3-Ingredient Stovetop Mac & Cheese

I made this for lunch on a recent day for "school lunch" at home, lol! It was kind of a science experiment.  I used the method from Serious Eats of boiling macaroni in just a little bit of water, so it turns all starchy.  You don't drain anything, and after it's cooked, add equal amounts evaporated milk and shredded cheese.  To clarify, you use equal amounts of pasta, milk, and cheese.  So I used 16 oz. of each for my fam.  (I used one 12 oz. can and most of one 5 oz. can of evaporated milk.)

This recipe has a kind of solid and "toothsome" texture.  To be honest, my kids weren't crazy about the texture, but I liked it.  They ate it and everything, but they're used to my usual baked mac & cheese.  Off the heat, this really thickens up.  I don't want to say "solidify" because that's not a positive food word, but it kind of does.  If you like mac and cheese and easy recipes, you should try this though.  You can make any amount, as long as you use the same oz. of everything.  (You'll need a kitchen scale for this).

3-Ingredient Stovetop Mac & Cheese
adapted from Serious Eats
*Use any amount of ingredients; but oz. of all ingredients must be all the same. I used 16 oz of everything*

6 ounces* (170g) elbow macaroni
Salt
6 ounces (180ml) evaporated milk
6 ounces (170g) grated cheddar cheese, or any good melting cheese, such as Fontina, Gruyère, or Jack

1.  Place macaroni in a medium saucepan or skillet and add just enough cold water to cover. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Continue to cook, stirring, until water has been almost completely absorbed and macaroni is just shy of al dente, about 6 minutes.

2.  Immediately add evaporated milk and bring to a boil. Add cheese. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring continuously, until cheese is melted and liquid has reduced to a creamy sauce, about 2 minutes longer. Season to taste with more salt and serve immediately. Of course you can add any spices + seasonings you want here. (Will thicken quickly off the heat.) 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Skillet Baked Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

I LOVED this gnocchi mac and cheese.  I guess it's really just "Gnocchi and Cheese" because there's' no macaroni in here.  This is super easy too, if you can get fresh gnocchi in the refrigerated section.  Of course it's everywhere in Italy, so that makes it really easy for me.  I use my big 12-inch cast-iron skillet for this recipe.  You make the roux and then sauce right in the skillet.  Stir in the cheese, then the fresh gnocchi (no need to boil the fresh stuff- if it's not fresh from the refrigerated section, you'll need to boil according to package directions).  Then stick the whole thing in a hot oven (400 F) to cook for 10-15 minutes until bubbly and the top is browned.

The original recipe says you can use a 10 or 12-inch ovenproof skillet, but I don't think this would work in a 10-inch.  It would overflow, I think.  If you don't have an ovenproof skillet that big, make this in a pot on the stovetop and then transfer to an oven-safe dish and bake.

I used gnocchetti for this recipe.  They're tiny baby gnocchi, and I love them.  (That's why they look so small in the pics... they are small.) But use whatever size gnocchi you want/can find.

Skillet Baked Gnocchi Mac and Cheese
adapted from The Kitchn

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water (if boiling)
2 (16-ounce or 500g) packages fresh or frozen potato gnocchi or gnocchetti
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) salted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole or 2% milk
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 1/2 packed cups)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Finely chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves, for serving, optional

1.  Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven, and heat to 400°F. (If you wish to broil at the end, move the rack to the top 1/3 of the oven.)  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil**. Add the gnocchi and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. **If you are using fresh gnocchi from the refrigerated section, you do not need to boil.  If you are unsure, boil for a minute or so. They will cook a little more in the oven.

2.  Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron or other ovenproof high-sided skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in the milk and continue whisking until smooth. Be careful here- the mixture wants to splash over the sides.  Switch to a wooden spoon and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sauce is noticeably thickened and coats the back of the spoon, about 2 minutes.

3.  Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cheddar one handful at a time until melted and smooth. Stir in the mustard, pepper, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, paprika, and half the Parmesan. Add the cooked (or fresh) gnocchi and stir gently until the gnocchi is evenly coated with sauce. Top with remaining Parmesan.

