Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I've never been a fan of homemade macaroni and cheese and have spent most of my life claiming my love to Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in the blue box. In our quest to give up the majority of processed foods, I've been attempting to find a suitable replacement. Not that this tastes anything like Kraft. But, I like it! I love it, really.

This pic was taken on Layla's second birthday. She also loved the mac and cheese. Kaia doesn't like it because it has tiny, little bitty specs of onions in it. Oh well.

The recipe is easy peasy and most of the time I have all of the ingredients on hand without having to plan ahead. I've made this several times since Layla's birthday and am sure it will be my new go-to macaroni and cheese recipe.

This recipe is from The Joy of Cooking and I love that it can be made ahead of time.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese
serves 4-6 main course or 8-10 side dish

The sauce can be made ahead and combined with the just cooked macaroni before baking, or the entire casserole can be assembled a day in advance.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a deep 1.5 quart baking dish. Prepare:

2 cups White Sauce (see recipe below)

Stir in:
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. sweet paprika

Simmer gently, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Have ready:
2 1/4 cups grated sharp Cheddar or Colby (9 oz)

Remove the sauce from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and stir in two-thirds of the cheese. Reserve the rest. Season with:
Salt and Black pepper to taste

Meanwhile, cook in a large pot of boiling salted water just until tender:
2 cups (8 ounces) elbow macaroni, small shells, or tubetti

Drain and remove to a large bowl. Stir in the sauce. Pour half of the mixture into the baking dish ans sprinkle with half of the remaining cheese. Top with the rest of the macaroni and then the remaining cheese. Sprinkle over the top:
1/2 cup buttered bread crumbs (see recipe below)

Bake until the bread crumbs are lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

White Sauce
(makes 1 cup, so double recipe for macaroni and cheese recipe, above)
Melt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat:
2 tablespoons butter

Whisk in until well blended and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Remove the pan from the heat and slowly wisk in:
1 cup milk

Return the pan to heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.  Continue to cook, whisking until the sauce is smooth and hot and has thinckened, 1 to 2 minutes.  Season to taste with:
Salt and black or white pepper
Grated or ground nutmeg

Browned or Buttered Breadcrumbs
Use dry bread crumbs.  Season with salt, allowing 1/2 tsp. for each cup of bread crumbs.  Brown them slowly in 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter.  Use at once.

Marinara Sauce

I made that last tomato sauce last month, and this Marinara Sauce this last weekend.  JACKPOT.  I loved loved loved this recipe.  It was so so so so simple.  And the end result was just perfect.  I served it over four cheese ravioli and even four kids liked it!  I will definitely make this again and again.  I did make a couple changes to the recipe...

Marinara Sauce
2 1/4 cups

Combine in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat:
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, or one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with their juice
1/3 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, halved
6 sprigs basil
6 sprigs parsley
Simmer, uncovered, crushing the tomatoes with the side of a spoon to break them up, until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.  Pass through a food mill, and season with:
salt and black pepper

My version was even more simple.  I used one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes rather than whole tomatoes (based on my dislike of the chunkiness of the last tomato sauce) and I did not have/use a food mill.  With the crushed tomatoes, the food mill becomes totally unnecessary, however, you must at least pick out the sprigs of basil/parsley and the garlic cloves.  I cannot believe how much flavor this sauce had.  Simply fantastic.

But this sauce was EXACTLY what I was looking for.  I would absolutely at least double the recipe next time.  I need to figure out how to include meat for when hubby gets home, maybe sliced Italian sausage, or meatballs.

Try it.  You'll love it!

Tomato Meat Sauce

So, I'm on the hunt for the perfect tomato pasta sauce.  I used to think I had it, but that was when I was using my mother-in-law's home-canned tomatoes.  Since I don't have access to those anymore, my trusty recipe is no longer my favorite.

Aaaaaaand, neither was this recipe.  Too much meat and tomatoes, not enough sauce.  There's a big container of it sitting in my freezer.  I'm sure I will be happy it's there one day when I do not feel like cooking.  But, until then, my quest continues.  In all, I think this sauce was just too "chunky" for me.  It tasted good and the kids ate it, and I'm sure my husband would LOVE it.  But, it's not my PERFECT tomato sauce.

Tomato Meat Sauce

8 cups

Heat a large heavy casserole or skillet over medium heat.  Add:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced (optional)

If using pancetta or bacon, cook, stirring, until it renders its fat, about 3 minutes.  Add:

1 pound ground beer or sweet Italian sausages, casings removed and crumbled

Cook, stirring, until the meat loses its pink color, about 5 minutes.  Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan.  Add and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes:

1 medium onion, chopped

Add and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds:

2-4 garlic cloves, minced

Stir in and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes:

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Add:

Two 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes, with their juice

(1 teaspoon fresh thyme or oregano leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon sugar

Cook, uncovered, crushing the tomatoes with the side of a spoon to break them up, until they have cooked down and smell very fragrant, about 15 minutes.  Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened.  Stir in:

2-3 tablespoons slivered basil or chopped parsley

salt and black pepper to taste.  

my notes:

*i did use the bacon

*i used ground beef, but next time i would use 1/2 lb. beef and 1/2 lb. italian sausage.

*i also ended up using way more tomato paste...maybe almost the whole can?  because it was watery.

*next time i may use 1 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes and 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, for a better consistency.