Caprese Macaroni and Cheese

It's no secret that I love all things caprese. So when Stephanie posted this recipe for Caprese Macaroni and Cheese I was intrigued. Why had it never occurred to me to combine two of my favorite things into one dish?

This will come as no surprise, but this dish was outstanding. The gooey, cheesy mozzarella, the bright tomatoes and the fresh basil all worked so well with the creamy sauce. In an effort to make this a wee bit healthier I omitted the cream and upped the amount of milk. I also upped the amount of flour so the sauce would thicken. I used canned diced tomatoes, but if you've got tomatoes and basil in your garden I highly recommend using those instead. When I made this my basil plant hadn't started growing yet but thankfully my neighbors were overrun with basil and gladly shared some with me.

Caprese Macaroni and Cheese
As seen on Stephanie Cooks

1/2 pound elbows (or other short-cut pasta)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic (I omitted)
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
minced fresh basil, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and place back in the pot.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and garlic (if using), stirring well. Add the flour, mixing, until a paste forms. Slowly whisk in the milk, broth, garlic salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Add the cooked pasta, stirring, until covered in cheese sauce. Serve immediately.

Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Peas

I mentioned that I made two recipes from Katie's blog for the recent Blogger's Choice swap. This is the second, a version of the Panera mac and cheese I've made countless times - Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Peas. I think Katie is brilliant for adding bacon and peas to this recipe, two things my whole family loves and I always have on hand. This was the perfect recipe to make one weeknight when my planned meal went awry due to woody, thick, overpriced asparagus at the supermarket.

Once again Baby Girl impressed me with her eating, asking for multiple pieces of cooked bacon and snacking on frozen peas. Bacon was something she's tried before and kept claiming she didn't like. I guess she finally changed her mind. The frozen pea thing perplexes me - the kid loves eating things straight from the freezer.

I haven't been able to find pipette pasta in the store before (that's the shape Panera uses) but I was at a different grocery store recently, saw it in the pasta aisle and grabbed a box to keep on hand. I was so excited to finally use it. It holds the sauce so well and the opening was the perfect size for the peas to hide.

This is a fantastic version of one my favorite stovetop macaroni and cheese with the added bonus of a veggie built right in. And everything is better with bacon.

Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Peas
As seen on So Tasty, So Yummy

1 pound small pasta (shells, elbows, pipette)
4 slices bacon
1/3 cup flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
4 ounces white American cheese, chopped or torn into pieces
8 ounces extra sharp white Vermont cheddar, chopped or torn into pieces
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 1/2 cups frozen peas

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, cook the bacon in a medium-size pot. Drain the bacon on paper towels and crumble. Leave four tablespoons of the bacon grease in the pot and 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.

Remove 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. Stir peas and bacon into the pot with the pasta, then add the cheese sauce. Be sure to stir up the sauce from the bottom of the sauce pan and thoroughly coat all of the pasta with sauce. Serve immediately.

Italian Mac and Cheese

I can't tell you the last time I made mac and cheese. I love the stuff, but pasta drenched in cheese sauce isn't exactly on the new diet plan. Recently I had some leftover salami and a basil plant that was getting out of control, so I turned to this Italian Mac and Cheese I saw on Cassie's blog.

I've been loving roasted tomatoes lately and I was happy to make my own pesto with fresh-from-the-garden basil. The sauce ended up being a bit too heavy for us, but I think a lot of that has to do with the way we've been eating lately. I've modified the recipe below to be a little lighter, upping the chicken broth and decreasing the milk. I also upped the amount of tomatoes to 2 pints because 1 pint was just not enough.

This was a great way to use up some odds and ends around the house, with nice bright summer flavors from the tomatoes and pesto.

Italian Macaroni and Cheese
Slightly Modified from Cassie Craves

12 ounces penne
2 pints cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
4 ounces Genoa salami, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
1/4 cup pesto

Cook penne in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are bursting, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and remove the skins, if desired.

While tomatoes are roasting, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and salami and cook until onion is softened. Add garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add flour and stir until the ingredients are coated and the mixture is bubbling, about 1 additional minute.

Stir in wine and cook until reduced. Stir in chicken stock and milk. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat. Stir in cheese until melted, then add the pesto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Combine penne, roasted tomatoes, and cheese sauce. Serve immediately.

Recipe Swap: Cajun Mac and Cheese

It's recipe swap time again. I love these recipe swaps and I'm thrilled that the ladies who participate enjoy them as well. As I've mentioned before, Blogger's Choice is the most popular theme for the swaps since it allows everyone the freedom to pick any recipe they want from their assigned blog. In fact, people love it so much I've decided to alternate between a theme and Blogger's Choice starting the end of July and going into mid-October.

