Mom, How Do You Make Your Mac n Cheese?

Food allergies are tough to deal with. 
My daughter Ashley is allergic to yellow dyes: FDC 5, FDC 6, and FDC 10. These three dyes are found in an incredible number of food and nonfood products. Packaged macaroni and cheese always has one or more of these items in the cheese portion AND all types of cheese food products also contain these three dyes. Hence, Ashley grew up eating healthy. 

I made homemade mac and cheese for her entire childhood with white American cheese, Colby Jack, or mild Cheddar cheese colored with annatto. 

Now this daughter did not want to learn to cook from her mom.
No, she was too busy running track, cheering, or participating in band concerts. However, now that she has children and is cooking more meals. I am regularly receiving phone calls that begin with, "Mom, how do you cook..."

Last week, she wanted to know the secret to making my mac and cheese. 
Unbeknownst to me, she had tried and tried to make it on her own and couldn't get it to turn out correctly. 

The "secret" to my mac and cheese is homemade cheese sauce.
When I told Ashley how to make the cheese sauce she exclaimed, " That's IT!"
I valiantly managed to smother my snickering. 
About two hours later I read this post on her social media page:

Yep, this a a proud momma moment and a moment to smile from ear to ear. 

Now you too, can make my homemade Mac n cheese.                         Click Here  for the recipe.

Redeemed Riders Overnight Chick Ride

2016 Photo by Donna Stephens
Info meeting at Cracker Barrel

I know I haven't posted in awhile because my life has gotten crazy busy!
Good news is.............I got to ride my motorcycle this week. One ride was to Sullivan, MO for dinner and an informational meeting of all the gals going on the overnight "Redeemed Riders Chick Ride."

That's right, I am going on an overnighter with the girls!
Dinner at Cracker Barrel was a prequel for some Redeemed Rider sister time.  About fifteen of us converged at the restaurant to talk about our destination and routes to Mountain View, Arkansas.

Are you getting a vision of "Wild Hogs - The Chick Version?" 
Well, not everyone is riding a motorcycle. Riding a bike isn't a requirement to go on our ride. Cars containing some of my sisters will be following the bikes. And we hope that being chased by a biker gang isn't going to be part of our story. lol...lol  

Anyway, I indulged my love of southern food at Cracker Barrel.
Fried okra is one of my favorite side dishes. My momma has raised okra in her garden every year of my life. Bet you didn't know that the Missouri Ozarks includes some southern cooking did you? Anyway, I was perfectly happy with my fried okra, fried chicken livers, cheese grits, and hot buttered biscuits. My mouth is happy just remembering what I ate. lol...lol

Now where was I, oh the meeting.
 There are going to be two groups heading for Arkansas, an experienced rider group and a not so experienced rider group. I am riding with the first group and looking forward to an all-day, scenic ride with a lunch stop in Ava, MO. THEN, I get to eat Mexican food in Mountain View for supper. Oh yeah!

As usual, we talked ALOT. 
In fact, the sun had just about disappeared to the west when I rode out of the Cracker Barrel parking lot on my Harley and started my evening ride home.

2014 Chick Ride - Coming home from the CMA Women's Conference in Springfield, MO

2013 Chick Ride to Women of Faith Conference in Kansas City, MO

Blogger and biker Sallee Bonham riding down the highway in 2011

Chick ride to Hardy, Arkansas in 2008? 

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Sallee's Six Favorite Mug Cake Recipes

1.  This is my own decadent and chocolicious Chocolate Extreme Mug Cake! Yep, I was a  top 50 finalist with this recipe in a contest! 

Click Here       for the printable recipe.

2. Applesauce Mug Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce for One

Click Here       for the printable recipe

3. Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Mug Cake from biggerbolderbaking.com

                                                   Click Here      for the printable recipe

4. Chocolate Espresso Mug Cake from kurryleaves.com

                                                   Click Here       for the printable recipe

5. Vegan Sweet Potato Mug Cake for Two  This recipe is originally from Leslie Bilderback, however I found it over at Oh My Veggies.

                                                   Click Here        for the printable recipe

 

6. Lime Coconut Mug Cake from kirbiescravings.com

                                                   Click Here        for the printable recipe

Microwave a mug of homemade happiness today!  SalleeB