Mac-n-Cheese with a Kick!

I can honestly say that Rachael Ray changed my life.

In my twenties, I never really liked to cook.
All of my meals for the week would be made on Sunday,
and used as needed.  
Once I had a family,
it was important to me to cook fresh, homemade food.
 Spending all that time on the weekend cooking
wasn't as appealing either.

When Rachael Ray came along with her 30 Minute Meals,

it became a great solution.

Good, home-cooked food in thirty minutes or less?

I could do that!

This macaroni recipe turned out great.

The trace of cayenne really makes it stand out.

Although her recipe says it serves four,

we had enough for a few days' meals

and we have NO complaints!
We love leftovers, 
especially the chief cook!

This one's a keeper and will go into the Family Recipe binder.

It's quick, easy, has simple ingredients

and tastes like something Mom would have made.

Thanks Rachael!

Macaroni and Cheddar Cheese

(Rachael Ray)

1 T olive oil

2 T butter

3 T flour

1 1/2 C milk

(I used cow's milk this time, but rice or almond works too)

3 C cheddar, shredded

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1 lb. macaroni, cooked

(elbow, farfalle, ziti or rotini work well)

Melt butter and oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.

Add flour and stir to combine 3 minutes (I use a whisk).

Add milk while whisking and bring to a bubble.

When flour/milk mixture is thickened a bit, 

add 2 C of cheese.

Season with cayenne and salt (if needed).

Add cooked pasta to skillet and mix to coat.

Transfer to a baking dish (sprayed with olive oil spray),

and add remaining 1 C of cheese on top.

Place under broiler for just a few minutes.

Enjoy! 

Can't get enough mac-n-cheese?
Try these:
Real Simple Mac-n-Cheese
Classic Mac-n-Cheese
Mac with a Twist

Mac with a Twist

Our grocery store had lobster tails on sale,

Buy One, Get One Free.

We haven't had lobster in years,

but this was a great opportunity to try a new recipe.

I'd seen Ina Garten make some yummy 

 Mac-n-Cheese before on her show.

Since it's one of our favorite comfort foods,

I wanted to try it with a twist.

You can find the original recipe here.

We made the roux with unsalted butter and flour,

just like the original recipe.

We use rice milk instead of cow's milk

to create the cheese sauce.

I didn't have any Gruyere,

so I used our standard Cabot sharp cheddar instead.

I didn't add the breadcrumbs as in the original recipe,

as Big K doesn't care for it that way.

We usually substitute a lot of ingredients in our recipes

due to dietary restrictions and personal preference.

 

I never cooked lobster tails before, but it was easy.

I just steamed them for 15 minutes.

They turned bright red!

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

(Ina Garten)

Kosher salt

Olive oil

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 quart rice milk

6 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds cooked lobster meat

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water.

Add the pasta. 

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan.

In a large pot, melt butter and add the flour.

Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk.

Still whisking, add the milk

and cook for a minute or two more,

until thickened and smooth.

Off the heat, add the Cheddar,

1 tablespoon salt, and pepper.

Add the cooked macaroni and lobster and stir well.

Enjoy!

Shared here and here:

Easy Cheesy Kid's Favorite

One dish most kids like is mac-n-cheese.

It's one of the mainstays for kids on the spectrum

who have a wheat and/or milk addiction.

Due to allergies, I had to come up with a recipe for Lil' Guy

so that he could enjoy this all-American favorite.

This recipe is wheat, gluten, dairy and soy free.

No morsel is left in his bowl.

It takes just a few minutes to whip up this classic.

And the look of happiness on a child's face

is worth every bit of effort.

Gluten-Free Mac-n-Cheese

1 C gf noodles (we use Tinkayada)

1/4-1/2 C rice milk (or other alternative)

1 T olive oil

1 T gf flour mix

3 slices rice cheese (or other alternative)

1/2 t salt

1 t paprika

Cook rice noodles according to directions.

Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, add olive oil to saucepan.

Sprinkle in gf flour mix.

Toast flour for 1 minute.

Slowly add milk, whisking to remove lumps.

Add cheese slices and stir until melted.

Add noodles to pan and stir to incorporate.

Toss in salt to taste.

Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

Enjoy!