baked macaroni and cheese

There is the blue box that you will find in most pantries of homes with kids. You don't find it in this home.  I have never liked macaroni and cheese.  The powdered cheese just freaked me out as a child and I never got over it.  Some moms made it runny and others made it clumpy and chunky and then there were the moms that added things like peas and bacon in it.  I wanted none of it.  It still makes me cringe.  I don't make it for my kids.  I made it once and Brad put ketchup on his and that just took me to a new gross out level.  This is probably going to result in some life long damage to my kids but, I will deal with that in counseling 10 years from now.  Because I never liked the boxed stuff I kinda shunned the homemade gourmet versions as well. At Carter's party I thought I would made a homemade version for the kids.  I tore this out of People magazine and I have been watching Alton on the Best Thing I Ever Ate. I am always pleased with his choices so, I was hoping his mac and cheese would be a winner.  I like the quirky, brainy, foodie guys.  The kids were not a fan.  They like the blue box.  The adults really liked it.  I don't have much to compare it to but, I like that it was not overly cheesy and that you could taste the pasta, creamy cheese and the panko crunch on top was a nice finish.  I would definitely make this again even if the kids revolt.  More for me.  I have a lot of catching up to do on my mac and cheese consumption.

 

baked macaroni and cheese

source: alton brown
 

1/2 pound elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

peanut noodles

We had Brad's family over for dinner this weekend to finish off the last of Carter's birthday celebration.  I love having them over but, it gets a bit stressful for me when it comes to developing a menu.  We have a few that don't eat red meat, several non-vegetable lovers, those that don't like spicy and kids that all hardly eat but, they all hardly eat different things.  I came up with a menu this time that I feel had likable components for everyone.  It was based on the cool fall weather and then out of no where an 80+ degree day and I was back to the drawing board.  A mix of asian flavored beef and chicken kebabs were the basis and then a few simple sides.  My sesame peanut noodles that I make are packed with fresh crispy and crunchy vegetable such as cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers and snap peas.  I knew that would not go over well so, I found a more tame version that focused on noodles and peanut butter.  This was a kid friendly dish and made a ton of left overs.  The next day I browned some ground turkey meat in some teriyaki sauce and stir fried it with the noodles and some vegetables for another quick meal.  I think that is what is great about this recipe.  It is a good basic foundation that can be served as is or dressed up with additional ingredients to give it a new more complex twist.

peanut noodles
adapted: allrecipes

• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoons hot chile paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces spaghetti or udon noodles
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped peanut
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until tender according to package directions. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, ginger, soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, chili paste, and garlic in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until peanut butter melts and is heated through. Add noodles, and toss to coat. Garnish with green onions, peanuts and sesame seeds. 
3. Serve warm or room temperature.