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.

Quesadillas (with Butternut Squash) and Santa Fe Rice Salad

i never really try to trick my kids into eating anything.  well, i may call couscous "rice" or call canteloupe "orange watermelon".  but, as far as hiding veggies in meals...i've just never tried it.  and tonight's meal was an attempt at that.  at least, that is the point of the cookbook Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld.  i was more focused on the "new" recipe that was different and healthy.  and it sounded fun to make.

i thought the quesadillas were really good!  kaia gagged down one sixth of one.  layla pretty much ate all of hers, picking out the chicken along the way.  so, i suppose, in all honesty, i wouldn't make them again.  i'm relatively certain that kevin would balk at a quesadilla with beans and butternut squash instead of cheese as the filling (sorry honey!).  and there's nothing quite as enjoyable as watching your 4 year old literally gag while eating the dinner you just spent however long making.  of course, layla was not able to weigh in verbally, but i imagine if she could have she'd have said something along the lines of "what's wrong with the warm cheesey goodness that we usually find in our quesadillas?"  so, you see where my motivation to repeat tonight's meal might be lacking.  slightly.

also, a lot of prep for this recipe (i know!  they're just quesadillas!)  i did it all earlier this morning, so putting the quesadillas together tonight was relatively quick.  but, you do have to cook and puree a butternut squash and also cook some chicken to slice up (or puree, you know, if you're feeling really masochistic).


the santa fe rice recipe is a repeat for us.  it comes from allrecipes.  i love it.  the kids picked out the avocados and the rice and left the rest.

Quesadillas

serves 4 people

nonstick cooking spray
1 T olive oil
1/2 pound chicken cutlets or boneless chicken breast, rinsed and dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp chili powder, or to taste
1/2 cup canned navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup butternut squash puree
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
4 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup bottled salsa

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat.  When the pan is hot, add the oil.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper and chili powder, add it to the pan, and cook until no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side for cutlets.  For chicken breast, cook 5 minutes per side, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 9 to 10 minutes longer.  Cut the chicken into thin slices, or puree it if necessary.
3. In a small bowl or mini-chopper, mash the beans with the sour cream.  In another bowl, stir together the butternut squash puree and the cheese.
4. Spread the bean mixture over two of the tortillas, then arrange the chicken slices or spread the pureed chicken on top.  Spread the cheese mixture over the other two tortillas and press one of each together to form sandwiches.  Place on the baking sheet and bake until the tortillas are crisp, 5 to 6 minutes.  Cut into wedges and serve with salsa.

my notes:
*i just cut 2 chicken breast in half horizontally to get "cutlets" (one was enough for both quesadillas for us)
*i don't use reduced fat anything

Santa Fe Rice Salad

6 servings

2/3 cup uncooked white rice
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 T diced jalapeno pepper
1/2 tsp white sugar
salt to taste
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and chill.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the rice, beans, tomato, cheese and green onion.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, peppers, sugar and salt. Pour over the rice mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate salad for 30 minutes. Top with avocado just before serving.

my notes:
* i use brown rice and cook according to package directions
*no need to seed tomato
*decrease cheese to 1/2 cup
*decrease vegetable oil to 1/4 cup
*i used diced green chiles for the girls instead of jalapeno
*only used 1/2 avocado, but it was huge