4.  Bake until the sauce is bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil until the top is golden-brown, 2 to 4 minutes. (I don't bother broiling... the heat is high enough to brown it.)  Remove from the oven and rest for a few minutes. Top with basil or parsley before serving, if desired.

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Creamy Broccoli Chicken Shells and Cheese

My whole family loved this recipe, even my child who can be a bit picky.  It was like a delicious creamy broccoli-infused mac and cheese dish.  Some reviewers on the original recipe were complaining that it was too bland, but I didn't feel that way.  I added some Dijon mustard, which I always do for any mac and cheese recipe, and it really ups the flavor.  One could also add a dash of Worcestershire sauce.  And make sure to use sharp cheddar.  Another thing I did was use the meat of a store-bought rotisserie chicken; that's usually pretty flavorful.  This recipe will use 3 pots on the stove, but I think it's worth it.

Creamy Broccoli Chicken Shells and Cheese
adapted from Cooking Classy

9 oz dry sea shell pasta
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded into small bites size pieces (I used the meat from one small rotisserie chicken)

1 large head broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
2 1/2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups low-fat milk

1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 oz Parmesan cheese, finely shredded (about 1/3 cup)

1.  Boil pasta according to directions listed on package.  Drain well (reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, just in case you want to thin pasta sauce).

2.  Meanwhile, steam the broccoli on the stove top in a steamer basket for 4-8 minutes, or until done to your liking.  Remove from heat and remove lid.

3.  Meanwhile, in a large stockpot, pot melt butter over medium heat then stir in flour. Cook mixture stirring constantly for 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly add in milk, then season with onion powder, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Add Dijon mustard.  Increase heat to medium-high, cook mixture, stirring constantly until it starts to boil and thickens. Remove from heat, add in cheddar and parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Add drained pasta and cooked broccoli and chicken and toss to evenly coat. As it sits it will thicken, you can thin it with a few tablespoons pasta water if desired.

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Microwave Single-Serve Mac & Cheese

This recipe is cool because it's made with one bowl, right in the microwave.  I made this for my toddler and myself for lunch a while back.  It doesn't really seem to double or triple well, though, so I might use the stove if I want to do that next time.  It was very flavorful; I enjoyed it and so did my three-year old.

Microwave Single-Serve Mac & Cheese
adapted from the Kitchn

1/2 cup macaroni pasta (or any small pasta shape)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt

squirt of good mustard
1/4 cup milk, any percent
1/4-1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or any other cheese that suits your fancy)

1.  Combine the pasta, the water, and the salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 2-minute intervals until the pasta is al dente, stirring between each interval. This should take about 6-8 minutes total. If the pasta absorbs all the water before the pasta is cooked, add another 2 tablespoons of water.

2.  Stir in the mustard, milk, and the cheddar cheese. Microwave on HIGH in 30-second intervals until the cheese has melted into a creamy sauce, stirring between each interval and 1-1.5 minutes total. For a creamier sauce, add an extra tablespoon or two of milk and cheese.

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Panera's Mac & Cheese

I had this delicious mac and cheese at a cooking friend's house this past summer, and made it for myself last week.  It's different from the majority of mac and cheeses I make in that it's a stove top recipe, requiring no baking, and it has a bit of white American cheese to help in the smooth and creamy department.  The rest of the cheesiness comes from extra sharp Vermont white cheddar.  For the pasta, I used organic mini wagon wheels I brought back from our last trip to Germany.  I couldn't find the requested pasta shape (pipette). 

The recipe calls for a full pound of pasta, but I found that was too much for the amount of sauce (for us, anyway).  It was perfect though, because my baby ate some of the leftover cooked plain pasta over the next few days and loved it.  Next time, though I'd probably only cook about 14 oz. of pasta instead of the 16 oz. 

Panera's Mac & Cheese
adapted from Smells Like Home, via Cookin' Mama

14-16 oz pipette pasta or other small pasta shapes (Go with 14 oz for more sauce)
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk or half-and-half
4 oz white American cheese, chopped or torn into pieces
8 oz extra sharp white Vermont cheddar, shredded
2 tsp – 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (to taste)
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp hot sauce

1.  In a large stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

2.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 4-quart sauce pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and has started to bubble, whisk in the flour; cook for 1 1/2 minutes whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk until no lumps remain. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook milk mixture, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles, about 8 minutes.

