COMFORT FOOD: STOVETOP HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE

This post could have been alternately titled: It's Cold Out and I'm Bored and Freezing So I May As Well Cook Something Else in My Nice Warm Kitchen. Catchy, right?

Getting a little stir crazy up in here, that's all. It is so, so cold, and there hasn't been much sunshine this winter, so I think it's making us me a tad grumpy. It's just for a season, it's just for a season...

Anyhoo. Thought I'd share this yummy and quick lunch with you. It's versatile, cooks up super quick, and of course is delicious! If you thought convenience involved a little packet of powder, think again. This is an absolutely perfect comfort food for little time and effort, and with real ingredients.

 Here's what you need:

1/2 box/bag of pasta

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp flour

1/4 cup milk

1/2 - 3/4 cup cheese, either Cheddar or American, or a combination of the two

Here's what you do:

First, cook pasta according to directions in a small to medium sized saucepan. Use whatever pasta you like- I prefer bow tie or elbow. Drain cooked pasta in a colander and let sit while you make the cheese sauce.

In the same saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Of course you don't actually have to use the same saucepan, but it does make for quick, no-mess meal prep. Next, stir in flour; then milk. Don't worry about little clumps- they will work themselves out as the sauce heats up. (You can easily do this in the microwave as well, but I'm on a sort of anti-nuke kick. We shall see if it lasts.)

While milk mixture heats up, cube the cheese (or simply tear the American in several pieces), then carefully drop into milk mixture. Keep heat low and stir every minute or so until the cheese melts and sauce thickens. Add a dash salt and pepper. This entire process takes five minutes or less. Be careful not to let the mixture scald or burn on the bottom, though. At this point, give it a little taste and decide if you'd like to add more cheese or if you like it just the way it is. You cannot go wrong!

Now you're ready to add the cooked pasta back to the saucepan. Gently stir the noodles into the sauce, coating everything evenly. That's it! No chemicals, no unnecessary ingredients or preservatives, no artificial powders...just good stuff. And love.  =)

I whip this up and pack it for the kiddos' lunches several times a month. Not one complaint yet, I tell you.

You can also add different types of cheeses to the sauce, but I do have to caution you to avoid bleu cheese at ALL COSTS because your meal will taste like...and let's pretend I'm whispering this in your ear so as not to offend...vomit. 

I kid you not.

Happy Cooking!

Healthy Lunches for Kids

Good morning! I'm thrilled to see the sun shining for the first time in days, though my heart aches for all that has been going on in the south. It's a shame it takes a tragedy to remind us of what's truly important in life, so I'll be hugging my children lots today. Whether they like it or not.  =)

If you're new here, welcome! I'm a busy wife and mother (we're in the process of adopting again, though it has been a difficult road), and we've recently begun homeschooling our boys. I also own a small sewing business called Rose & Ruffle, where I make old-fashioned nightgowns for babies and girls, among other things. And I LOVE to cook! It's important to me that my family is eating good food, and lunches can sometimes be a challenge, especially since only one of my kids likes regular ol' sandwiches.

Here are my tips for surviving those long years of making lunches.

Tip #1

Plan ahead as much as possible

When chicken wraps are on the menu for tomorrow's lunch, after dinner when the oven is already heated up, I'll toss a few breaded fillets (I like the Tyson ones in the freezer section) in to bake; or I'll cook up a plain chicken breast with a splash of olive oil. Make a little extra salad with dinner and save some out for your wraps the next day. Thinking this way has really helped me over the years.

Sometimes I'll bake things earlier in the morning, and this works too, as long as I remember to do it! One of our favorites are crispy chicken patty "burgers" - spread a little mayo and/or honey mustard on a bun, add baby spinach, then the chicken, and wrap in foil for a yummy hot lunch. I know that "freezer chicken" isn't the healthiest option available, but we don't eat it everyday, and all the fruit and veggies balance it out. Balance, people.

Tip #2

Think outside the box

The lunch box, that is. We love to have French toast or eggs for lunch sometimes. They pack well (I cut the toast in strips and send a small container with syrup for dipping) and are a fun change of pace. For the eggs, toss in some milk or half-and-half, sausage or bacon, onions, mushrooms- whatever- and pour them into muffin pans; I use foil liners now because I've had horrible issues with sticking. Easy, quick and nutritious! I always pack lots of fruit with the French toast sticks.

Tip #3

Get hot

I stock up on good quality tortellini and ravioli from the freezer section when it goes on sale because they make the best hot lunches on the go. It takes less than 10 minutes to cook the noodles, drain them, and plop them in a container. Use a little jarred sauce or make your own, and add some chopped baby spinach- the steam softens it just right and it "blends" right in. Three of my kiddos like some cheese sprinkled on top, too.

Pizza also packs well - I use foil to wrap it and keep it warm. Sometimes I make up mini ones with my own dough or store-bought dough, and other times I rely on ready-made frozen pizzas. I don't stress over it.

Plain pasta works too. I make a quick cheese sauce by microwaving 2-3 Tbsp butter for 30-45 seconds, adding a Tbsp or so of flour and stirring; add about 1/4 cup of milk and heat again. Next, add several cubes of cheddar (or another cheese) and stir until well blended. It may need another 30 seconds in the microwave. Pour over noodles and you've got fast, delicious mac'n cheese without that powdery stuff.

 

Tip #4

Fake it with a bagel

My non-sandwich eaters don't really mind if their sandwich comes disguised in served up on a bagel. I really make them happy if I have time to toast the final product for a few minutes. Maybe I should put up a tip jar in my kitchen like the ones I see at Panera.  ;)

Tip #5

Have a snack for lunch

I've had the biggest smiles from some of these "snack" lunches. I cringe when I see those preservative-laden lunchable things at the store because how hard is it, really, to toss a few crackers, cubes of cheese and some deli meat into a container? Which is exactly what we do on occasion, sans nasty chemicals. Toss in several different types of cheese with some Wheat Thins or other crackers, and lots of fruit and/or veggies, raisins, nuts...anything goes! When my boys were small, they loved it when I packed a toothpick for them to "stab" their diced fruit. Okay, I think they still like it even if they won't admit it.

And for those really busy days when the pantry seems too bare and time is non-existent (and I haven't thought ahead...), I don't hesitate to make an assembly line of sandwiches for my famished crew. Cut in fun shapes, that is. ;)

Have a wonderful weekend!

If you're looking for more fun in the kitchen, you can find out what I've been cooking in the "in the kitchen" label on the sidebar and what I've been pinning here. 

And if you still want to read more, check out my post on organizing my kitchen. 

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chef-in-training 
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