This time I was assigned my friend Christina's blog, Tales from a Mad Men Kitchen. Christina had a lot of recipes I wanted to try, but I've had my eye on this Cajun Mac and Cheese since I saw it in Food Network Magazine and was disappointed when I didn't get it for the Noodle Swap. It was an obvious pick for me since we love mac and cheese.


Mary Ellen, the blogger who made this for the Noodle Swap, thought the flavors were a little flat so I made some changes to make sure this had plenty of oomph. I think the brand of andouille used probably has a lot to do with the spice level. Ours had a nice kick to it. I also made my own Cajun Spice Mix, which added another layer of spice. I opted to swap the cheddar for pepper Jack, not thinking that Monterey Jack is a mild cheese. In the recipe below, I changed the cheese to half cheddar, half pepper Jack, which I think will work perfectly.

This had a definite kick to it. The sauce was a little runny the first night, but perfect for leftovers the next day after the pasta absorbed some of the liquid. If you make your own spice blend you can control the heat, leaving out the cayenne if spice isn't your thing and increasing it if you want more kick. The little bites of andouille and red pepper were great and the onion flavor was nice and mild from the scallions. It's also a gorgeous plate of food. Just look at those colors. I served the mac and cheese with a salad made with mixed greens, diced tomato, diced avocado and some frozen corn I defrosted, tossed with a simple vinaigrette made with rice vinegar, oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Super simple and delicious.

Cajun Mac and Cheese
Slightly Modified from Christina Cooks

Kosher salt
12 ounces wagon-wheel pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces andouille sausage, diced
2 cups thinly sliced scallions
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon Cajun spice blend (see below)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
4 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, cut into cubes
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into cubes

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than the label directs. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, combine the olive oil and sausage in a large skillet over high heat and cook, stirring, until the sausage starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the scallions and bell pepper and cook until the vegetables are slightly soft, about 3 more minutes. Add the Cajun spice and flour and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and continue whisking until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 5 more minutes.

Add the pasta, cheese and reserved cooking water to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, tossing to coat the pasta in the sauce and melt the cheese, about 1 minute.

Cajun Spice Mix

3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Stir together all the spices until evenly blended. Store in an airtight container.

Bacon and Broccoli Mac and Cheese

So you may have realized we're trying to lose weight and be healthier overall. That can be very, very difficult when you love to eat. Thankfully a magazine like Cooking Light exists. A few months ago I won a subscription from my friend Heather over at Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks and once the subscription runs out I'll definitely be renewing it on my own. What a fantastic magazine. The recipes are things I love to make but healthier, like this Bacon and Broccoli Mac and Cheese. Bacon (and we aren't talking turkey bacon here) and creamy cheese sauce? Sign me up!


As soon as SP heard it was from Cooking Light he was skeptical, but after one bite he was hooked. I loved it as well, especially the subtle onion flavor from the scallions. The bacon added great flavor, but since you're only using two pieces it isn't overwhelming (or that unhealthy). I decided to cook the broccoli with the pasta instead of steaming it separately and even though I thought we had rigatoni in the pantry we didn't, so I subbed rotini. I was skeptical about this being enough food for 4 hungry people, but with a side salad it's a great meal. I reheated the leftovers the next day for lunch and the creaminess was lost, which can happen with stovetop mac and cheese.

I can't wait to make this again, and again, and again. Mac and cheese with less guilt? Yes, please!

Bacon and Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Slightly Modified from Cooking Light

8 ounces uncooked rigatoni
3 cups broccoli florets
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 ounces reduced-fat American cheese, cut into pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup packed)

Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Add the broccoli 4 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Drain and keep warm.

Wipe pan with paper towels, and return to medium heat. Melt butter in pan. Sprinkle flour over melted butter; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add milk to the flour mixture in pan, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook for 1 minute or until slightly thick, and remove from heat. Add American cheese; stir until smooth. Stir in sliced green onions and the remaining ingredients. Stir in broccoli and pasta; serve immediately.

Panera's Stove Top Mac and Cheese

I love mac and cheese. I'm trying to eat less of it these days because it isn't exactly healthy, but that doesn't mean I've stopped loving it's cheesy goodness. I have a favorite baked version, but I've yet to find a stove top recipe that tastes as good. Then I saw Tara rave about this recipe for Panera's Stove Top Mac and Cheese and I figured I'd give it a whirl.


