It's been a cold, snowy day (again!) and thus the perfect day to stay home and cook! I purchased all of the ingredients for this week's recipe a few days ago, but had enough going on that I just didn't get a chance to put this together. Not only did I get this recipe done, but I also made a big ol' crock pot of Lentil Soup - so I've got comfort food for days! I took some of the soup over to my neighbor after we shoveled (again). He doesn't cook and is looking forward to giving me some feedback on the soup. Plus, there's no way I can get through it all on my own.
Baked Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower page 140 of Eat Drink Shine
I'm gonna have plenty of this Baked Mac & Cheese to share. The recipe says that it serves 4 to 6 - but I'll bet it'll make 8 servings. Especially when paired with a green salad.
This is a veggie, cheesy, bacon-y beauty! Ready to check out the ingredient list? Let's get to it:
- 10 oz brown rice elbow or Penne pasta, or Baked Spaghetti Squash (a recipe found on p. 126)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons brown rice flour
- 2 tablespoons mustard powder
- 3 cups milk
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 cups cauliflower, chopped into small pieces and steamed for 5 minutes
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup crispy crumbled bacon (optional)
- Sea Salt, to taste
I decided to double up on the recipe goodness, and made the baked spaghetti squash. I cut a squash in half, rubbed olive oil on it, and added salt and pepper. I roasted it for 45 minutes at 425 degrees. Then, used a large fork to 'shred' the flesh into a noodle like texture. EASY! I've done this before instead of spaghetti noodles or zoodles. It's fun to mix it up!
It also says that the bacon is optional. Pshaw! Of course I'm going to have bacon, I'm only human, after all! I cook my bacon in the oven, on a cooling rack over a roasting pan, about 20 minutes at 425 degrees.
The cauliflower also has to be precooked before starting the recipe - I was able to find a bag of Organic Cauliflower Rice (which saved me the time it takes to chop/grate the head of cauliflower), and I steamed it for 5 minutes in my Pampered Chef self-draining microwave steamer. So easy!
I prepped the bacon and cauliflower while the squash roasted, and did some clean up as I went. This is what keeps me from loosing my mind in the kitchen. I can't stand finishing a new recipe and turn around to find a sink full of dishes and a dirty counter. I prefer to clean up as I go. It makes things better for me.
Do you clean up as you go or wait til the end? I'd love to know!
Ok - let's get down to brass tacks...
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions (or squash according to the recipe), drain and rinse well. toss in 2 tablespoons of the butter and set aside.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot on medium-low heat. gradually add the flour and mustard, whisking constantly for about 2 minutes to make a roux.
- Gradually add the milk, still whisking constantly, until a sauce forms, approximately 4 minutes. Add the cheddar and whisk until it melts into the sauce.
- Add the steamed cauliflower. Season with sea salt.
- Pour into a baking dish and top with the Romano, breadcrumbs, and bacon. Bake approximately 10 minutes, until it is hot and the top is golden brown and crispy.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
One thing I love about this book is that the recipes all seem (so far, anyway) very straight-forward and beginner friendly. I'm not completely unfamiliar in the kitchen - but I'm no gourmet either. I appreciate the simplicity - lots of fresh food and spices that I'm likely to have in my home, or be able to find at my local grocery stores.
So, what's the verdict?
It's tasty! But I'll make a few modifications.
- I'll use noodles, probably an elbow shape or maybe a spiral noodle.
- I'll use less milk - it was a little soupy for my taste. Even after reduction in the sauce pan and baking/resting. I like a creamier mac & cheese. Part of this, I believe, is that I used the squash which has a higher water content than a starchy noodle.
- I'll use much less of the mustard powder. The flavor is pretty strong, and I don't feel it blends well with the cheddar. I may even play around with other seasoning to see what I like.
- I may consider mixing in broccoli instead of cauliflower, I'd like the color contrast and I just prefer broccoli!
I enjoyed a serving, approximately 1/6 of the total baking dish, along with a nice spinach salad for dinner tonight after scooping snow for the second time. Warm and cheesy, with lots of the things that make comfort foods what they are (cheese, bacon, warm and filling).
I'll be packing this up to share with neighbors and friends. I'd love to hear what you think, how you adjusted the recipe and what spices you chose to use. The important thing for me is that I'm eating good food at home, prepared with thought and care, and eaten mindfully. All things I'm working on for a healthier and happier ME.
Cost for this recipe:
Again, much of what this recipe called for I already had in my pantry. But some of the items you may need to pick up are:
- Squash, or your favorite pasta (they suggest a gluten free pasta variety) - Spaghetti Squash $2.69 each.
- 3 tablespoons brown rice flour - I actually didn't use rice flour - I just used whole wheat flour that I had at home. I did look for rice flour at my local grocer, and decided for 3 tablespoons, I'd skip the expense. It runs $4.99 for a 24oz package.
- 2 tablespoons mustard powder - I didn't have this, and would use much less next time, but new it ran me $3.97
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese. I cheated a little and bought pre-shredded cheese, 2 packages is about 4 cups, so I had leftover cheese for quesadillas! I spent $5.18 on cheese
- 3 cups cauliflower. I bought the pre-grated cauliflower rice - $4.49
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese. Cheese is always expensive, but you don't use much here, so I'll be able to enjoy it in another recipe! $4.89
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. I prefer Panko to regular breadcrumbs, and the recipe calls for gluten free. Again, fur the amount to be used, I chose not to spend $3.34, and just used the Panko I had in my pantry.
- 1/4 cup crispy crumbled bacon (optional). If you don't have bacon in your frig, who are you?! Ahem, I mean, depending on the brand and cut of bacon you like, cost can range quite a bit. I grabbed a thick cut maple bacon for $4.49. Watch the ads and sales and freeze bacon!
Throw together a quick salad and you've got a yummy meal for well under what you'd spend at a fast food or sit down restaurant. And you'll feel better about it, too.
I'll let you know how this one reheats - there's gonna be lots of leftovers! Looking forward to hearing from you - what do you like, what would you change in this recipe?
Until next time, here's to healthy meals, warm kitchens and full tummies!
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