Stovetop Mac and Cheese

We have had many chats about our children's lack of appreciation for "real" mac and cheese...I recently tried several versions of Panera copycat mac and cheese from pinterest. This is how my kiddos like it best...but they still don't love it like the old blue box stand by! Oh well. At least I think it's delicious!

Ingredients:
-1 lb pasta
-4 Tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3+ cups whole milk
- 8 oz shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
-5 slices white american cheese (from deli)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Instructions:
-Cook pasta all dente according to package directions. Strain. Put aside.
-Melt butter, then stir in flour. Continue to stir for about a minute.
-Add 2 1/2 cups whole milk. Whisk until there aren't any clumps. Heat on medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
-Turn off the heat.
-Slowly add the cheeses, a little at a time. Stir until they melt into mixture.
-Add pasta and stir to coat in cheese sauce.
-If needed, add more milk to make the sauce thinner. (I usually add about a half cup.)

Serve immediately! It does not need to bake in oven. I am curious about seeing if it will keep creamy in a crock pot on low or warm setting.

Lentil Ragu with Zucchini "Noodles"

Here is a tasty little Lenten meal!  My brother sent me this free recipe ebook:

http://thestonesoupshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/StonesoupFREEeCookbook1.pdf

All of the recipes use 5 ingredients or less, but of course you can add more spices, veggies, etc. to many of the dishes.  I have only tried this one so far, and it was surprisingly good!  [Notes: To shave the zucchini you can use a vegetable peeler.  Also, I just cooked a cup of dry lentils according to the package instead of using canned lentils.] 

Now, some of those 5-ingredient desserts are calling my name...(be sure to read those via the link!)

Photo courtesy of Jules Clancy from thestonesoupshop.com

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Here is the recipe for the blueberry baked oatmeal that I brought to Annie's today.  Look, I even took a picture!  It's a forgiving recipe, so you can sub things that you don't have pretty easily.  The flax seed for instance, I mainly add for extra nutrition and it would be fine without it.  

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (or butter)
• 1/3 cup plain whole milk yogurt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 Tb. cinnamon
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 3 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick-cook)
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cups blueberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Use coconut oil or butter to grease a 8" x 11" glass pan.
2. With a mixer, blend egg, applesauce, and brown sugar. 
3. Add in vanilla, coconut oil or butter (should be very soft), and yogurt and mix.
4. In a small bowl, mix the baking powder, salt, and spices.  Add this mixture to larger bowl until incorporated evenly through the batter.
5. Next, add flax seed and oats and stir.  (I do this stirring by hand.)
6. Add milk and stir.
7. Finally, add blueberries and stir to mix.  I use frozen blueberries often times.  I stir as little as possible so the whole thing doesn't turn purple!
8. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  It should set and look golden on top.

Some of our family members like to eat this with milk poured over it, or with yogurt on top.  Others like maple syrup or brown sugar sprinkled on top.