Canadian Mac and Cheese

This is your basic mac and cheese with some ham and veggies in it. Not bad and easy to feed the kids. Not as cheesy as kraft, my favorite box mix, but since it's made with cheddar, it has a more natural flavor.

3 cups chicken broth(I roast or boil 2 to 3 chickens a week in our house for my husband's lunches, so I always save the excess fluids, minus the fat, to use as chicken broth).

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 lbs elbow macaroni noodles(I just used a whole box, since it was easier)

1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

5 tbsp. water

1 1/2 to 2 cups frozen peas(I hate peas, so they don't go in mine, but the original recipe calls for them)

8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded(I'm generous with the cheese)

Combine broth, milk, and macaroni noodles into a large saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with water, then combine with noodle mixture. Bring to a boil then add peas and bacon. Stir well, remove from heat. Then add cheddar cheese, stirring until melted. Freeze in preferred serving sizes.

On cooking day, defrost and heat in saucepan over medium heat until heated through(you can always add a tbsp. of milk or so if the mixture looks dry. You can also microwave to heat, if you prefer.

Sweet and Sour Pork

I made this recipe for the first time without freezing it, even though I found it amongst resources for freezer recipes. It was really good. Not overly sweet, but the sauce tasted similar to that glaze you put on Easter ham.

Sweet and Sour Pork

2 lb. cooked pork, cut into strips(I cut into strips before cooking and might actually cut into bite size pieces next time before cooking)

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tbsp. corn starch

1 cup beef or chicken broth(I used chicken)

1/2 tsp. cloves(I used ground cloves)

1 bay leaf

3/4 cup frozen sour cherries or canned, pitted cherries(I could only find canned at the commissary, but made sure I drained the juice off before adding to the recipe)

1 tbsp. lemon juice(I just squeezed one lemon and used whatever it gave me)

1/4 cup butter or margarine

Place cooked pork strips into casserole(I used 9 x 13). In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, cornstarch and broth, stirring until very smooth without any lumps. Add cloves and bay leaf. Cook mixture over low heat, stirring until thickened. Add sour cherries, lemon juice, and butter/margarine then bring to a boil. Pour mixture over pork in casserole dish, then bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool and freeze into serving size containers.

On cooking day, defrost and reheat in saucepan. Serve over rice.