Stovetop Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Broccoli

I just love doing recipe exchanges. I love thinking about which dish I want to submit, and then I anxiously await my assignment. I always get nervous. Will we like it? Will it require weird ingredients that I'll have to buy and never use again? Will it be easy to make while 2 energetic young boys run around my kitchen?

This is my third exchange with my online group (I still haven't blogged the second - yikes!) and I'm three-for-three. Melissa submitted Alton Brown's Stovetop Mac and Cheese, and you probably all know how much I love anything pasta-related, especially mac and cheese. I definitely have my favorites, but I love trying new variations.

This is definitely another one to add to the rotation. At first, I was really wary of the quantity. HALF a box of elbows was going to feed all four of us? I was positive I'd be making some sandwiches later. But don't be deceived - we all ate it and there was still some leftover.

I wasn't a huge fan of the cheese and sauce combo, but it was so fast and easy that it doesn't matter. Next time I would probably use half cheddar and half American, my usual cheese concoction. I also took Melissa's advice and added some turkey bacon. Yum - this was a hit for the whole family!

Stovetop Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Broccoli

adapted from Alton Brown, as seen on I Was Born to Cook

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 6 ounces evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 package frozen broccoli, cooked
• 4 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese, bacon, and brocolli. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

Creamy Taco Mac

When I think of things that are "trendy," I used to think of skinny jeans, Uggs, and the "Rachel" haircut. I never would have thought of food as trendy.

Yet there are certain recipes that are floating around my cooking forum and blog community, and they are popular enough to be considered trendy. I am certainly not minimizing their presence, and I have absolutely cooked my share of popular recipes (Avocado and Black Bean Brownies, Better-Than-Sex Cake, Penne alla Betsy...).

The latest culinary bandwagon that I've hopped aboard is Delish's Creamy Taco Mac. I've seen multiple blog posts with this recipe; some keep things the same and others put their own spin on it. I fall into the latter category, though her original sounds fantastic too.


The thing with most trends, however, is that they peak really quickly and then fizzle out, never to be heard from again. This pasta dish was so freaking fantastic, however, that I am pretty sure it won't be disappearing from my kitchen anytime soon.

I was wary about only using 1/2 pound of pasta but it was plenty; I even got two lunches out of the leftovers. I'm already planning on making it again soon.

Ingredients

• 1.25 lbs ground turkey
• 1/2 onion, chopped
  
• 8 oz dry pasta + 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1 16oz jar of salsa
  
• 4 Tbsp mild taco seasoning
• 3 oz cream cheese
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese, plus more for garnish
  

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta per directions. Reserve one cup of pasta water.

Over medium heat, brown ground turkey until no longer pink. Add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add taco seasoning and salsa. Allow to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, reserved water, cream cheese, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Give it a good stir until cheeses are melty and incorporated. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt & pepper, as desired. Top off with cheddar cheese for extra cheesy goodness.

The Outback's Mac-a-Roo and Cheese

Even though I have been trying to prepare meals that are a bit more health-conscious, sometimes you just need to splurge. This knock-off of the steakhouse's popular kid's meal is perfect for indulging, especially on a cold winter's night.

For years, I only ordered Mac-a-Roo and Cheese at the Outback - even as an adult (at least, until I discovered the wonder that is Alice Spring's Chicken). And now, Ryan enjoys it too, so I was excited to find a version to try at home.

I was skeptical about using Velveeta. I'm not afraid of processed food, but the idea of such a cheese really kind of grosses me out. Even as I was cooking, I sampled a piece of the cheese and - blech. I thought there was no way I'd enjoy this.

But the plastic-cheese flavor totally fades and combines with the roux and paprika to really form a yummy, albeit unhealthy, dinner. Ryan, who is not a big dinner-eater, gobbled it up and has requested it several times since.

I will definitely make this again (did I mention that it was super easy and fast?) and will probably make extra to portion out in single-serving sizes for fast lunches.


12 oz. Package of Medium Size Rigatoni Pasta
1/2 LB Store Brand Processed Cheese Food (cubed)
3 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Paprika
1 1/2 C. Milk


Preparation:
Prepare Rigatoni using package instructions. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan on medium heat melt butter and add flour, stirring constantly. Mixture should thicken. When flour thickens add milk, salt, paprika, and cheese cubes. Stirring constantly until the sauce thickens but yet is smooth. The cheese sauce should resemble an extra thick cream. If mixture is to thick a little more milk may be added. Pour the drained pasta in the sauce and gently stir well. When pasta is completely coated with sauce mixed well the Mac A Roo is ready to serve.

