Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Mac and Cheese Two Ways


Inspired by a wonderful recent post by Dina, a fellow blogger and close personal friend in real life, I decided to share two super easy mac and cheese recipes.


(Image from Google Images)

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese - the perfect comfort food. It's not the most figure friendly dish, but man, is it yummy! I serve it with a mixed green salad.

Ingredients:
  • about 2 cups of elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups shredded of sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated of Parmesan cheese
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 1/4 cup of butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons of butter (optional)
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs (optional)
  • 1 pinch paprika (optional)
  • 1 pinch of oregano (optional)
Directions:
  1. Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
  2. In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
  3. Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni and cheese to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika and oregano.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve. If you like things a little spicy, you can add a few drops of Tabasco Sauce or any other spicy red pepper sauce.
Tuna Mac and Cheese - another family favourite when time is of the essence. This dish is incredibly easy, and can be ready in minutes!

Ingredients:
  • about 2 cups of elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups shredded of sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated of Parmesan cheese
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 1/4 cup of butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • 1 green pepper, cubed into small pieces
  • 1 red pepper, cubed into small pieces
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 can of tuna (if you want more tuna, you can add another can)
Directions:
  1. Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain.
  2. In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add milk to roux slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in cheeses, and cook over low heat until cheese is melted and the sauce is a little thick. Put macaroni in large casserole dish, and pour sauce over macaroni. Stir well.
  3. Add red and green pepper, onion, and tuna. Mix together well. Serve. (This dish isn't a casserole dish, so you don't have to bake it in the oven)
One last thing:

Baby Bro is going to kill me if he sees this! On the weekend, Baby Bro's girlfriend and I were talking about Baby Bro's TV, film and commercial work since the start of his acting career at the age of seven. Of course, there were bit parts and being cast as an extra in a few Hollywood and made-for-TV movies. There were also the cheesy commercials. I'm not kidding. He was once in a "Cheese Strings" commercial. There were also the Kids' TV shows that he was on. For example, Are You Afraid of the Dark and Judy and David's Boom Box. Baby Bro sure is going to freak when he finds out that I've discovered this long lost gem! Baby Bro was one of the kids dancing in the "Be a Snake" video.

14 comments:

Karen MEG said...

OMG, C, baby bro is going to SOOOOO kill you! And, no we can't ignore that HUGE FONT!!!! LOLOLOL!!! That's really cute, and funny coincidence, my baby brother did some acting and modelling when he was a kid. I should see if I can find his Kelloggs commercial somewhere on the internet. Too cosmic, how is it that we have such weirdnesses in common ;). We just had a BD celebration for my brother on the weekend, I'm pretty proud of him too :)

Those mac and cheese recipes looks scrumptious. I need to try them. They look great for me and Ian, Liam will love it ... probably too exotic for little G but I'll eat her share!

Happy belated V-day, BTW. I tried to post something on your Vday post but I think something was up with my connection that day. I noticed a bunch of my comments didn't get published.

Curiosity Killer said...

You girls are angels!! Mac and CHEESE!!!! (gargle gargle)

I wish i have a bigger oven.

Actually, I don't care. I'll bribe a friend to use their kitchen if need be. I really miss Mac and cheese... it's been too long.

Unknown said...

Mac and cheese is always yummy! I won't tell your baby bro what you've shared. :)

Deb said...

oh, gosh! mac and cheese is an all time fave. and the recipe is sooo easy. I think I am going to make it tonight!...right after I go to the gym.

Anonymous said...

that sounds delicious chris- i'd rather you come over and make it for us though, i hate cooking and its so much more work than the kraft mac and cheese in the box :-(

Jan said...

The mac and cheese recipe looks fantastic. My grandchildren thinks it comes in a box so I think I'll show them what the real thing tastes like. Thanks for the recipe.

merinz said...

Good old Mac and Cheese! Also very nice with cooked bacon pieces added to it!

Unknown said...

Karen:
Wow! That is surreal! It always amazes me whenever we discover what else we have in common. It is like living parallel lives or something! LOL! You're right about it being way too cosmic. xoxo

CK:
LOL! You're too funny! :)

Lisa Marie:
Thanks! :) LOL! He would be so embarrassed!

Unknown said...

Deb:
I made the first mac and cheese recipe for supper tonight. We had it with cucumber salad, butternut squash and green beans and a fruit salad for dessert.

Hot Mommy:
:) You are too cute! Hubby has never really eaten Kraft Dinner. He told me that he's had it only a handful of times and always at someone else's home. I remember eating Kraft Dinner a lot when I was a kid! Actually, when I was in Japan, I craved it! LOL! I had my mom send me a crate of it!

Unknown said...

Jan:
Let me know what your grandkids think of the recipe! When you pour the cheesy liquid over the macaroni, it looks like it's a lot of liquid, but when it cooks and settles, it's just perfect. When you take the casserole out of the oven, let it sit for a few minutes so the noodles can soak in all that cheesy goodness. LOL! ;)

Mrinz:
Ooooooooh! I think Hubby would love that alternative!! Thanks! :)

Jeanna said...

Okay, I'm just going to ignore this post. And will try to make you drool over Tim Tams. Touché. (Have green beans and fish a cookin' as I type.)

Unknown said...

Jeanna:
Yeah...Sorry! The recipes on this post are not the most diet friendly! I did serve the macaroni and cheese with a cucumber salad and the squash and green beans though! LOL! Now, as for the Tim Tams...I'm drooling!!! Got any left? ;p

Anonymous said...

i won't tell pj that i saw that! he is super cute in that vid. that was so long ago. now he's almost done univ! crazy how time flies

Uncivil said...

I thought baby bro looked like a movie star?

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City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
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