Mac and Cheese is always a hit As the weather turns cooler, appetites for hearty, hot food return. Macaroni and cheese is always a huge hit with kids - and parents who can spare the carb intake. A homemade macaroni and cheese is rich, filling, delicious, easy and quick and makes for an excellent Saturday night supper - either as a side or main dish. We played around with the various combinations and developed a versatile baseline recipe that everyone loved and was still relatively healthy.
Of course we always have plenty of goat cheese varieties and enjoy experimenting with various combinations. This version uses goat milk and goat's cheese which lends a delicate sophisticated edge to the flavor, but not so sophisticated that kids won't eat it.
Of course we always have plenty of goat cheese varieties and enjoy experimenting with various combinations. This version uses goat milk and goat's cheese which lends a delicate sophisticated edge to the flavor, but not so sophisticated that kids won't eat it.
Macaroni and Goat's Cheese
Makes 6-8 servings as a side dish
6 cups of water
pinch of salt
1 pound of pasta (elbow, shell, corkscrews, wagon wheels, tube, orechhiette and ziti all work fine)
2 1/2 cups milk of any type (we use whole goat's milk)
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups goat cheese (chevre, or goat's Gouda, grated)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Optional bread crumbs
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the 6 cups of water in a large saucepan, add the salt and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water to an al dente state (approximately to where you think it needs to cook for another 2 minutes). Immediately drain the pasta in a colander and rinse well. Pour into a casserole dish greased with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
2. In a separate large saucepan, pour in the milk and add the 2 bay leaves. Heat over medium-low heat until bubbles appear along the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. In a small saucepan melt the 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. When the butter becomes foamy, add the flour and stir with a whisk until the mixture browns.
4. Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add 1/4 cup of the milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more of the milk and continue to do so until all the milk is combined and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the cheese and stir.
5. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss in the Parmesan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the optional bread crumbs if desired and bake 15-20 minutes, until bubbling.
6 cups of water
pinch of salt
1 pound of pasta (elbow, shell, corkscrews, wagon wheels, tube, orechhiette and ziti all work fine)
2 1/2 cups milk of any type (we use whole goat's milk)
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups goat cheese (chevre, or goat's Gouda, grated)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Optional bread crumbs
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the 6 cups of water in a large saucepan, add the salt and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water to an al dente state (approximately to where you think it needs to cook for another 2 minutes). Immediately drain the pasta in a colander and rinse well. Pour into a casserole dish greased with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
2. In a separate large saucepan, pour in the milk and add the 2 bay leaves. Heat over medium-low heat until bubbles appear along the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. In a small saucepan melt the 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. When the butter becomes foamy, add the flour and stir with a whisk until the mixture browns.
4. Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add 1/4 cup of the milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more of the milk and continue to do so until all the milk is combined and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the cheese and stir.
5. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss in the Parmesan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the optional bread crumbs if desired and bake 15-20 minutes, until bubbling.
Macaroni and Cheese Carbonara
Makes 6 servings if prepared as above.
6 slices of fried bacon, crumbled
4 chiles (serrano or jalepeno) diced
1/8 medium purple onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
Several sprigs of fresh parsley to taste
6 sunny side up fried or poached eggs
1. Prepare the macaroni and cheese as described in the preceding recipe.
2. Mix in the crumbled bacon, chiles, onion, and red chile flakes.
3. Spoon each serving into individual bowls, top with the egg and chopped parsley
4 chiles (serrano or jalepeno) diced
1/8 medium purple onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
Several sprigs of fresh parsley to taste
6 sunny side up fried or poached eggs
1. Prepare the macaroni and cheese as described in the preceding recipe.
2. Mix in the crumbled bacon, chiles, onion, and red chile flakes.
3. Spoon each serving into individual bowls, top with the egg and chopped parsley
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