Rachel's Stove-top Mac and Cheese

It's no secret how much I love the good ole' blue box mac and cheese, but when I saw this recipe of Rachel's the other day, I just had to try it.

Rachel runs her own recipe blog called Homemade Today based on her belief that all food tastes better when you make it from scratch yourself. But what I love best about Rachel's blog is how easy some of these homemade recipes can really be- especially if you pay attention to her tips on speed and preparation! Her stove-top mac and cheese is an excellent place to start.


[Prep: 10min / Cook: 20min]

Ingredients

- 1/4 pound short pasta (elbow macaroni, shells, spirals or bow-tie)
- 2 Tbs butter
- 1 egg
- 3 oz evaporated milk
- 1/4 tsp hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground/dry mustard
-  5oz (140 grams) shredded cheddar cheese

Steps

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Remove from heat, drain the pasta and return to the pot. Throw in the butter and toss until butter is melted and coats the pasta.
3. Whisk together the egg, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper and mustard. Stir into the pasta.
4. Add the cheese and turn the heat back on. Stir over low heat for a couple minutes until cheese is melted and creamy.
5. Ready to eat!

[Serves 2]

Recipe from Stove-top mac and cheese by Homemade Today

Notes

• The egg is pretty crucial to the flavor of the sauce, but sometimes (especially after it has set for awhile) it can make the texture a little lumpy. Maybe Rachel can shed some light on how best to avoid this, but if you really don't like the egg texture, I have made many decent cheese sauces in the past without the egg.
• Rachel advises that a lot of pre-shredded cheeses have preservatives that hinder the melting process. I don't have pre-shredded cheddar here, nor do I have a cheese grater anymore, so I had to buy a block and cut it into slices. Don't be worried if you have to do this too. Cheddar melts very well, even in big slices.
• Unfortunately, I didn't have all of the ingredients available here in Holland, so I had to skip the ground mustard entirely and make my own evaporated milk (Rach'd be so proud!). Ground mustard is one of those odd ingredients that you may not keep stocked, and although it's not the end of the world if you don't get it, I did notice a little lack of 'kick' in my mac and cheese. Also, evaporated milk comes out a bit creamier than regular milk, so it is also worth picking up, but using regular milk will still give you a decent cheese sauce. If you're crazy enough to try to make your own, you can find instructions here.

Hearty Beef and Spinach Pasta

Quick, dirty and festive!
This all-in-one meal gets dinner done!







- bow tie (farfalle) pasta... about 2 cups dry
- 1/2lbs+ of ground beef (.2 to .3kg)
- 8oz. can of tomato sauce or paste
- 8oz. of whipping cream
- fresh, raw spinach
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- garlic powder
- onion powder


1.  Boil pasta according to package directions.  Drain.
2.  Spray a large saucepan lightly with cooking spray and begin browning the beef over medium-high heat with a dash each of garlic and onion powder.
3.  When the meat begins to change color, add the tomato sauce and cream.
4.  Bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low and let simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
5.  Stir in the cooked pasta, cheese and spinach.
6.  Pasta is finished when the cheese melts and the spinach begins to wilt.
7.  Enjoy!

[Serves 2]

Notes:

• A lot of people like to drain the fat from their beef.  I prefer to buy lean beef so I can skip that step and let the meat cook in the sauce.  To drain your beef, cook it fully first (about 5-10 minutes 'til there's no more pink) then remove it to a bowl or plate lined with a paper towel for a few minutes before putting it back in the pan with the sauce.
• How much cheese and spinach?  I throw both in by the handful, but start with about 1/2 cup of cheese and 2 cups of fresh spinach and add on from there as you please.
• To make this dish a more rounded meal, add chopped onions, tomatoes and mushrooms!