Soul Food Recipes for Juneteenth!

Happy Juneteenth! If you don’t know about the holiday, allow us to introduce it to you. Juneteenth celebrates the end to slavery in the USA when federal troops freed Texas slaves in 1865. As a minority-owned company, we want to thank our #ByteLyfeFam for supporting us thus far. And we can think of no better way to celebrate together than with food! In honor of Juneteenth, here are some soul food recipes that you MUST try this weekend.

Baked Mac & Cheese 

Ingredients 

• 1 lb elbow macaroni pasta uncooked 
• 2 cans evaporated milk 
• 1 egg 
• 2 Tbsp of butter not margarine 
• 8 oz block of gouda cheese 
• 16 oz block of sharp cheddar cheese 
• 8 oz block of Monterey jack cheese 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp onion powder 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper 

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F 

2. Shred all 3 cheeses (best to use block cheese & shred the cheese yourself, since the cheese is creamier than packaged shredded cheese) 

3. Cook the pasta according to package until it is al dente (cooked but still firm), then drain the pasta and rinse it under cool water. 

4. Whisk evaporated milk, egg, & using above measurements of salt, pepper and onion powder until well incorporated 

5. In a 9 x 13 baking dish add a layer of the macaroni pasta, sprinkle with a little more salt & pepper and a few thin slices of butter then a layer of the 3 cheeses (mixed) on top 

6. Keep alternating these layers until your reach the top of your baking dish top layer should be the cheese mixture 

7. Cover with foil & bake the macaroni and cheese for 10 minutes. 

8. Remove from oven & stir until well combined, add another layer of cheese mixture & recover 

9. Return to oven & bake for 45 mins covered & 10 mins uncovered or until a little browned 

10. Remove from the oven, and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. 

11. Serve and enjoy! 

Mixed Greens in Instant Pot  

Ingredients 

• 2 bunches of collard greens 
• 2 bunches of mustard greens 
• 2 bunches of turnip greens 
• 1 medium onion, sliced 
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced  
• 16 ounces of chicken broth 
• 4 smoked ham hocks (or smoked meat of your choice) 
• 1 tsp black pepper 
• ½ tsp white sugar 
• ½ tsp smoked paprika 
• 2-3 cups of water 
• 2 tsp olive oil 

Instructions 

Broth:   

1. Add olive oil and onions to instant pot, sauté onions until translucent 

2. Add garlic, stirring occasionally until fragrant (usually 1 minute) 

3. Add rinsed ham hocks (smoked meat of your choice) and chicken broth 

4. Add enough water to cover hocks 

5. Close lid, turn valve to sealed, set on high pressure for 45 mins 

6. Quick release pressure 

7. Remove smoked meat from pot 

8. Remove meat from fat and bones, set aside 

Greens: 

1. Rinse greens under cool water.  Remove any discolored leaves. Remove middle rib from leaves 

2. Stack leaves on top of each other (ten at time), roll into log. Rough chop leaves 

3. Rinse again.  Be sure all dirt and grit has been removed (This may require a few rinse cycles) 

4. Add Black pepper, sugar, smoked paprika to broth 

5. Set instant pot to sauté 

6. Add greens in batches, as greens wilt, add more 

7. Add meat  

8. Close lid, turn valve to sealed, set on high pressure for 30 mins 

9. Quick release pressure 

10. Stir greens 

11. Serve and enjoy!