sweet, salty, all of them. Brie is one of my favorites, it’s creamy and melty, and you can incorporate so many different flavors with brie. I love combining heat and sweet and this honey chili brie is the perfect way to do that. Serve with crackers or crostinis.

Ingredients

  • Honey
  • 1 TSP Fresh Thyme, can use dried
  • 1 TSP Red Pepper Flakes
  • Brie

Let’s Get Cooking

Preheat the oven to 350F

Cut diagonal lines in the brie and place in a brie baker or on a lined baking sheet

Sprinkle the thyme + red pepper flakes over the brie, getting them into the cross-hatches. Drizzle the honey over top

Bake uncovered for about 15-20 minutes or until the brie is melty and bubbling.

Let cool for a few minutes before diving in!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Mac + Cheese

Everyone loves Mac + Cheese, it’s heaven in a bite. I have been in search of the best mac + cheese recipe, I need it to be overly cheesy, with strong flavors, and no soggy ass noodles. It looks like I finally found it! Recipe is from Stove Top Kisses, she has a wonderful video of the whole process on her page as well as so many other delicious recipes! Enough chit-chat let’s get into her recipe!

Ingredients

  • 4 Cups Chicken Stock – enough to be able to boil your noodles in
  • 1 Package of Elbow macaroni or whatever noodle you prefer
  • 1 Stick of Butter, cut into smaller pieces
  • 3/4 Cup Sour Cream
  • 2 TSP Paprika
  • 2 TSP Garlic Powder
  • 2 TSP Onion Powder
  • 1 TSP Salt + Pepper
  • 1 Cup Cheddar Cheese + extra
  • 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese + extra
  • 1 Cup Provolone Cheese + extra
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 Cups Whole Milk

Let’s Get Cooking

Preheat the oven to 375F

Cook the noodles in the chicken stock, cook just under al dente.

Drain the noodles and place into a large bowl. Add in the stick of butter [no one said this was healthy] + Sour Cream + Paprika + Garlic Powder + Onion Powder + Salt. Mix well in the bowl.

Then you’re going to add in the cheeses, again stirring well in the bowl so that everything is mixed. In a separate bowl mix together the heavy cream + milk + 3 eggs.

Get out your pan and place a layer of the noodle mixture in the dish. Then pour over about half of the milk mixture over top. Finally, place a layer of the 3 cheese over top. Repeat this layering process until you run out. Top off with a little extra paprika and pepper.

Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes and enjoy the absolute gooey goodness that is this mac + cheese. Thank Stove Top Kisses for this one, it’s to die for.

Always Hungry,

Hannah