Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

I love this recipe because it doesn't involve a roux.  And it definitely beats the blue box!

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese


1 lb. elbow or shells pasta
1 Tbls butter or margarine
1 cup milk
1 8oz. block of cream cheese
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup bread crumbs (if baking)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta al dente.  While pasta is cooking, prepare cheese sauce.  Over medium heat, melt butter.  Add milk and bring to a light boil.  Be careful because milk can boil over quickly!  Add cream cheese and stir until melted.  Turn off heat and add spices, parmesan cheese, and sharp cheddar cheese.  Pour cheese sauce over pasta.  At this point, you can serve as is.  Or pour into a 9x13 greased casserole dish; top with bread crumbs and maybe some more parmesan cheese and bake at 375 for about 30 minutes.

Tips:  This recipe is very flexible.  Most of the time, I make mine with whole grain blend pasta.  I also usually use the 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese.  I've used anywhere between skim to 2% milk with success.

Enjoy!

~M

Egg Roll Soup

Egg Roll Soup


extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 lb. boneless chicken breast, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 - 15 oz. cans chicken broth
1 small head of cabbage, sliced

Drizzle a little olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add onions and carrots and saute until they begin to soften.  Add chicken and continue sauteing until chicken is no longer pink.  Add garlic, ginger, pepper, soy sauce, and chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Once soup is at a boil, add cabbage, lower heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

~M

Sesame Noodles

Chris and I love chinese take out.  When we were living in TX the take out places around us didn't hold a candle to the Emerald Garden, so I started making my own.  And now we live in the middle of nowhere, so I have too!

Sesame Noodles

1 - 13.25 package of whole wheat blend thin spaghetti noodles

2 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbls sesame oil

1 1/2 tsp tabasco sauce

2 Tbls sesame seeds

4 green onions, chopped

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles al dente.  While noodles are cooking, prepare sauce.  I used to make this recipe by sauteing the garlic and oil in a skillet, then adding the remaining ingredients (except for sesame seeds and green onions) and bringing it to just before a boil.  Then one night I was in a hurry, so I added all the ingredients (except for sesame seeds and green onions) to a large pyrex measuring cup and microwaved it for 5 minutes (or however long your microwave takes to heat to just before a boil).  The taste was identical, so that's how I make it now.  Either way will work, though!  Pour sauce over noodles and top with green onions and sesame seeds.  I like to serve these noodles with stir fry.

Enjoy!

~M

Thanksgiving Meatloaf

Meatloaf gets a bad rap.  This one is delicious; I promise!

Thanksgiving Meatloaf


Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, shredded
1 zucchini, shredded
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 - 1.25 lb package lean ground turkey
1 - 5 oz. package stove top brand stuffing
1 egg
2 Tbls milk

Drizzle a little olive oil into a skillet.  Add veggies and cook until softened.  Add thyme, pepper, and garlic and allow to cool completely.  While veggies cool, preheat oven to 375.  Once veggies cool, mix all ingredients and form into a loaf.  Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through.  Serve with gravy.

Enjoy!

~M