Disclaimer - I've never had Panera's mac and cheese (I can count on one hand the number of times I've eaten at Panera), but this was creamy, cheesy and delicious, with a nice tang from the Dijon. I might cut back on the mustard the next time simply because I felt it was bordering on overwhelming the other flavors. Otherwise this was fantastic and easy. I served it with pan-grilled ham steaks and roasted asparagus, which is unusual for me because generally I like to keep the mac and cheese the star of the show. This time I really wanted it to be a side dish.

Panera’s Stove Top Mac and Cheese
Smells Like Home

16 oz pipette pasta or other small pasta shapes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half
4 oz white American cheese, chopped or torn into pieces
8 oz extra sharp white Vermont cheddar, shredded
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (like Frank’s)

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

While the pasta cooks, 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.

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.

Roasted Garlic Macaroni and Cheese

It's no secret that I love macaroni and cheese. As SP once said, how can you go wrong with pasta and cheese. This recipe for Roasted Garlic Macaroni and Cheese is originally from Annie's blog, but I didn't know about it until I saw it on Cassie's meal plan one week. I was anxious to hear what she thought of it and when it came back with rave reviews I added it to my menu.


I didn't have penne so I subbed shells, which worked well. A word of warning - this is one rich mac and cheese. I had to sub in some American cheese because I didn't have a full 8-ounces of cheddar. I don't know if that made a difference but I was glad I had some simple steamed broccoli to cut the richness.


It was still a delicious dinner that even Baby Girl, who is quite the mac and cheese lover, enjoyed. I love that she eats things like roasted garlic. It makes me proud.

Roasted Garlic Macaroni and Cheese
Cassie Craves

1 head garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb penne rigate
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
8 ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 container (usually 5 to 6 ounces) Boursin (garlic and herb spreadable cheese)
Salt and pepper

To roast the garlic, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove most of the outer paper skins from the head of garlic, leaving it intact. Slice off the top portion of the head so that all of the cloves are exposed at the top, but the head is still intact. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the head of garlic on a piece of foil and loosely fold the foil up around the head of garlic to create a foil packet. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the cloves are easily squeezed from the skins. Squeeze all of the garlic out of the skins and smash with a fork to make a paste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain in a colander. Return the pasta to the pot and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and the roasted garlic paste and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce comes to a low boil and thickens noticeably. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheddar and Boursin. Whisk until the cheese is completely melted.

Add cheese sauce to reserved pasta and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Buttermilk Mac and Cheese

If you've been reading this blog for a long time you might remember my quest to find the perfect mac and cheese recipe. This was years ago and I was on the hunt for a recipe that reminded me of the mac and cheese they served at my college. It was so creamy and cheesy that I would stalk the online menu to see when it would be making an appearance in the dining hall. After many failed attempts to recreate it I finally found my perfect mac and cheese. I use this recipe 9 out of 10 times I make mac and cheese. But every once in awhile I like to try something new, just for variety. Enter this recipe for Buttermilk Mac and Cheese from Cassie.


I've never made a mac and cheese with eggs before, so right off the bat I was pretty skeptical. The preparation reminded me of making a strata or make-ahead breakfast casserole and the end result had a similar texture, with a consistency like cottage cheese instead of being smooth and creamy. SP was initially skeptical as well but went back for seconds, as did I. While it certainly tasted good and couldn't have been easier to make, I think I'll stick with my tried-and-true version. I just love that smooth, creamy, cheesy sauce.

Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese
Cassie Craves

6 eggs
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Colby cheese
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions and drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the cheese, buttermilk, butter, salt and pepper. Add macaroni; toss to coat.

Pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the middle comes out clean.

Spicy Sausage Mac and Cheese

As soon as I saw Spicy Sausage Mac and Cheese on Cassie's weekly menu plan I knew I had to make it. We love spicy sausage but I wouldn't have thought to put it in mac and cheese. Brilliant, Cassie!


I didn't have luck with adding cream cheese to my mac and cheese sauce the last time I made it so I decided to turn this into a baked dish. I made it in the morning and baked it that night for dinner. Even though I tried to let the pasta and sauce cool before I mixed them together, the dish was a little dry. Next time I think I'll stick with a stove top version for that extra creaminess. I can't wait to make this again.

Spicy Sausage Macaroni and Cheese
Slightly Modified from Cassie Craves

1 pound macaroni or other short pasta
1 pound spicy sausage
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon ground mustard
Pinch of nutmeg
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until no longer pink. Set aside on paper towels to drain.

