Category: Pasta

Chicken, Main Course, Pasta

Chicken Marsala Casserole

by WendiLeave a Comment on Chicken Marsala Casserole

pasta bakeI’ve wanted to talk with you about what I’ve been cooking but I feel like I’m supposed to have a pretty picture to oooh and aaaah over before I post.  Which makes for a lot of radio silence here at BAH .

Clearly I’m still feeding my family.  I’m just not doing a great job of documenting what’s been on our plates.  Which is really a shame because I have been serving up some serious deliciousness.

Like Chicken Marsala Casserole.  I grabbed this one from Smitten Kitchen, as you can tell from my (not food) photo above.  If you’d like to see a pretty picture of baked pasta, clicky here to see the lovely photo Deb included in her post.  Mine looked remarkably similar.  And tasted good enough that I’ve made it again AND put some in the freeze for a future get-out-of-dinner-free night.

Here’s why this dish appeals to me:

Making a double batch = 2x reward and only 1x work.  (You do the math.)

There’s something for everyone at my table.  If The Libster is feeling peckish, she can pick out the pasta and politely say no thank you to the porcini and poultry.  The Mistah and I aren’t quite so persnickity.  (Try saying this five times real fast.)

If I can’t cobble together enough time to get from start to finish in a single shot I can make the sauce and keep it in the fridge for a day or two until I’m pasta ready.  Come to think of it, I could probably make and freeze the sauce and then have it at the ready to spoon over cooked pasta anytime. (I just had an a-ha moment!)

Feel free to use any of my reasons, or come up with one of your own.  But get to know this casserole. (No aside necessary.)

Chicken Marsala Casserole

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

BAH Note:  Sturdier pastas like ziti, rigatoni, twists, and penne are well suited for this application.  I’ve used plain white mushrooms as well as crimini and they’ve both worked equally well.  I work on making the sauce while I’m waiting for my pot of water to boil and pasta to cook.

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 8 ounces pasta
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 cup Marsala wine
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 can beef broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • kosher salt

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, working in batches if you need to.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Return the pan to the stove, add the remaining oil, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid released by the mushrooms is nearly cooked away.  Add the marsala and cook until most of the wine has cooked down before adding the butter to the pan.  Once the butter has completely melted and been stirred around once or twice, sprinkle the flour on top of the mushrooms, give the mixture a good stir so that all of the flour combines with the butter and mushrooms, and cook for about two minutes.

Add about a quarter cup of broth to the pan and whisk.  It might bubble up angrily and look pasty; just keep going.  Slowly add the remaining broth and continue to whisk until the sauce smooths out.  Keep the sauce on a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens up slightly.  Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to sauce and stir to combine.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of well salted water for 10 – 12 minutes.  You want the pasta just a teensy bit underdone so it can finish cooking off in the oven.  Drain the pasta, add it back to the pot, and stir in the sauce and grated Parmesan.

Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

{printable recipe}

Main Course, Pasta

Beefyroni

by Wendi2 Comments on Beefyroni

Cheesy Beefaroni

I’ve been visiting rehab lately.  Something about that sentence has a whole lot of shock value until I clarify that I was going to visit my grandmother who was getting physical therapy/rehab for a broken arm.  After a number of weeks and an operation to reset the bones with pins, the powers that be at her insurance company decided they were done paying for her stay at the facility.  And that was that.

Yup, my 90 year old grandmother got kicked out of rehab.  I can add that to the list of things I never thought I’d hear myself say.

I’m at the point in my life where I’m flanked by life beginning and ending.  On one hand there is Miss Libby just starting out on this journey.  On the other is my grandmother whose journey is winding down.  And both metaphorically as well as mathematically I am almost exactly in the middle of the two.  Somehow that feels so very right.  I get to watch Libby’s light grow and shine while I also get to see my grandmother’s fade.  Both are a privilege but there is sadness in the certainty of knowing I face a profound loss ahead.

I was talking about this recently with a friend and said how unfair I thought it was that after such a long life my grandmother should be facing a growing list of health issues.  And my friend said something that really made me think.  She reminded me that it takes time for a life to begin.  And it takes time for a life to end.  The notion of people peacefully passing on in their sleep?  It looks nice in the movies, but life isn’t The Notebook.  So what I’m seeing, and struggling with, this is part of the process.

