Baked Mac ‘N Cheese if you please…

I tried a new recipe last night. It’s a recipe I found on an obscure recipe site and they just happen to have WW friendly recipes, so I wrote a couple of them down.

I’m always looking for ways to spruce up my menu, so I chose a WW version of Mac ‘N Cheese. It’s supposed to be 5 points value per cup. Of course it didn’t specify how many cups it made, so we’ll just go with what it said. “That’s what IT said!”
Ahem…sorry. Michael Scott just creeped in there a little.

Anyways…I followed the recipe. It was fairly simple and I made sure I had all the ingredients.

Baked Mac ‘N Cheese

I’m a Wal-mart kind of gal, but feel free to use any brand you like.  

Elbow macaroni, 12 oz – I used 16 oz (that’s 1 lb. for all you crazy math lovers out there! I used my digital scale to weigh the pasta and the cheese), cuz I’m a rebel and I already told you I’m not good at following recipes.
Low fat Sour Cream, 1/2 cup – I used almost 3/4 of a cup.  :D
Fat Free Evaporated Milk, 2-12 oz cans
Fat Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese, 6 oz.
Mexican Style Shredded Cheese; Colby Jack, 6 oz
Dijon Mustard, 1 Tbs.
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Plain Bread Crumbs, 2 Tbs.
Parmesan Cheese grated, 2 Tbs.
Garlic Salt, couple of shakes
Paprika, a couple shakes for color

1. Boil the macaroni for about 6 minutes until Al Dente.
2. Drain macaroni and mix in sour cream. 
3. Heat Evaporated Milk until scalded ( until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Stir in Cheese until melted, whisking until smooth.  Add seasonings and dijon mustard and stir until incorporated.
4. Add to macaroni and mix.

5. Spray bottom and sides of pan (use either 9x13 or I used a rectangle non stick pan. I don’t know what size I used. Sorry!) and fill pan with macaroni. Sprinkle seasoned bread crumbs evenly over the top.
 

6. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 min.
7. Eat and enjoy.



I’ve adjusted the recipe to make more cheese sauce. I found the original ingredient amounts made for a tasty albeit dry outcome as you can see from the picture above. I really like it more cheesy and moist (I hate that word). I think it’ll make it more points, but it’s got to be better than a full fat version of any Mac ‘N Cheese! 

It got rave reviews from the boys, which is saying something! They usually only like the boxed stuff!

I sound like a broken record, but try it! You’ll like it! Then come and tell me about it, so I can be happy that my cooking makes other people happy!! Oh and are you seeing a trend here? I make easy stuff. It’s not rocket science, just Good(er) Eats! (Is that copy write protected? Ooops! There I fixed it with parenthesis! I love those things!!

 

Love, Cheese, and Happiness!

Tortilla Soup and what not...

Can you tell I like easy cooking? Can you tell I like lots of flavor without a lot of work?

Nothing is easier  or more flavorful than opening a couple of cans from the pantry that you keep on hand to make a super yummy (I'm a word smith I know!) bowl of soup. 

One of the easiest tortilla soup recipes I've stolen and adapted just got tastier thanks to my homemade salsa recipe!   I dare you to try it and not thank me later! It's so good and super easy to make. Did I mention it was easy?

Ready? Set? Thank me later!!

 Angie's Homemade Tortilla Soup

• 2 large ladles of Angie's Homemade Salsa
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 can chicken breast in water, do not drain
• 1 can black beans, use 1-2 tablespoons, undrained
• 1 sm. can sliced black olives, to taste
• shredded monterey jack cheese
• tortilla chips crushed, or white corn tortilla (1) folded in 4th, and cut into small strips
• Feel free to add any other garnishes to the soup like, avacado or sour cream. 

Dump all ingredients into sauce pan, or bowl for microwave and heat until hot. Garnish with shredded cheese. The end.

See?? I told you it would be easy!! And guess what???!!! 

My girls ate it even tho it had "stuff" in it!! (You know, the same stuff they won't eat on a tortilla chips!)

Stay tuned for a White Chicken Chili  recipe using my homemade salsa that'll blow your socks off!!