Heat butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan until melted, then add flour and cook one minute. Whisk in milk until smooth and slightly thickened. Season with ground mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cheddar cheese until melted.

Combine pasta, sausage, cherry tomatoes, and cheese sauce. Serve immediately.

Bacon Lover's Mac and Cheese

Hands up if you love bacon! If you raised your hand this recipe is for you.


I've had this recipe for Bacon Lover's Mac and Cheese printed out for awhile now but I wanted to wait for fall weather to make it. As soon as the temps dipped into the 60s I put it on my menu and now I'm kicking myself for waiting so long. It was delicious. The bacon flavor is pronounced but not overwhelming and it isn't nearly as heavy as I would have thought it would be due to the mushrooms and spinach. SP and I absolutely loved this. I served it with a simple green salad and homemade vinaigrette dressing, which also helped cut the richness of the pasta. I can't wait to make this one again.

I divided the recipe in half and froze one half, unbaked, to have on one of those nights when I don't feel like cooking. I love recipes like that.

Bacon Lover’s Mac and Cheese
Slightly Modified from Annie's Eats

1 lb. short-cut pasta
8 slices bacon, chopped
12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch nutmeg
8 oz. Fontina cheese, grated
8 oz. white cheddar cheese, grated
1 bag baby spinach, roughly chopped or torn
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup panko

Preheat the oven to 400.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, cook the pasta according to package directions until just shy of al dente. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate with a slotted spoon. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Return the pan to the heat and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes. Remove mushrooms from the pan.

Add the reserved bacon grease to the skillet. (If there was not enough bacon grease to make 2 tablespoons, replace the missing amount by adding an equal amount of butter.) Heat over medium-high heat until the butter is completely melted. Whisk in the flour and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden and fragrant but not burned, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until it begins to bubble and thicken. Whisk in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the Fontina and white cheddar until completely melted and smooth.

Return the drained pasta to the pot. Mix in the cooked bacon and mushrooms, the cheese sauce and the chopped spinach. Stir everything together gently until well combined. Combine melted butter and panko in a bowl.

Spread the mixture into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish. (You can also separate the mixture into two greased casserole dishes and freeze one). Add the buttered panko to the top of the mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is light golden and the cheese is bubbling.

Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese

I'm a bit of a mac and cheese junkie. It took me years to find the perfect recipe, but now that I have I feel free to branch out and try new flavors. I've mentioned before that Cassie and I have very similar tastes so I was excited when I saw her recipe for Bacon Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese:


I've never put cream cheese in my mac and cheese before and while I liked the flavor, it was a bit too heavy for my taste. I noticed that Cassie uses reduced-fat cream cheese, which probably helps. Since I only buy full-fat next time I'll cut the amount in half and increase the milk for a creamier texture. Mac and cheese is one of Baby Girl's favorite foods, so I gave her some to try. She liked it, although she didn't eat much of it once she saw the peas and carrots we'd heated up to go with it. Crazy kid loves her veggies. Go figure.

Bacon Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
Modified from Cassie Craves

1 pound short pasta
2 broccoli crowns, cut into florets
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
4-ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Colby-Jack blend cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dry mustard
A pinch of nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter

Cook pasta according to directions on package in boiling salted water. During the last 4 minutes add the broccoli to the boiling water.

Meanwhile, add bacon to a high-sided skillet and cook until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and add cream cheese and milk to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook until cream cheese is melted and mixture is thickened and bubbling. Stir in cheeses. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with the dry mustard and nutmeg.

Drain pasta and stir in butter. Combine cooked pasta, broccoli, and half of the bacon. Pour cheese sauce over and stir to combine. Top individual servings with the reserved bacon.

Ham, Ranch Mac and Cheese, Roasted Broccoli

I love macaroni and cheese. What's not to like about creamy, cheesy pasta? My college actually had pretty good food and one of my favorite lunches was macaroni and cheese. I'd stalk the online menu for weeks looking for it to reappear and when it did I would savor each and every bite. It took me a long time to find the perfect recipe and then I found another that was slightly different, but also perfect.

But that doesn't mean I won't try other macaroni and cheese recipes. Sometimes you want something different and this recipe for Ranch Macaroni and Cheese sounded fun.


I served it with ham steaks and roasted broccoli topped with Pecorino. The Ranch dressing added a nice tang and even Baby Girl loved it. Since I prefer baked macaroni and cheese I put the pasta and sauce into a casserole dish and topped it with the crushed Ritz, then baked it for about 30 minutes.