That doesn’t make me dislike it any less.  But at least I can look at it a little differently now.  And in those moments when my heart breaks just a little at seeing my grandmother look so old and frail, I can take comfort in the delight she gets from seeing Libby’s joy and wonder unfold at the world around her.

Beefyroni

Adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

Note:  This is all about comfort.  I’m not suggesting that you should feed your feelings…well, maybe I am.  But there is something reassuring about ground beef, macaroni, and cheese.  Maybe it’s the simplicity of the dish.  Or maybe it’s just a trifecta of perfection.  Mine is not to reason why…yours shouldn’t be either…just enjoy.

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) Cheddar cheese, grated

Brown the beef and onion in a large skillet on medium high heat, breaking the beef apart with your spoon or spatula as it browns.

While the beef and onion cooks, combine the beef broth, mustard, ketchup, and salt in a bowl.

Once the beef is no longer pink, drain off most of the grease (remember, there’s a lot of flavor in those drippings).  Add the broth mixture to your pan with the beef and bring to a boil.  Add the macaroni, give it a stir, and then cover the pan.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook for approximately 10 to 12 minutes until the macaroni is tender.

Add the cheese, stir to combine, and dig in to a heaping bowl of comfort.

{printable recipe}

Pasta

Easy Mac and Cheese

by Wendi9 Comments on Easy Mac and Cheese

anti easy mac

I swear this rambling is going to get to a point….and a recipe.

Parenting styles.  Seems like there is a new one every week.  I hope to avoid becoming any type of parenting caricature…tiger, helicopter… by embracing the things that work for me and creating my own style.  That may mean…and this may sound crazy…that I don’t tell Lib she has to share her toys, books, and what have you.  What if I teach her the value of taking turns so that she understands you don’t automatically get something just because you want it?  How about if I get her to understand that sometimes you have to wait your turn?  And that she also don’t have to give something up just because someone else also wants it.  They also need to wait their turn.  Crazy right?

How many ideas sounded crazy at first?  Electricity? Cars? Flight?  Once upon a time they were fringe ideas.  Now they are taken for granted as being universally true and necessary.  And dare I say, they make life easier.  As someone who is for things that make life easier…I’m down with all that.

I am also down with mac and cheese.  Not that mac and cheese is revolutionary in any way.  But we have come to expect it to be quick and easy.  It is even packaged in uber easy single servings.  Here comes the crazy.  Single serve mac and cheese can be easy even when you make it from scratch.

Crazy? Universally true and necessary?  You decide.

Easy Mac and Cheese

Adapted from The Salt

BAH Note:  If you have more than one mouth waiting to get some of this, go ahead and double the recipe.  And even if you only have one mouth waiting for this, you still might want to make a double batch.  If you don’t tell, I won’t judge.

  • 1/4 cup elbow macaroni
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 teaspoon flour

Combine the macaroni and water in a medium size microwave safe bowl, preferably one with handles.  Microwave on high for 4 to 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until the pasta is almost al dente.  If your pasta starts to dry out before it is done cooking, add an additional two tablespoons of water and continue cooking.

Add the milk, cheese, and flour to the bowl and stir to combine.  Microwave in 30 second increments until the cheese, milk, and flour have turned into a sauce.  Taste for seasoning and add kosher salt to taste.

{printable recipe}

Main Course, Pasta

Flashback Friday – Undecided

by WendiLeave a Comment on Flashback Friday – Undecided

The following post originally appeared on BAH on 2 September 2009.

I can’t decide if I like this recipe or not. Maybe it needs a different cheese because the smoked Gouda seemed to overwhelm everything else. Other than a cheese substitution, would you make any other changes?

Ziti Baked with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Smoked Gouda

Cooking Light Pasta

  • 8 ounces uncooked ziti
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, with juices
  • 10 ounces canned Italian seasoned diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda, divided

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add spinach to pan and cook 30 seconds or until spinach wilts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Add pasta and 3/4 cup cheese to tomato mixture.  Toss well to combine.

Spoon pasta mixture in 5 individual, or 1 large, casserole dish lightly coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

{Printable Recipe}

Main Course, Pasta

Pappardelle with Mushrooms

by Wendi18 Comments on Pappardelle with Mushrooms
this is the actual pasta i used. there were no leftovers to document its existence.