3.  Remove sauce pan from the heat and by the handful, stir in the cheeses, allowing all of the cheese to melt into the sauce before adding more. Stir in the mustard, salt, and hot sauce. Return the sauce pan to the heat and stir in the pasta. Be sure to stir up the sauce from the bottom of the sauce pan and thoroughly coat all of the pasta with sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through. Serve hot in bowls with spoons.

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One Pot Stovetop Mac & Cheese

I made this a while ago, like maybe two months ago?  It was a fun little experiment one day for lunch while the kids were home.  Only half of the kids really liked it, so I probably won't do it again, but I thought it was pretty good, and it actually worked!  You just boil macaroni noodles in milk until it is all absorbed and the noodles are tender, then stir in your cheese.  Read the original post over at White on Rice because there are a lot of helpful tidbits over there. 

One Pot Stovetop Mac & Cheese

adapted from White on Rice Couple

2 cups large elbow Macaroni, uncooked (about 1/2 lb)
2 cups low fat Milk (about 16 oz) , or more if needed **if more is needed, additional 1/4 cup milk at a time for final cooking.
1 tablespoon Butter, for flavor
1/2 teaspoon Mustard powder
1/2-1 teaspoon Salt, plus additional for final season later
1 cup Grated Cheese, any one or combination of ( jack, cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, gouda, parmesan*, asiago*, pecorino*) *Hard cheeses are best combined with a secondary, softer, better melting cheese. Cheese varies in flavor and salt level too!
black pepper to taste (optional)
additional toppings: bacon bits, bread crumbs, chopped parsley, diced tomatoes (optional)

1.  Place raw elbow macaroni in colander and quickly rinse under water. Let drain.

2. In medium-large sauce pan (about 3.5 qt), add milk, raw elbow macaroni, salt, butter, and mustard powder. 

3. On medium heat, slowly bring milk/macaroni mixture to a simmer, stirring the macaroni frequently as it comes up to a simmer. This will separate macaroni and keep them from sticking together. DO NOT LEAVE THE STOVE! The milk mixture will come to a boil very quickly and leaving it unattended will leave a big mess on your stove stop.

4. Once mixture comes to a simmer, immediately turn down heat to LOW.  Macaroni will slowly cook in the milk. Having your heat too high will evaporate the milk too quickly!

5. Continue to stir the mixture frequently so that macaroni will cook evenly and absorb milk evenly. If you don't stir your mixture frequently, you will get a big clump of macaroni in the end! Keep stirring! 

6. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until milk has been fully absorbed.  **If macaroni is not cooked fully, add a little more milk or water to mixture ( in small amounts) until macaroni is fully cooked. This will take about another 5 minutes.

7. When milk has evaporated, stir in grated cheese of your choice. Stir the cheese evenly into the macaroni.

8. Turn off heat. Place lid on top of pan and cover for about 5 minutes. This rest period will allow macaroni to plump up and absorb any excess milk.

9. Take a final taste and add additional salt to taste. Before serving, stir one final time to mix everything together.  Serve immediately.

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Homemade German Spaetzle (My Dad's Recipe)

This stuff is soooo good.  We love getting it in restaurants in Germany, and love it when we're visiting my parents and my Dad makes it, but now I know I can make it at home!!  I'm so excited!!  After boiling the spaetzle, my Dad dries it for a bit and then cooks it in some oil to get some browned, crispy edges.  This is an authentic German recipe from an older German lady my Dad used to know- Frau Mohn.  It makes a TON!!!  (See below).

The picture above is what it looks like after boiling.  I'm kind of drying it out here.  I just let it sit out for a few hours, and then sauteed what we were eating that night in some oil (I threw in some butter too, just for good measure!)  I kept the rest in the fridge, and to heat it up, I just put it in an oiled non-stick skillet. 