Ham Dinner

I usually serve mac & cheese as a main dish, but lately I got to thinking about rounding it out as a meal with a protein and veggie. A recent post on my cooking board mentioned serving mac & cheese with ham, roasted broccoli and applesauce, which I thought sounded great as a Sunday dinner.


The ham is fully cooked from the supermarket, so all I had to do was reheat it. The mac & cheese was made using this recipe. For the broccoli I tried something new - I cut a few lemons into slices and tossed those with the broccoli, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. It was a delicious way to prepare broccoli and really took on a nice lemon undertone. I was a little wary of how the applesauce would go with everything else, but it was perfect. A nice, homey meal.

Paula Deen's Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

I have a go-to recipe for mac & cheese, but I was watching Food Network one day during my maternity leave and saw Paula Deen make a crockpot mac & cheese that sounded easy and good. Unfortunately it wasn't really a crockpot meal since you had to stir the darn thing every once in awhile (not easy to do when your crockpot is at home and you're at work). Still wanting to try it, I made the sauce on the stovetop, added the cooked macaroni and my buttered breadcrumbs and baked it at 350 until the crumbs were toasty (recipe below).


It was bubbly, creamy and delicious, with a nice crunch from the toasted breadcrumbs:


I hate to admit it, but one of the reasons I think this recipe is so good is the cheddar soup. SP absolutely loved this version. In fact, we were fighting over the leftovers. Delicious and a little bit easier then my go-to method.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
Modified from Paula Deen

1lb uncooked elbow macaroni
6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces (divided use)
2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3-4 slices white bread, torn into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a casserole dish. Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain.

In a medium saucepan, mix 4 tablespoons butter and cheese. Stir constantly until the cheese melts. Add sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Pour into buttered casserole dish.

Add bread to food processor and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and add to bread crumbs. Pulse to incorporate. Spread crumbs over the top of the mac & cheese and bake 30 minutes or until crumbs are toasted and the edges are bubbling.

Food from Friends

Our next-door neighbor, K, brought us some food a few weeks ago:


From the top, going clockwise: pulled pork, mac and cheese, green beans, squash, Parmesan chicken and roasted potatoes.

Mac & Cheese with Stewed Tomatoes

I had some milk to use up so I made a large batch of mac & cheese. In college I loved when they served mac & cheese for lunch partly because it was amazingly good and partly because it was always served with stewed tomatoes. I bought two cans of stewed tomatoes to try to recreate the effect.


While the mac & cheese was as delicious as always, the stewed tomatoes weren't that good. I think I might need to try making my own. I love this innards shot because you can see the gorgeous, crispy breadcrumb topping:

Mac & Cheese for a Friend

My friend Brooke is pregnant with triplets. Recently she's had some complications so she has been on bed rest for a few weeks. Since we were all going to her house for a ladies lunch (post to come) I decided to make a mac & cheese for her and her husband to enjoy.


Apparently my timing was very good because right after I gave them the mac & cheese they got some bad news (don't worry, everything is fine with her and the babies) and needed something comforting for dinner. I heard the mac & cheese really hit the spot.

Shells and Cheese with Broccoli

We loved the boxed shells and cheese so much that I made another batch for dinner, this time with just broccoli:


A creamy, satisfying meal.

Mac & Cheese

On Thursday I took the last of the frozen mac & cheeses out of the freezer for dinner.


I really need to make more of these to freeze because they make such a nice, easy dinner during the week.

Mac & Cheese with Salad

Another quick weeknight meal:


... one of the mac & cheeses I have in the freezer. I served it with a quick salad of chopped romaine, celery and scallions with blue cheese dressing:


Last weekend I made an inventory of all the things in the freezer since we're trying to use up everything we have before buying more stuff. I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner.

Best Potluck Macaroni and Cheese
Slightly Modified from Cook's Country

3-4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into large pieces
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons melted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni (I like to use cavatappi)
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 dried bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded American cheese, (use block American cheese from the deli counter. Prewrapped slices of American cheese will result in a drier sauce)
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse bread, melted butter, and Parmesan in food processor until ground to coarse crumb. Transfer to bowl.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in now-empty pot over medium-high heat until foaming. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture turns light brown, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, onion, bay leaves, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook until mixture begins to simmer and is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Off heat whisk in cheeses and stir until cheese melts. Stir in macaroni until completely coated.

Transfer mixture to 9 by 13-inch lightly greased baking dish and top with bread crumb mixture. Bake until cheese is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.