Things have been a little weird lately.  I feel like I can’t string together a story to save my life.  Is it possible that after nearly five years of blogging I’ve finally run out of things to say?  Maybe.  But there is definitely weirdness to me in not sitting down regularly and writing.

We are knee deep in our adoption home study.  Reports are being written, facts are being gathered, referenced are being interviewed.  It’s a lot of hurry up and wait to get to the next part of the process.  And frankly, there’s not a lot of anything I can actively manage about this part of the experience.  I can’t plan, or make, or do anything in a physical sense.  So there’s weirdness in the sense that I feel like I “should” be more engaged and excited about this than I am right now.

There’s also been house weirdness.  Just in the last few days our doorbell has started ringing at unexpected moments.  As a matter of fact, about halfway through the previous paragraph, it rang.  I didn’t bother to check and see who was at the door though.  That’s because for the last six months or so our doorbell has been sitting in a dish on a bookcase.  It’s one of those remote systems that has a battery operated button that sticks to your door frame and a ringer that hides away somewhere inside your house.  The adhesive on the button gave out last summer and I kept finding it laying on our front porch.  So I brought it inside and dropped it in the dish where we keep our keys, meaning to find some stronger adhesive and reinstall it outside.  Over the weekend, the bell just started ringing.

I figured maybe the keys were pressing the button and activating the bell so I moved things around a bit in the dish.  The bell rang again.  Then I took the button out of the dish and set it face up on the bookcase.  That was yesterday.  Today the bell has gone off three times.  I know the reasonable solution is to take the batteries out of the thing but I kind of like the idea of someone’s energy finding a way to let me know they came by to say hello…as long as they don’t do it in the middle of the night.

What does any of this have to do with pappardelle with mushrooms?  Not a damn thing.  But like I said, the storytelling is giving me fits.

Pappardelle with Mushrooms

Adapted from Mache Magazine

BAH Note:  I am terrible timing my dishes so that they are all done at the same time.  So while my water came to a boil, I started on the sauce.  When I got to the point where the chicken broth had reduced by half, I turned off the heat and let it sit until the pasta had gone into the water.  I then finished off the sauce and kept it on a low flame until it was time to introduce it to the pasta.

  • 8 ounces pappardelle pasta
  • 1 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan (optional)

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package’s direction.

While the water heats and the pasta cooks, combine the olive oil and butter in  a large frying pan over medium heat.  Once the butter has melted, add the sliced mushrooms, italian seasoning, and salt to the pan and cook until they have released their liquid and begin to brown, stirring often.  Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook until the liquid has reduced by about half.

Slowly stir a few tablespoons of the reduced pan sauce into the heavy cream to temper it.  Then add the tempered cream to the frying pan and whisk to combine.  Stir in the lemon zest and taste for seasoning.  Add additional kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

Once the pasta has cooked, drain the noodles and add them to the pan with the sauce.  Stir to allow the pasta and sauce to combine and then stir in the grated parmesan if using.

{printable recipe}

Main Course, Pasta

Flashback Friday – Notes on a Recipe, Orzo Salad

by WendiLeave a Comment on Flashback Friday – Notes on a Recipe, Orzo Salad

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 5/6/09 at Exit 51.

Notes On A Recipe – Orzo Salad

Today’s recipe comes to you from the pages of Bon Appetit: Fast, Easy, Fresh. I was still grousing about the feta cheese that was sacrificed in the name of their Garlicky Beans with Feta, but I decided to move on to the next dish I had tagged.  I really don’t know that I can ever forgive them for that one.

ttar_orzo_02_h_launch

After making their Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onion, I really wish I had found this back in the days before our South Beach adventure.  Because it’s that good.  It’s also that easy.  And it does not cause any regrets when it comes to its usage of the feta.

So maybe, just maybe, I can pretend like that whole Garlicky Bean thing never happened after all.

Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onion

Bon Appetit: Fast, Easy, Fresh

This dish would be great for a potluck or a light summer meal.  Although, you may want to scale it down if you’re not feeding a crowd. A pound of orzo is still a lot of pasta.  If you do make the entire pound, be sure you use a bowl big enough so that you can mix and stir without shooting orzo all over your kitchen.  It took me a few tries to get it right.  Feel free to tweak the vinaigrette recipe to your liking.  I like mine more tangy so I used less olive oil than called for, and added more lemon juice and honey.

