Macaroni & Cheese with Broccoli

November 14, 2012 By 9 Comments

 

Many of us are hunkered down in winter weather!  And what better time for comfort food like Macaroni & Cheese?  Add some broccoli and it’s the full meal deal.
Healthy.  Delicious.  And on the table in under 1 hour.
Love it.

 

My oldest boy, who is somewhat of a picky eater, constantly asks for this.  Even last night, as I set dinner down on to the table, he took one look at it and asked me when I was going to make ‘that’ macaroni & cheese again…  Hmmmm, I’m not sure whether to take that as a compliment or not….  ;)

 

Anyway, a quick dinner idea for your hectic days!

 

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Macaroni & Cheese with Broccoli
 

Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 can evaporated milk (370 mL)
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (old cheddar has great flavour)
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces

Instructions
  1. In a large pot, boil the pasta according to package directions.
  2. When it is cooked, drain the water. Set aside.
  3. In a pot of boiling water, cook the broccoli until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
  4. In the meantime, melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute.
  5. Add the flour, and stir to make a paste.
  6. Then slowly pour in the milk, while whisking, and cook until the sauce is thickened.
  7. Add the mustard, paprika and salt. Whisk.
  8. Sprinkle in the cheese, and stir the mixture continuously until it is melted.
  9. Toss the pasta with the cheese sauce. Add the broccoli and stir in.
  10. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Chef Michael Smith

 

Tips!
  • For extra flavourful mac & cheese use old cheddar.  Or if you prefer a more mild flavour you can use a medium cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
  • If you don’t have evaporated milk, this recipe works well with using just all regular milk. (so roughly 3 1/2 cups milk)
  • You can serve the macaroni in individual dishes with melted cheese on top.
    • Just sprinkle on some extra grated cheese to each dish, and line the dishes up on a cookie sheet in the oven.  Broil until the cheese is melted, bubbling and light brown.

 

I hope this dinner can make your life even just a teensiest bit easier.  ;)
Have a delicious day!
Yummy Linking:  SNAP, Thirty Handmade Days, Tatertots & Jello, Funky Junk Interiors, I should be mopping the floor

 

Filed Under: In The Kitchen, Main Course Tagged With: , , , ,

Creamy Tomato Macaroni & Cheese

October 22, 2012 By 13 Comments

I just don’t know where the time is going!  How is it already almost the end of October?  And where did this snow come from?  Wasn’t I just enjoying summer sun and heat on the deck?  Now it’s dark at dinner time and I feel like we’re almost in the dead of winter on some days!

But I do have to say, the one thing I like about the fact that winter is on it’s way, is that it does feel cozy in here.  And it makes me want to cook comfort food…so I guess that’s something isn’t it?!  I actually enjoy cooking this time of year the most…there is just something so comforting about the food that comes with fall and winter.

Hearty, yummy comfort food.  But it’s got to be quick too!  Most days I need to be able to get dinner on the table in one hour or less.  So I’m always looking for new recipes to be able to achieve this.  And I also need recipes that use ingredients that I have on hand most of the time.  There’s a time for fancy stuff with fancy ingredients, but there’s nothing like having a recipe that’s simple and uses ingredients I have in the house.

So here is another delicious dish that you can have on your table in under 1 hour!  It’s so good for those nights when you just don’t know what to make for dinner.  And the addition of tomato sneaks in some extra nutrition too!

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Creamy Tomato Macaroni & Cheese
Serves: 4-5
 

Ingredients
  • 1 lb (450 g) elbow macaroni
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1½ cups milk
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 1½ cups cheese (mild, medium or sharp Cheddar Cheese or Monterey Jack)
  • 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Then drain and set aside.
  2. In a pan, melt the butter and cook the onion and garlic until lightly browned.
  3. Add the flour to the onion mix and stir, mixing thoroughly.
  4. Whisk in the milk, and stir until the mixture is thickened.
  5. Add the tomato paste and oregano. Stir.
  6. Gradually stir in the grated and parmesan cheeses.
  7. Add the pasta and stir.
  8. Serve right away and enjoy!

Notes

I put my finished macaroni in an oven proof dish, covered it, and kept it in a 300 degree oven until dinner time. (Maximum time was 15 minutes.)

Recipe adapted from All You Need is Cheese

Let’s look again… mmmmmmmmm

This dish is great served as a side dish too.  Just serve it alongside some chicken and green vegetables!  Yum!

Have a delicious day!

 Yummy Linking:  Tip Junkie, The Winthrop Chronicles, Chef-in-Training, 33 Shades of Green, SNAP, The 36th Avenue, Whipperberry, Tatertots and Jello

 

Filed Under: dinner under 1 hour, pasta, recipe, side dish, What's For Dinner Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Easy Beef Stroganoff

January 18, 2011 By 2 Comments

 

This is hands down one of my most favourite weeknight dinners!

 

 

Easy Beef Stroganoff
The sauce is creamy and so flavourful!  Delish!

And what’s not to love about a dinner that’s ready in under 1 hour?   And even better?  The kids lick their plates (minus the mushrooms!) clean.
I like this recipe because I almost always have the ingredients on hand.

The sauce is great with meatballs, or left over prime-rib, or any type of beef or chicken.
Then serve with egg noodles and a green veggie!
Dinner is served!

Print
Easy Stroganoff Sauce
 

Ingredients
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 can consomme
  • 1 cup sour cream

Instructions
  1. Brown onions and mushrooms in butter.
  2. Add flour to browned onion mix. Combine well and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add ketchup and consomme. Stir until thick.
  4. Add sour cream and mix well.
  5. Add meat, and simmer. At this point you can also put the dish in the oven at 300 degrees until it is time to eat.

Notes
You can serve this over meatballs, or sliced of cooked beef (I like to use sirloin).

 

Print
Beef Meatballs
 

Ingredients
  • 1lb ground beef
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup oats
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • salt & pepper

Instructions
  1. Combine ingredients and shape into meatballs, about 1½ inches.
  2. Bake unsauced meatballs in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Or until centres are not pink.

 

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: dinner under 1 hour, In The Kitchen, recipe, What's For Dinner Tagged With: , , , ,