Southern Mac and Cheese

You don’t crave food truck mac and cheese because it’s healthy. You crave it because it’s cheesy, creamy, and decadent comfort food. This recipe checks off all those boxes so that you can create this southern-style food truck favorite at home.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) box macaroni noodles
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1½ cups butter, cubed
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 pound Velveeta-style cheese, cubed
• 1½ cups medium cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C) and lightly oil a 9×13 inch baking dish.
2. Cook the macaroni noodles according to the package instructions.
3. Drain the macaroni noodles and spread them out in the baking dish.
4. In a bowl, combine the heavy cream, evaporated milk, eggs, minced garlic, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together until well blended, and then pour over the macaroni noodles.
5. Next, add the butter, sour cream, Velveeta-style cheese, medium cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, and pepper jack cheese to the baking dish. Toss and mix well. Spoon this over the cooked macaroni.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbling.
7. After removing the mac and cheese from the oven, let it rest for at least 10 minutes to allow the sauce to set.

 

 

Meatball Hoagies

Imagine a day with just a bit of chill in the air. Maybe there’s a home game about to start at the stadium. The person from the food truck window hands you one of these, and you are suddenly in meatball heaven.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 20 minutes | Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 egg
• ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
• ¼ cup yellow onion, minced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 large hoagie rolls
• ¼ cup butter at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella, shredded or sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (171°C).
2. In a bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, onions, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Mix with your hands until all of the ingredients are well blended.
4. Roll the meat mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on a baking sheet.
5. Place them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until brown and cooked through, turning once halfway through the baking.
6. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
7. Spread the butter onto the insides of the hoagie rolls and then season generously with garlic powder and dried basil.
8. Place the hoagie rolls in the oven and toast for 5-10 minutes until just lightly toasted.
9. Remove the hoagie rolls from the oven and load the meatballs into the hoagie rolls.
10. Top each with equal amounts of marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
11. Place back in the oven and toast for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melty.

 

 

Cheesy Giant Calzones

These calzones are big enough to share, but only if you want to. There’s nothing wrong with being greedy once in a while when we’re talking about something as cheesy and yummy as these.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 20 minutes | Resting time 1½ hours | Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 package instant yeast
• 1½ cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 cups high gluten flour
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the calzone

• 4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 4 cups Colby jack cheese, shredded
• 4 cups pizza sauce
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Place the yeast and sugar in a bowl with warm water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom.
2. After the yeast blooms, transfer the mixture to a stand mixer or a large bowl. Add in the olive oil, flour, and sea salt. Mix with a paddle mixer or your hands until a pliable ball of dough forms. If the dough is too wet and sticky, add a little more flour.
3. Cover the dough and let it rise for about 30 minutes.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
5. Divide the dough into two balls, cover, and let sit for 1-1½ hours.
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C).
7. Spread each piece of dough out on a large baking sheet that has been turned upside down. Roll the dough out into a circle.
8. Smear half of the pizza sauce over each piece of dough.
9. Next, add half of each cheese to one-half of each rolled-out piece of dough. Sprinkle with basil.
10. Fold each rolled-out piece over, forming a half-moon shape, then crimp the edges shut to seal in all the cheese and sauce.
11. Cut a few small slits on the top of each for venting.
12. Place them in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
13. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing each in half.

 

 

Walking Tacos

Walking tacos have all the good stuff that you love about tacos and nachos, but tucked neatly into a little bag that’s perfect for munching while walking around. These are great for outdoor parties, especially for kids and teens.

Serves 6 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup red onion, diced
• 1 cup cooked pinto beans
• 6 individual portion-size bags of corn chips
• 1 cup tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• ¼ cup sour cream

Directions

1. Begin by browning the ground beef over medium heat. When the meat is almost completely browned, drain off the excess grease, then season with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add in the onions and pinto beans and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Open each of the individual portion-sized bags of corn chips.
4. Add an equal amount of ground beef into each of the bags.
5. Top with the diced tomatoes, shredded Monterey jack cheese, and sour cream.
6. Serve in the bags with forks.

 

 

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

With ingredients like steak, peppers, onions, and cheese, how can the Philly cheesesteak not be an American classic? You can use frozen, thin-sliced sandwich steaks for this, but it tastes so much better if you have the butcher at your local meat store thinly slice a fresh steak for you.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 cup green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup sweet yellow onion, sliced
• 1 cup white mushrooms, sliced
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 pound boneless steak, thinly sliced (use your favorite cut, but ribeye works great)
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 4 large hoagie rolls, toasted
• 8 thin slices of provolone cheese

Directions

1. Melt half of the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the green bell pepper and sweet yellow onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
3. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and season with kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.
4. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until the peppers and onions are tender but firm.
5. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
6. Preheat the oven to 250°F (121°C).
7. Add the remaining butter to the skillet, still over medium heat.
8. Add the thinly sliced steak to the skillet, working in batches if necessary. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is completely browned.
9. Place the hoagie rolls on a baking sheet.
10. Divide the steak among the hoagie rolls, then top with the pepper and onion mixture.
11. Lay two slices of provolone cheese over each hoagie roll.
12. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted into the steak.

 

 

Onion Pakoras

These are like a cross between dumplings and onion rings, and it’s almost impossible to eat only one. Fried to a perfect golden brown, every onion lover is going to go crazy over these.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups sweet yellow onions, sliced
• ¼ cup green chilis, minced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
• 1½ cups chana dal flour
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• Oil for frying
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Place the onions in a large bowl and squeeze them gently to release some of the juices.
2. Add in the green chilis, parsley, and mint, then mix.
3. Give the onions one more gentle squeeze to release moisture into the bowl and then set aside for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add 2 inches of oil to a deep skillet and heat to 350°F (171°C).
5. Mix the flour and corn starch together, then sprinkle, one heaping spoonful at a time over the onions, mixing after each addition. You want to catch some of the moisture from the bottom of the bowl and mix it with the flour to make it a little sticky.
6. Continue adding the flour until you have a thick, sticky coating on the onions.
7. Take heaping spoonfuls and carefully add them to the oil.
8. Fry, turning once or twice, until golden brown and crispy.
9. Remove from the pan and let the excess oil drain off.
10. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

 

 

 

***These recipes and more are found in Sarah Spencer’s Food Truck Cookbook: Iconic Recipes from Famous Restaurants on Wheels. To get your copy, click on the cover below or click here.

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