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 pound orzo
  • 2 cups grape tomatoes
  • 7 ounces feta cheese, cubed
  • 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 cup green onion, chopped

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in a small bowl.  Gradually whisk in oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Boil broth in a large saucepan.  Stir in orzo, reduce heat to medium, and boil until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally.  Drain.  Transfer orzo to large, wide bowl, tossing frequently to cool.

Mix tomatoes, basil, green onion into cooled orzo.  Add vinaigrette; toss to coat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve at room temperature.

Main Course, Pasta

Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

by Wendi10 Comments on Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Image from Cooking Light, The Complete Quick Cook

Bruce and Mark were gracious enough to share The Complete Quick Cook with me and answer my questions.  And you may be thinking “well that’s great for you and all but what about me?”  Dear, dear friends, I would never forget about you.  I wanted to put this in a box and wrap it in shiny, sparkly paper before I gave it to you.  But Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Sauce doesn’t readily lend itself to gift wrapping.  What it does lend itself to is easy transformations based on whatever extras you happen to have on hand.  I doubled the amount of mushrooms, thickened the sauce with a combination of butter and flour, and added diced chicken breast and peas.  That’s how I made it my own.  You do what you like.  So without further ado, I give you my newest comfort food bff.

Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Reprinted with Permission from Cooking Light, The Complete Quick Cook

  • 1 pound uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 12 ounces presliced exotic mushroom blend
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 11/2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
  • 2/3 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • minced fresh parsley (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, shallots, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper; cook 12 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Add pasta, cream, cheese, and 2 tablespoons parsley, tossing gently to coat. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Garnish with minced fresh parsley, if desired. Serve immedi­ately. YIELD: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups).

 CALORIES 336; FAT 11.4g (sat 6.9g, mono 3.1g, poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 12.1g; CARB 47.5g; FIBER 2.3g; CHOL 36mg; IRON 2.3mg; SODIUM 577mg; CALC 124mg

Main Course, Pasta

Angry Asian’s Pasta

by Wendi15 Comments on Angry Asian’s Pasta

For as long as I can remember, my favorite way to dress pasta is with a big ol’nub of butter.  That’s it.  Pasta and butter.  Maybe some grated cheese.  Maybe.  That’s how I make it when I’m by myself.

I believe this started way back in childhood when my grandmother would take leftover spaghetti and fry it up with butter in her cast iron skillet.  Not quite spaghetti.  Kinda, sort of, almost a pancake.  If I were a betting woman, I’d put my money down on this being the spark of my love of pasta and butter.

But sometimes the refrigerator needs to be cleaned out and you’re faced with asparagus and mushrooms that are on their last legs.  And sometimes when that happens, you just happen to have spaghetti on the menu.  So instead of having pasta and a salad, you incorporate the salad into your pasta.  At least, that’s how it went down at my house.

So now that I’ve stumbled into the wonderful world of pasta with mushrooms and asparagus, I may have to plan a return visit.

Pasta with Mushrooms and Asparagus

Adapted from Angry Asian Creations

BAH Note:  If you happen to have a fancy finishing olive oil in your pantry, you’ll want to pull it out for this.  And if that fancy finishing olive oil just happens to have been kissed with meyer lemon, even better.  To really fancypants it up, use any of Cipriani’s pastas.  They are absolutely sublime and cook in three minutes.

  • 1/2 pound pappardelle pasta
  • 1 bunch asparagus, chopped
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 8 ounces mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • grated parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat.

While the water comes to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Cook the mushrooms until they release their liquid and begin to brown. Add the asparagus and cook until it is done to your liking.  Add the lemon juice and zest, taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper as necessary.  Remove the pan from the heat while you cook the pasta.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente.  Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.  Toss the pasta in with the vegetables and add cooking water if the pasta starts to stick together. Taste for seasoning again and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve garnished with grated parmesan and a bit of finishing oil if you have some.

{printable recipe}

Chicken, Main Course, Pasta

Risotto Style Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms

by Wendi4 Comments on Risotto Style Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms
screen shot from epicurious.com

I’m going to disagree with the folks at Epicurious, Merriam-Webster, TheFreeDictionary.com, YourDictionary.com, Answers.com, and countless other resources that define Risotto as a rice dish.  If I’ve heard Anne Burrell say it once, she’s said it a hundred times, risotto is a method of cooking.  But we’ve all basically shorthanded it so that it generally refers to the final product instead of the method.  I’d like you to reconsider that.  And The Minimalist is going to help.

