Eagle Home Inspections Blog

Want to transform your drab living space into a fab place you love to live in? Click above for some simple and “cents-ible” solutions to the decorating on a dime dilemma!!

This woman is a twentieth century Superhero. Do you know who she is? Click the photo to find out about her and why she is considered immortal!

Click above for some straightforward advice from Eagle on how to get off the cash flow roller coaster!!

Touchdown Mac and Cheese

This recipe is a sure crowd-pleaser!!

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for baking pan

6 slices good white bread (I’ve substituted good dinner rolls when I’ve had some left over) – slightly toast and cut or tear into ¼ to ½ inch pieces, same as if you were making fresh bread cubes for stuffing

5 ½ cups milk (use whole or 2%)

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/8- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (your preference depending on spiciness you like)

4 ½ cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese

1 ½ cups grated Gruyère (can substitute Swiss)

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (we love Liuzzi’s brand – fabulous flavor!)

Note: I also like making this with a blend of cheeses. So sometimes, I just go to my local deli and ask to buy a couple of pounds of their cheese ends. Shred in the food processor until you have 6 cups of cheese. To this, add the ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

1 pound elbow macaroni – I’ve often substituted small or medium shells or Cavatappi

1. Preheat oven to 375˚. Butter a 9 X 13 baking pan. Place bread chunks/cubes in a medium bowl. In small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 T butter. Pour melted butter over bread chunks and toss to evenly coat. Set aside.
2. Cover a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni until the outside of the pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, a little less than al dente. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water and drain well. Set aside.
3. Warm milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Melt remaining butter in a high sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
4. Using a whisk, add hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles and thickens, approximately 8-12 minutes.
5. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, peppers and all cheeses. Set the cheese sauce aside.
6. Stir the macaroni into the cheese sauce.
7. Pour entire mixture into prepared baking dish. If you’d like, you can grate some additional Parmigiano Reggiano over all. Evenly spread buttered bread chunks over the top. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes.

Serves 12. Party idea: This is fabulous with a spiral ham!!!!

Introducing Sergeant Marley Rivard, Eagle’s newest intern! We’re growing our Eagle family and we’d love you to meet her. Just click above!

The man was an inspiration to many. His legacy lives on. Click the photo for his message on how to turn a dream into a reality.

Mary Ellen loves celebrating her birthday on the Great White Way! What’s her secret to Broadway on a budget? Click the photo for this incredible tip on how to treat yourself to a fabulous meal and a top show without breaking the bank!

Did you know that wintertime is also prime time for mold growth? Click the photo for Eagle’s several simple Do’s and Don’ts for minimizing mold in your home as well as a tasty cream soup recipe you can make from edible fungi!

Love mushrooms and cream?? This soup is lick the bowl scrumptious!

Mary Ellen’s Cream of Mushroom Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 T butter

1 T olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ lbs fresh white or brown mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp fresh chopped thyme

1 T fresh chopped parsley

½ cup Marsala wine (I prefer Cribari)

6 T all-purpose flour

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

1-2 tsp salt, adjust to taste

½-1 tsp black cracked pepper, adjust to taste

2 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled (I prefer Herb-ox)

1 cup half and half

1 bay leaf

Extra fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

Heat butter and oil in large pot over medium-high heat until melted. Sauté onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add mushrooms with thyme and parsley. Cook for 5 minutes. Pour in wine and cook for 3 minutes.

Sprinkle mushrooms with flour, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add stock, mix again and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium heat. Add salt, pepper, bay leaf and crumbled bouillon cubes.

Partially cover and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, while occasionally stirring, until thickened.

Reduce heat to low, stir in half and half. Allow to gently simmer – do NOT boil. If needed, adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

Serve warm garnished with a little fresh parsley.

Don’t let the glitz and glamor fool you. This is going to be the “real” decade! Click the disco ball for some New Year’s resolutions you can really live by.