Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Being a busy mom is not an excuse for not being able to give your family a nutritious meal. As the saying goes, if there’s a will there’s a way. For me, planning and time management is the key. You have to choose the right ingredients and how you cook it and in between try to squeeze in other activities and chores that you have to do. Pasta is one of my preferred ingredient for our meals. We make tons of meals using pasta because getting back to school is difficult enough with out having to think about what is for dinner. I also know my kids will always eat pasta. It is the perfect meal to fuel their bodies and their minds as the adjust to homework and school. Pasta is a good source of energy and it offers the speed and simplicity of cooking and preparation that busy moms like me look for. It’s very versatile, you can combine it with seafood, beef, pork, chicken or turkey. There are lots of recipes to try and best part is you can easily combine it with healthy ingredients such as vegetables, beans and tomato sauce. And did you know that pasta can fit right in with your weight loss plan? Yes pasta is a fat-free, low sodium food and has a low Glycemic Index (GI). One cup of cooked pasta contains just 100 calories, in addition to valuable vitamins and minerals.

baked mac and cheese

I’m sharing with you my scrumptious Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe. I promise this mac and cheese taste so heavenly, kids and adults will love this.

I recommend that you try this Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe now!

baked mac and cheese

Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

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Ingredients
  

  • For the Pasta
  • 2 cups 8 ounces pasta
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil plus 1 to 2 tablespoons oil for grilling the vegetables
  • 2 ears sweet corn shucked
  • 1 medium onion cut into 6 wedges
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons, melted for the top
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups half and half or milk
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups 8 ounces coarsely grated pepper Jack or white cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs preferably homemade

Instructions
 

  • For the Pasta
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) pasta
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons oil for grilling the vegetables
  • 2 ears sweet corn, shucked
  • 1 medium onion, cut into 6 wedges
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons, melted for the top
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups half and half or milk
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) coarsely grated pepper Jack or white cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs, preferably homemade
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  • In order to cook the noodles bring 4 quarts of lightly salted water to a rapid boil in a large pot over high heat. Cook until the pasta is Al Dente.
    baked mac and cheese
  • Then drain the macaroni in a large colander, rinse with cold water until cool, and drain again. Then to prevent sticking toss the macaroni with the oil.
  • I got out my pan to grill my veggies I have a grill pan. I figured out that standard grill didn't have propane so I had to use this method.
    baked mac and cheese
  • When ready to cook, lightly brush the corn and onion with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Grill the corn and onions until nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all for the corn, and 3 to 4 minutes per side for the onion, turning with tongs as needed.
  • Transfer to a cutting board and let cool.
  • Darkly brown the red bell pepper 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the cutting board and let cool.
  • Then cut all of the veggies and place at the bottom of your cast Iron pan
  • Next in a large sauce pan melt the 2 tablespoons butter. You will then add the veggies and cook until they are sizzling. Next, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  • Stir in the half and half and increase the heat to high.
  • Boil the mixture for 3 minutes, stirring well to thicken.
    baked mac and cheese
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mustard and cooked macaroni, followed by the cheese.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste; the mixture should be highly seasoned.
  • Spoon the macaroni and cheese into the cast iron skillet.
    baked mac and cheese
  • Sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over the breadcrumbs.
  • Bake the mac and cheese in the wood-burning oven or the regular oven like I did until the sauce is bubbly and the top is crusty and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve at once.
    baked mac and cheese

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