The recipe calls for "frying" the noodles, but I would say I sauteed them- just used about a tablespoon of oil/butter, or so.  Some of them will be deliciously browned and crispy, but they don't turn hard.  These noodles are light and kind of chewy- they are so good!  We ate these with Beef Stroganoff and everyone LOVED it!  Beef Stroganoff is delicious on its own, but these noodles take it to a whole new level!!

My parents were kind enough to give me my own Spaeztle Press, and I'm so glad I finally got around to using it!!  It was so much easier than I thought it would be, and it was FUN!!  Lol.  You mix up a super-easy dough, let it sit for a few hours, and then press it through the press. 

The dough comes out like stringy worms and drops directly into salted, boiling water.  In about a minute, the noodles float to the top, you skim them out and lay them on a cutting board, and you're done!  Unless you decide to cook them later in some oil.  They are really good that way!  I think you can just eat them immediately though, if desired.  Like I mentioned before, I chose to only saute the noodles I was eating right away- I stuck the rest in the fridge and sauteed them as needed.

What to do with leftovers, if you have any?  I chose to make Mac & Cheese with them!!  I made the cheese sauce from this easy recipe, mixed it with the rest of my boiled spaetzle, and baked it!  We loved the Spaetzle Mac and Cheese.  (See bottom of the recipe for photo, below).

My Dad's Spaetzle

originally from Frau Mohn

5 1/2 cups flour (750 grams)

6 Tablespoons of dry Cream of Wheat cereal (wheat farina)

6 eggs

salt, about 1/2 teaspoon

1 cup milk

1/4- 1/2 cup water (add to desired consistency.  I did not need to use all of it because of my super humid climate)

1.  Mix everything (except water) until the batter comes together.  Add the water gradually, mixing until wet and sticky, and no traces of flour remain.  The dough will be very sticky and wet, but not too wet.  It should be quite soft, but not too loose.  You do not want it to fall apart when pressing through the press, but you don't want it to be super hard to press, either.  Think of this when mixing it up. 

2.  Let stand 1-2 hours.  I put it in the fridge for two hours, and removed it about 30 minutes before cooking, so it would come to room temperature and not be too stiff.  Run through a Spaetzleschwob (Spaetzle press) into salted, boiling water.  When the spaetzle rises to the surface, skim it off with a slotted spoon and set aside to dry on a board.  (I used my three largest cutting boards). 

3.  After it has dried (anywhere from 1 to 3 hours- it doesn't have to completely dry out here), saute it in a non-stick pan with a litte oil, until pieces are golden brown.  (Like my first photo, above).  I used 1-2 tablespoons of oil (and added a little butter, too) for a little over 1/3 of the spaetzle. 

4.  I stored un-sauteed leftovers in the fridge.  When ready to eat, saute cold spaetzle in butter or oil.  Or you can use it as-is in a baked pasta dish, like Macaroni and Cheese, pictured below.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Christmas Leftover Mac & Cheese

For Christmas Eve dinner, we always eat a light meal of cheese, homemade rolls, dried fruits, and black and green olives and some kind of juice.  Most times, we get a cool assortment of cheeses to try, trying to get some from  a few different countries.  This year, I didn't have time to go the Portuguese grocery store before Christmas Eve, so we had the following cheeses for our meal: Sharp White Vermont Cheddar, Harvarti with Jalepenos, Colby, Colby-Jack (lol- the kids love both of those!) and Muenster. 

Every year we have a lot of cheese leftover.  And then on Christmas Day, for the last few years, we've had a spiral-cut ham for dinner.  A spiral-cut ham has a ton of meat on it.  We'll eat off it for 2 days, and then I'll usually make either soup or mac and cheese with it, and chop up the rest for the freezer to use in another meal down the road.  I decided to name my concoction Christmas leftover Mac and Cheese this year- maybe it will be an after-Christmas tradition for us! 

Christmas Leftover Mac & Cheese
by What a Dish!

