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Leek Mac & Cheese

August 19, 2014 by Kay Leave a Comment

A rich and flavorful dish, Leeks Mac & Cheese combines the taste of sharp cheddar with the sweetness of leeks for a new twist on mac and cheese.

Are you familiar with leeks? They have the flavor of a mild onion. I really like leeks in this recipe, it adds a new element to the dish and compliments the sharp cheddar cheese very nicely.

If you are not familiar with cleaning leaks, here is a link,How to Clean Leeks. Dirt tends to lie in the creases and crevices, so it’s important to clean them properly before cooking with them.

I have always been a fan of Mac & Cheese and Leek Mac & Cheese has become my new favorite. As far back as I can remember, way back into my childhood, my Mom would make Mac and Cheese regularly. Any dish that combines pasta and cheese rates high on my list and I am sure you will fall in love with this dish as much as I have.

Enjoy!

Leek Mac & Cheese

Rating: 51

Yield: 6 Servings

Leek Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

1 lb. pasta, medium in size
4 tbsp. butter, divided
3 leeks, cleaned and sliced
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. flour
1 ½ cups half & half
1 ½ cups skim milk
4 tbsp. cheese powder *
1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Cook pasta according to package directions
Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a large sauce pan. Add the leeks and sauté for 3-5 minutes until the leeks start to brown. Set the leeks aside.
In the same saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, making sure to whisk while it cooks.
Add the half & half and skim milk. Whisk the mixture until the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue whisking until the mixture is thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the salt, pepper and cheese powder.
Add 1 cup of the shredded cheddar and whisk to combine.
Stir in the pasta and leeks. Pour the mixture into a 3 quart baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese on the top.
Bake for about 30 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

*If you don't have cheese powder, increase the amount of cheddar cheese to 2 cups.

http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/leek-mac-cheese/

Saute the leeks.

Once the sauce is bubbly add in the cheese powder.

Whisk in the cheese.

Toss in the pasta and leeks.

The thick sauce sticks to the pasta

Bake until the cheese is golden brown.

Leek Mac & Cheese

So creamy

Leek Mac & Cheese

I love a good Mac & Cheese!

French Toast Muffins

March 25, 2014 by Kay 10 Comments

French Toast Muffins combine the ingredients of french toast stuffed into a muffin tin with streusel sprinkled on the top.

Once baked the french toast has a light & airy texture that reminds me of bread pudding. Serve these up with some warm maple syrup and it’s pure heaven.

This recipe is a perfect make ahead meal to have ready for kids and adults to grab on the way to school or work. It’s a nice change from a pop tart or a bowl of cereal for breakfast. These would also be a great addition to a brunch menu.

Whisk egg & milk with cinnamon and vanilla.

Over stuff the muffin tins.

Before they are baked.

Right out of the oven.

French Toast Muffins

Add maple syrup.

Lots of maple syrup.

Very tasty!

French Toast Muffins

Enjoy!

French Toast Muffins

Rating: 41

Yield: 12 Muffins

French Toast Muffins

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread, cut or torn into 1/2 inch cubes (about 10 cups of bread)
2 1/2 cups milk
6 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Cinnamon Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Butter and Maple Syrup, for serving, optional

Instructions

Grease a 12 cup muffin tin and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add the bread cubes and gently stir to combine. Make sure all the bread pieces get coated with the egg mixture. Fill each muffin tin with the bread mixture making sure to press the bread down and get as much into each muffin tin.
Cover the muffins with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To make the cinnamon streusel, in a small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together with your hands, until you have a crumbly mixture. Remove the muffins from the refrigerator and sprinkle the muffins evenly with the streusel topping.
Bake for 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Let muffins cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve with butter and maple syrup, if desired.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod

http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/french-toast-muffins/

Broccoli Macaroni And Cheese

February 17, 2014 by Kay 11 Comments

Broccoli Mac & Cheese starts with a layer of broccoli with cheesy pasta added and then it’s baked to perfection.

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

I am a huge fan of Mac & Cheese, the homemade kind, not the boxed kind. This version has some broccoli added in and the best way to eat broccoli is with some cheese on it! If you are trying to add more vegetables into your diet, or better yet, into your kids diet, this is a good place to start.

Add the broccoli to the baking dish.

The broccoli is blanched then layered on the bottom of the baking dish. While the pasta is cooking you whip up the cheese sauce.

Add the cheese sauce to the pasta.

The cheese sauce is actually a healthy version using low fat milk, a mixture of flour and cornstarch to thicken the sauce and the amount of cheese is minimal for a cheese sauce.

Lastly you mix together some butter and bread crumbs to add to the top of the pasta. Lastly you bake the dish to combine all the flavors.

Enjoy!

Add the pasta over the top of the broccoli.

Add the bread crumbs.

The end product is delicious.

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

Rating: 51

Yield: 8-10 Servings

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

1 large bunch broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
1 pound pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups low-fat milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
12 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons bread crumbs

Instructions

Fill a large pot with enough water to reach a depth of 2 inches and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute; drain and rinse with cold water. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and add the broccoli in an even layer.
Fill the same pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain.
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees . In a sauce pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 cup milk until thickened, then whisk in 1 cup more. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, then whisk the mixture into the pot. Simmer, whisking, until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the cheddar and 4 tablespoons parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the pasta. Spoon the mixture over the broccoli.
In a small heatproof bowl, add the 1/2 tablespoon butter; microwave at high power until melted, about 20 seconds. Stir in the bread crumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on the pasta. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Notes

You can skip the broccoli if you would like, but I highly recommend it. If you don't have shallots, use a small onion in its place.

I used Rigatoni for the pasta, feel free to use any small shaped pasta for this recipe.

http://www.lovefoodwillshare.com/broccoli-macaroni-and-cheese/

Adapted from Everyday with Rachel Ray

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