Pioneer Woman's Mac and Cheese

There are simply no words for the Pioneer Woman's Mac and Cheese. None. While I was eating this, I mentally wrote some eloquent entry that would have all of you just flocking to your kitchens to make this.

But now... the cheesy goodness has completely taken over my mind and I cannot think of anything remotely intellectual to say about this meal. After we had it for dinner, I did everything I could to make sure my husband would not touch this for lunch over the next few days - it was all MINE! And it reheated amazingly - maybe even better than the first night.

And I am absolutely not ashamed to say that I ate this for lunch right alongside of her BBQ meatballs.

I should also add that I chose to eat it straight out of the pan - I didn't bake it. When it comes to baked mac and cheese, I definitely want my dad's!


Ingredients

• 4 cups dried macaroni
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 4 tablespoons) butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 pound cheese, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• *Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If you plan to bake it, cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain. (If you do NOT plan to bake, cook a bit longer.)

In a small bowl, beat egg.

In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.

Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.

Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.

Add in cheese and stir to melt.

Add salts and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.

Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

Dad's Mac and Cheese

Who DOESN'T love a big bowl of mac and cheese??


Growing up, this was my dad's signature dish. It is so simple (and not exactly healthy!) but delicious. Even though I try out new mac and cheese recipes frequently, I always come back to this one; for me, it's my childhood in a bowl.

Sometimes I vary up the cheese or throw in some add-ins like ground turkey, broccoli, or ham... or some kind of combination.

Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 pound American cheese, grated
• 1/2-1 cup milk
• couple of tablespoons of butter

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

Place a third of the grated cheese along the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Cover with half of the pasta, then another third of cheese, then the rest of the pasta, and the rest of the cheese.

Pour the milk over everything, and dot with butter.

Bake uncovered until golden, about 30 minutes.

Creamy Stove-Top Mac and Cheese

I'm a bit skeptical about posting this in light of all of the recent drama Elizabeth encountered regarding myrecipes.com, but I am going to do my best to follow the "philosophy" of my blog while avoiding receiving a similar email. ;)

I made this dish at the very last minute, when my attempts at a crockpot Beef Stroganoff failed miserably. I already had the whole wheat egg noodles boiling but didn't have any sauce defrosted. I remembered getting a mac and cheese email from myrecipes.com and decided to make that instead.

This really wasn't as good as it could have been, but that was simply due to the changes I had to make at the very last minute. I had no regular flour and had to use whole wheat, and a yucky brand at that. I had no cheddar and used mozzarella. For an on-the-fly dinner it was okay, but I would love to give it another go without having to make substitutions.

Ingredients
4 cups uncooked medium elbow macaroni (or any pasta)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/4 cups fat-free milk
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Cook the pasta according to package/personal taste; set aside.

In a large saucepan, make a roux (how the hell do you spell that??) with the flour, salt, pepper, and milk. Once blended, add the cream cheese and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and allow to thicken for a few minutes. Add the mustard, Worcestershire, and garlic and simmer.

Remove from heat and stir in the cheese; combine with pasta.

Florentine Mac and Cheese

Who doesn't love mac and cheese?? I am such a sucker for this comfort dish, especially when my dad makes it, but when I found this Rachael Ray version, I was excited to try a "healthier" version (hey, throwing some spinach and chicken in there makes it good for you, right?).

I did realize a bit too late that I used mozzarella instead of cheddar, but that wasn't necessarily a bad substitution! And I learned that I can effectively bake meatballs in my toaster oven, and I also learned that my husband gets grumpy when I forget to change the setting back and he takes ten minutes trying to figure out why his waffles won't toast when he's trying to walk out the door... Whoops. ;)

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound cavatappi corkscrew shaped hallow pasta
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
Black pepper
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
1 egg
3/4 cup bread crumbs, plus more, if needed*
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, (EVOO) divided
2 boxes chopped frozen spinach (10 ounces each)
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.

Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of EVOO and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon EVOO. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17-18 minutes until juices run clear.

Defrost spinach in microwave 8-10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave. Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.

While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5-6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.

Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.

Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.

Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli

Oh, lordy. Jenn's submission for Rachael Ray's Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli for Dinner Divas was so ridiculously good. I'm not even going to tell you how much of this I ate tonight; suffice it to say that I am very, very full.






I struggle a bit with the whole melt-butter-and-add-flour concept; try as I might, I continuously have a grainy-ish consistency. After some discussion on my cooking message board, I realized that I should a) not use skim milk, b) throw in a slice or two of American, and c) not let the milk get too hot before I add in the cheese. I can't make any promises regarding (a), but we'll see how well the other two options pan out.

I don't have any cayenne pepper, so on a whim I grabbed allspice. Not too shabby!