10.5 ounces favorite small pasta shape (I LOVE radiatori for mac & cheese-my fave)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk (I used 1%)
fresh black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
12 ounces (about) of your favorite cheese, shredded, or a mix.  (I used sharp white cheddar, Muenster, Jalepeno Havarti, and Colby)
2 cups chopped, cooked ham

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.  Lightly grease a medium casserole dish- about 2-3 qt. size.  In a large soup pot, boil the pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside. 

2.  Meanwhile, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour, and keep whisking for a little bit- about a minute.  Whisk in the milk, and cook and stir until thickened.  Add the black pepper and Dijon mustard.  Turn the heat to low.  Add the cheese in little handfuls, a little at a time.  Make sure each handful melts before adding the next.  When all the cheese is melted, remove from the heat.  Stir in the chopped ham.

3.  Pour the pasta into your prepared casserole dish, and pour the cheese/ham sauce over the pasta.  Toss to combine and place in the oven.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles and the top of the casserole is lightly browned. 

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Freezer Mac & Cheese

*It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years since September 11, 2001.  On that day, I was newly married and just a few weeks pregnant with my first child.  For a while, I felt fear for the new life I was going to be bringing into the world.  I think many of us can remember where we were and our thoughts and feelings about that day.  Let us never forget.*

This recipe comes from the now-defunct Freezy Happy website, a blog where the author had a ton of good-looking recipes suitable to make ahead, store in the freezer, and take out and bake when needed.  Luckily my tech-savvy husband was able to find the recipe for me to post even after her site went down (it seems for good).  I made this a few weeks before my baby was born.  We ate half of the recipe that night, and the other half went into a disposable aluminum container and into the freezer. 

We ate the other half recently when my son requested mac and cheese for his b-day dinner.  It was just as good as the "fresh" one we had eaten before!  I did not include the crushed crouton topping in my frozen one (the pic above is the first one we ate back in July or August).  You can always top with crushed crackers or something right before baking. 

Since making this recipe, I've come to find out that just about any homemade mac and cheese recipe does awesome in the freezer.  When I was pregnant, I made and froze 3 different mac and cheese recipes (they all used a roux though).  Besides this Freeze Happy one, I made this one (Potluck Mac and Cheese) and it turned out great.  I also made this one.  I honestly can't remember if we've eaten that one or not yet, but I'm sure it was/is delicious!  (My brain is fuzzy these days).  That last one I mentioned is closest to Stouffer's Mac and Cheese, which of course comes frozen for you to bake at home.  Anyway... on to the recipe.

Macaroni and Cheese
freezehappy.com

1 pound short pasta, such as cavatappi or macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups 2% milk
salt, to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (12 ounces)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
Topping like crushed croutons or crackers, optional

1.  Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water 1 to 2 minutes less than package instructions.  Drain, and return to pot.

2.  Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and salt; bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in cheeses until smooth.

3.  Pour over pasta; toss to coat. Divide among baking dishes- use 2 8x8 or 9x9 dishes, one for now and one for later.  For the one for now:  bake in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling.  Freezing instructions below.

To Freeze:
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then foil.  I like to also stick the whole thing into a big freezer baggie.  Freeze up to 3 months.

To Prepare:
- Preheat oven to 375°. Place frozen dishes on a baking sheet; remove plastic. Cover with foil.
- Bake until bubbling, 60 to 70 minutes for large dishes, 40 to 50 minutes for small.
- Remove foil; continue baking until golden, 5 to 10 minutes more.

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Potluck Mac & Cheese

This is a great recipe to make for a potluck, or a large group.  It's also a great recipe to bring to someone who needs a meal- I double the recipe, and make half in a glass 8x8 dish, and half in a foil, disposable 8x8 so our fam and another fam can have some!  The reason I like to make it for these occasions is it's an easy, simple recipe, it uses a bit less cheese than my other recipes (less expensive!), it's very easy to double because everything is in even numbers, and if you double it, it makes a TON!  It doesn't have a lot of different spices and flavors like the mac I usually make-making it a good choice for many different palates.  Plus, everyone seems to love it.  I've made it 4 or 5 times now.  Once for a school potluck, twice to bring to families who needed a meal, and at least once when we had people over for dinner with small children. 