I should say that Risotto Style Pasta is more involved than dumping your pasta into boiling water and walking away for 8 minutes.  Risotto style pasta requires hands on participation.  It needs you to whisper sweet nothings into the pot while you gently stir the broth and pasta.  What you’ll get in return is a love letter to creamy al dente perfection.

I don’t know about you, but I think we could all use a love letter every now and then.  I mean image how much happier the world could be if we all got love letters; if we all felt important and special; if we all had a belly full of satisfying creamy pasta with chicken and mushrooms.  Maybe one day we will thank The Minimalist for his contribution to world peace.

Risotto Style Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms

Adapted from Mark Bittman

BAH Note:  According to The Minimalist’s recipe, it looks like you can use almost any kind of pasta….cut pasta like ziti or long pasta like spaghetti.  I wouldn’t go for extremely thin pastas like angel hair, or any fresh or refrigerated pasta, you need them to be able to stand up to a fair amount of cooking without falling apart.  If you happen to have leftover cooked chicken on hand, I would add that in at the very end instead of dicing up raw chicken and cooking it with the pasta.  I thought the leftovers a day or two later were even better than what we served up right off the stove.

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 pound orzo
  • 1/2 cup white wine (optional)
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • 3 or 4 boneless chicken thighs
  • grated parmesan

Carefully dice the chicken thighs and set them aside.

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallot and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

While the mushrooms cook, bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

Add the pasta and diced chicken to the pot with the mushrooms and stir so that it gets completely coated with the oil in the pot.  Add the wine, if using, or 1/2 cup of the broth and let the liquid cook down.

Add the remaining broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring frequently.  You want most of the liquid in the pot to evaporate before you add more.  After about 10 minutes, the pasta should be close to al dente.  Continue to cook to your desired doneness, taste for seasoning, and add salt as needed.

Serve garnished with grated parmesan.

{printable recipe}

Main Course, Pasta

Kerrygold Mac and Cheese

by Wendi27 Comments on Kerrygold Mac and Cheese

No, I haven’t gotten back together with ATK.  But I still have some of their recipes floating around my kitchen which need to make their way to the blog.  Like this stovetop mac and cheese.  I’ve had it in my life for almost four years and yet I haven’t yet shared it with you.

And that’s just wrong.  Because in the world of quick and easy cooking, it doesn’t get much better than this.  In the time it takes to get your water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente, the sauce is ready to receive the macaroni and coat it in its luscious, creamy goodness.  I think that should be enough motivation to put this on your menu soon.

Confidential to Jenna…I know you didn’t exactly hit it off with the last stovetop mac and cheese I raved about.  I hope you’ll have a better experience with this.

Kerrygold Mac and Cheese

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

BAH Note: The recipe I worked from was actually a “lighter” mac and cheese that used low fat this and light that.  I personally don’t eat pasta often.  So when I do, it’s a big deal and I go all out.  If you find you’re making this on a regular basis, you may want to consider using the reduced fat versions of milk, evaporated milk, and cheese.  Also, ATK didn’t name the recipe Kerrygold Mac and Cheese….that was all my doing.  Do yourself a huge favor and try it at least once with Kerrygold Cheddar…and you’ll see why.  But note that the blocks of Kerrygold are only 7 ounces.  That missing ounce didn’t make any difference in my sauce.

  • 2 cups elbow macaroni
  • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
  • 3/4 cup milk or half and half
  • 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
  • kosher salt
  • cayenne pepper or chili powder (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to the package directions until it is al dente.  If your pasta is done before the cheese sauce is ready, drain the pasta and leave it in the colander while the sauce finishes.

Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of the milk or half and half in a small bowl until dissolved and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk together the evaporated milk, the remaining 1/2 cup milk or half and half, and dry mustard in a pot or dutch oven and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat slightly and whisk in the cornstarch mixture.  Continue to simmer, whisking often, until the sauce thickens and is smooth, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

Once the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat and add the grated cheese.  Stir until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.  Stir in the pasta, taste for seasoning, and add kosher salt as desired.

Let the macaroni and cheese sit for about 5 minutes before serving, garnished with a very light sprinkle of cayenne pepper or chili powder.

{printable recipe}