Similar to the cookie incident, Ryan decided he couldn't wait for me to finish taking pictures before diving in:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1 pound chicken breast tenders, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 pound macaroni elbows or cavatapi corkscrew shaped pasta twists
• 2 1/2 cups raw broccoli florets, available packaged in produce department
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3 cups yellow sharp Cheddar
• 1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard
  

Place a pot of water on to boil for macaroni.

Heat a medium pan over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and chicken and season with salt and pepper. Saute a couple of minutes then add onion and cook another 5 to 7 minutes until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through. Turn off heat and reserve.
To boiling pasta water, add pasta and salt to season the cooking water. Cook 5 minutes, then add broccoli and cook 3 minutes more or until pasta is cooked to al dente and florets are just tender.

While pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add butter and melt, then add flour, cayenne and paprika and whisk together over heat until roux bubbles then cook a minute more. Whisk in milk and stock and raise heat a little to bring sauce to a quick boil. Simmer sauce to thicken about 5 minutes.

Drain macaroni or pasta and broccoli florets. Add back to pot and add chicken to the pasta and broccoli.

Add cheese to milk sauce and stir to melt it in, about a minute or so. Stir in mustard and season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli and cooked pasta and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings, transfer to a large serving platter and serve.

Barefoot Bloggers: Grown-Up Mac and Cheese

This month's Barefoot Blogger recipe was not really a hit in our house.

I usually make a really simple mac & cheese dish that I got from my dad, and it's just really, really good... and some of the more sophisticated versions just don't bring that same comfort-food-level to the table, you know?

Anyway, Ina's Grown-Up Mac and Cheese wasn't bad; it just likely won't be a repeat dinner.

Ingredients:

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon

Vegetable oil

Kosher salt

2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated

2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheese

Since Jen, Brian, and Stella were coming over for dinner last night, I was looking for a side dish to my burgers that would be yummy but very kid-friendly. I thought Rachael Ray's Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheese would be perfect.

I have made this before and really liked it, but for some reason I wasn't really a fan of it last night. I did use skim milk instead of cream in an attempt to keep it figure-friendly for the adults, so maybe that made that much of a difference...? Or maybe my seasoning was off...? Anyway, last time I made this I LOVED it, and this time it was just okay...

Ingredients:

• 1 pound macaroni with lines, such as tubatini or mini penne rigate
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 (10 ounce) box frozen cooked butter nut squash, defrosted
• 1 cup cream or half-and-half
• 2 cups (8 ounces) sharp Cheddar, grated
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, eyeball it
• Black pepper

Heat a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Salt the water then add the pasta and cook to al dente or, with a bite to it.

While pasta cooks, heat a medium heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the thyme and grate the onion directly into the pot with a hand held grater or Microplane. Cook the grated onion in butter and oil 1 to 2 minutes, then add flour and cook together 1 to 2 more minutes. Whisk in stock, then combine with butternut squash until warmed through and smooth. Stir in cream or half-and-half and bring sauce to a bubble. Stir in cheeses in a figure 8 motion and season the completed sauce with salt, nutmeg and pepper. Taste to adjust seasonings.

Drain cooked pasta well and combine with sauce. Serve alongside chicken sammies and top with thyme leaves picked from remaining sprigs.

NY Deli Mac and Cheese

I am a sucker for mac and cheese. I love to try new ways to make it; it's just the ultimate comfort food. So when I saw Rachael Ray make this variation, I dove for her website to print out the recipe.

I didn't realize until after it was in the oven that I used a 12oz box of pasta and not a full pound, so it was a tad cheesier than she probably intended (but still gooooood!). Also, rather than pastrami, I used half ham and half turkey. Roast beef would be good in here too; use your favorite lunch meat!

Ingredients

• 1 pound cavatappi pasta, or any shape you like
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup spicy deli mustard
• 3 cups New York aged sharp cheddar (12 ounces), grated
• 1/2 pound deli pastrami, roughly chopped
• 6 slices rye toast, crumbled (I just used a handful of breadcrumbs.)
  

Pre-heat broiler to high or oven to 400°F.

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring it up to a boil to cook the pasta. Once at a boil, add some salt and the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a medium size skillet over medium heat and add the butter.

When the butter melts, add flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in stock, milk and spicy mustard and bring up to a bubble. Stir in the cheese in a figure-eight motion, reserving enough to sprinkle on the top of the casserole, until it's all melted. Fold in the pastrami and season with salt and pepper to taste.

When the pasta is done, drain it well and combine with sauce. Pour into a baking dish and top with reserved cheese and crumbled rye toast. Dot the top of the casserole with butter and place in oven until cheese is brown and bubbling.