Add leftover ham- SO good!  After Easter 2014

Even though you probably don't need it, I will include both the original recipe (for an 8x8) and my doubled version (for a 9x13... warning- this pan will be very heavy!)  When making the doubled version, you will need two large pots.  I use two large soup pots- one for boiling a pound of pasta, and the other has the white sauce going while the pasta is boiling.  If you only have one large pot, you can boil the pasta first, set that aside, and then get to work on the white sauce. 

Macaroni & Cheese (8x8 Pan)

from Mueller's Pasta (back of box)

Makes an 8x8 pan.... serves 5-6

8 oz Elbow (or other small shaped) macaroni

1/4 cup butter

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cups milk

2 cups (8 oz) shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 cup croutons, optional

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Cook elbow macaroni for 9 minutes.  Drain and set aside. 

2.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter; blend in flour, mustard, salt and pepper.  Cook until the mixture is smooth and bubbly; gradually add milk.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; simmer 1 minute; stirring occasionaly.

3.  Gradually mix in cheese. Stir over low heat until cheese is melted. 

4.  Add pasta; stir together lightly.  (Taste for salt at this point and add some if needed).  Pour into an 8x8 baking dish or 2-quart casserole dish.  Top with croutons, optional, and bake for 25 minutes. 

Macaroni & Cheese (9x13 Pan)

from Mueller's Pasta (back of box)
Makes a 9x13 pan.... serves about 10

16 oz (1 pound) Elbow (or other small shaped) macaroni
1/2 cup butter
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cups milk
4 cups (16 oz, or 1 pound) shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 cup croutons, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook elbow macaroni for 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter; blend in flour, mustard, salt and pepper. Cook until the mixture is smooth and bubbly; gradually add milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; simmer 1 minute; stirring occasionaly.

3. Gradually mix in cheese. Stir over low heat until cheese is melted.

4. Add pasta; stir together lightly. (Taste for salt at this point and add some if needed).  Pour into an 9x13 baking dish. Top with croutons, optional, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Creamy Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Homemade Mac & Cheese is really a dinner-time staple around here.  I should probably devote a tag just to mac and cheese.  I've tried many different recipes- and this is the first stovetop (no baking here) recipe that I've tried.  It's really very good!  And you don't have to wait that extra time for it to bake.  It's super creamy, to boot..... almost too creamy, the first time I made it.  I think it was so thick because of the two cans of evaporated milk.  I told myself that next time, I'd use evaporated skim milk, or use one can of evap. milk and one can of regular, 1% (non-evap) milk.  I went with the latter choice when I made this last night.  One can of regular evaporated milk, and then I filled up the milk can with 1% milk from the fridge.  It turned out perfect this way- not too thick, and it was delish. 

The first time I made this, I did use extra-sharp cheddar, like the recipe calls for.  It was delish this way.  With the strong flavors of the cheese and Dijon, it might be too strong for some people, but it was perfect for us.  This last time, I only had medium cheddar on hand, so I used that, and it was delicious as well. 

Use any small pasta shape for this recipe.  I've used small shells, in the past.  This time, I used Barilla's new adorable mini wagon-wheel shapes.  I found these (in a Super Target) during our trip to the U.S. and mailed them back to ourselves.  :)  I love these little guys- they are so cute, and because of that, taste extra yummy. 

This makes a ton- a pound of pasta and a pound of cheese will do that.  It fed our fam of five, as a main dish, and there were still a few servings left over.  The first time I made this, I cut the recipe in half and it worked out well. 

Creamy Stovetop Mac & Cheese
from Allrecipes

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound elbow, shell or other bite-size shaped pasta
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans evaporated milk (or one can evap. milk; one can regular milk)
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons salted butter
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

1.  Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in large soup kettle. Add salt and pasta. Using package directions as a guide, cook until al dente. Drain in a large colander.  Stir every so often to prevent sticking. 

2.  Meanwhile, microwave the milk and chicken broth in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup or bowl until hot and steamy (not boiling). Melt butter in the empty pasta pot; whisk in flour, then hot milk mixture. Continue to whisk until thick and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in mustard, Parmesan and pepper. Turn off heat, stir in cheddar until melted.

3.  Add drained pasta to sauce, and stir until everything is well combined over low heat. Stir to heat through, and thin with a little milk if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot. 6-8 Main-dish servings.  Note: Can add in extra things here, like diced ham, cooked chopped broccoli, etc. 
 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Mac & Cheese with Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese & Prosciutto di Parma

I realize there's a lot of mac and cheese (and pasta in general) going on in this blog.  That's just how it is around here, people.  Actually, this recipe was born because I had a little package of Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese/Prosciutto di Parma in my fridge that had been forgotten and needed used, fast.  Whenever I have random cheeses hanging out in my fridge that need used quickly, I make mac and cheese for dinner. 

This recipe is similar to my original mac & cheese; I just changed some things, including the variety of cheeses and added some lightly sauteed Prosciutto.  The Prosciutto got all delish and crispy and was great in the mac and cheese.  (Sorry- I didn't think to measure my Prosciutto, in ounces or otherwise... 1/2 cup chopped is my best guess.  Not packed). 

Mac & Cheese with Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese & Prosciutto di Parma

by What a Dish!

Serves 3-4 adults as a main dish

8 ounces mini penne pasta

1/2 cup Prosciutto or Presunto, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cups milk (I used 1%)
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces shredded mild cheddar cheese
4 ounces shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Additional shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, for topping

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Boil pasta according to package directions.  Under-boil by a minute.  Drain. 

2.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sautee the Prosciutto on both sides, enough to crisp.  Do not let burn.  Add more oil if needed.  Drain on paper towels. 

3.  While all that is going, make the cheese sauce:  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Whisk in the flour and cook and stir for a minute or two, then whisk in the milk.  Cook and stir for a few minutes, or until thickened.  Add the seasonings.  When the milk is thickened, turn the heat to very low and add both of the cheeses, gradually, allowing to melt slowly. 

4.  Spray a 9x9 (or slightly larger) baking dish with cooking spray; pour the drained pasta into it.  Pour the cheese sauce on top and mix to coat.  Sprinkle the top with a few tablespoons shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

5.  Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top and bubbly around the edges. 

6.  Serves 3-4 adults as a main dish.  My fam of 3 small-ish kids and 2 adults polished the whole thing off in one sitting. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Portuguese Mac and Cheese

This really isn't a Portuguese dish; rather an American dish using Portuguese ingredients.  It's a mac and cheese made with Portuguese Castelinho cheese and some presunto (Porugal's prosciutto).  I used  local brand of pasta in a "buzio", or conch-shell, shape.  I tired Castelinho cheese for the first time when I made this.  It's a local-made, semi-soft, buttery mild cheese, kind of like gouda.  We all really liked it, and it was delish combined with the presunto in this baked mac and cheese dish. 

I based this recipe on my "original" mac and cheese. 

Portuguese Mac and Cheese

by What A Dish!

150 grams presunto, coarsley chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

9 ounces small pasta shapes

1 1/2 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
12 ounces shredded Portuguese cheese, or Gouda

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil, and sautee presunto until lightly browned.  Meanwhile, heat water to boiling in a large pot to cook the pasta.  Cook according to package directions; drain.  When presunto is browned, remove to paper towels.  Do not wash skillet. 

Using the same skillet, heat the 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter on medium heat.  Whisk in the flour, and then the milk, and cook until thick and smooth.  Add paprikas and garlic powder.  Turn the heat down, and add the cheese slowly to the thickened milk, stirring until melted.  Stir in the browned presunto.  Then, mix in the cooked pasta.  Pour into a greased baking dish (9x9 or 10x10) and bake for about 15 minutes. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

I used up some of my excess pumpkin puree by stirring it into homemade mac and cheese. It was really good, and added a great color, without that tell-tale pumpkin flavor. I actually wished I had more puree to add to it- I only had 2 tablespoons. I'd like to try 1/4- 1/3 cup sometime. The kids are so excited about Halloween and everything pumpkin right now; they were excited to try "Pumpkin Mac and Cheese". :)

I used my usual mac and cheese recipe, but changed around the cheese and milk a little. I used a mix of sharp cheddar, pepper jack, and feta. I used 13 oz. of cheese in all; 8 oz. was sharp cheddar, about 7 oz. was pepper jack, and the rest was feta. I increased the milk and pasta a little bit too. I topped the dish with smoked provolone.

We had this for dinner last Friday, and the kids ate it as a "TV Dinner" while watching a Halloween movie.

Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese

9-10 ounces elbow macaroni (or any small shapes)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1- 2/3 cups milk
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon Worchestire sauce
few drops hot sauce
12-13 ounces shredded cheese (use your fave, or a mix of faves)
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree

paprika

Extra cheese/tomato slices/breadcrumbs, for topping, optional

Cook pasta according to package directions. You may want to undercook it by a minute or so, as it will cook more in the oven. Drain; pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter. Blend in flour with a whisk, then add milk; cook and stir until thick and smooth. Add pepper, dijon mustard, garlic powder, chili powder, Worchestire sauce, and hot sauce. Remove from heat, and add cheese, stirring in a handful at a time, until melted. Stir in pumpkin puree. Pour sauce over pasta, and fold gently to combine. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired, and any toppings you are using (sliced tomatoes, bread crumbs, etc). Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and very lightly browned on top. Yield: 6 servings

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Macaroni and Cheese

Today I decided to make a simple dinner of macaroni and cheese. I have mentioned that I don't make very many recipes twice, but there are exceptions. I use my Mom's recipe for Mac & Cheese; adding a few of my own touches. This is one recipe I have made over and over again. It was one of the first things I made when I was just starting out, learning to cook.

One thing I always do is use Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese. I love most Tillamook products, especially their cheese. Tillamook Cheese Factory is located in Oregon, and we go everytime we visit the Oregon Coast (which is usually at least once a year). A perfect summer day for me is picking blueberries at our favorite farm in Banks, Oregon, driving west through the beautiful forest (I stuff my face with berries during the whole ride until my stomach hurts), stopping at Tillamook cheese factory, tasting the yummy cheese samples and getting an ice cream cone, and then driving down to the beach and walking along it. Sometimes we'll stop and build a sand castle or let the kids swing on the swing sets that are right on the sand. Sometimes, if my husband is feeling crazy, he'll actually go into the water.... it's always way too cold for me!! The babies like to run up to the edge of the waves and try not to get wet.

Anyway, Tillamook cheese is so yummy, especially their sharp cheddar. Here is the recipe for my fave Mac & Cheese. It calls for elbow macaroni, and if I use that, I always use whole wheat. Any smaller pasta shape will work, though. I've used mini shells, mini wheat penne, wagon wheels, and gemelli. Tonight I used a mix of tri-colored radiatore and Trader Joe's new alphabet pasta. The original recipe called for 6 oz. of pasta, but I found that there was too much sauce in relation to pasta, so I upped it to 7 oz. and it's perfect. Also, all of the spice measurments are apporximate; I just sprinkle them in without measuring. I usually use 1% milk, and top the dish with tomato slices before baking. I didn't have any tomatoes tonight, though. You could also use buttered bread crumbs, or just leave it plain. You don't have to use Tillamook cheese, of course. It's good with many different brands, I'm sure. ;) I always serve this with fresh steamed broccoli, because we love the broccoli/cheese combination. Here is the recipe, and I really mean it this time:

Macaroni and Cheese

7 ounces elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups milk

fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon Worchestire sauce

few drops hot sauce

12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese

paprika

Cook pasta according to package directions. You may want to undercook it by a minute or so, as it will cook more in the oven. Drain; pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter. Blend in flour with a whisk, then add milk; cook and stir until thick and smooth. Add pepper, dijon mustard, garlic powder, chili powder, Worchestire sauce, and hot sauce. Remove from heat, and add cheddar cheese, stirring in a handful at a time, until melted. Pour sauce over pasta, and fold gently to combine. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired, and any toppings you are using (sliced tomatoes, bread crumbs, etc). Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and very lightly browned on top. Yield: 6 servings