MAGNIFICENT MACARONI AND CHEESE
It seems like there are a lot of ingredients in this recipe, but it makes a generous eight servings. If you have a small family, put it in two oven proof casseroles instead of one and you have an extra meal already! It freezes well. You can prepare the cheese sauce and topping all while the water is boiling and macaroni is cooking. I apologize that it uses so many pots. I cook the macaroni in a large Corningware Dutch oven. After I drain it, I put the macaroni and sauce back into the Dutch oven because it works on the stove and in the oven.
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 cup ham cubed
1 pkg frozen broccoli florets defrosted
To make cheese sauce:
3 T flour
3 T butter
4 cups milk
4 cups grated Cheddar or any other combination of cheeses
Topping:
4 T butter
2 cups breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 T dried parsley
Before you begin, bring water to a boil to cook the macaroni. Follow the package directions and cook at the lower time given because the macaroni will continue to cook in the cheese sauce.
Melt the first three tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan. When the butter foams, add the flour and whisk until the flour begins to brown. Now add three cups of the milk one cup at a time, whisking after each addition. Bring the heat to high and bring the mixture to nearly boiling. It should begin to thicken. Now add three cups of the cheese one cup at a time, mixing well after each cup. Once the cheese is thoroughly melted, add the fourth cup of milk, ham and broccoli. At this point the macaroni should be cooked. Drain and place it in a large (or two smaller) oven proof casserole. Add cheese mixture and mix well. Top with the remaining cup of cheese. Melt the four tablespoons of butter in a skillet and add the breadcrumbs and parsley. When the breadcrumbs are well coated with the butter, remove from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Spread topping over casserole and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
If you have leftovers and they seem dry, just add a little milk before you reheat it. Enjoy!
ARROZ CON POLLO
CHICKEN WITH RICE
I have no idea if this is what real arroz con pollo tastes like but there is a story behind this recipe. When my son was a teenager, we always seemed to have a crowd of people in my house. This is a meal that can feed a crowd if you just increase the ingredients. It's all in one pot and really easy to make. The boys named it arroz con pollo, and that is what we have called it ever since. It was a favorite then and still is. I always make this in my electric skillet, but if you don't have one a large stove top one is fine. I use chicken left from soup, but you can buy a cooked chicken and pull the meat off the bone, or when you are grilling chicken breasts, toss on a few extras to use for this meal. Just freeze till you are ready to use. Remember you're always thinking ahead!
1 package Goya yellow rice - this is one of the few pre-packaged mixes I use.
3 cups of cooked chicken
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1 green pepper chopped
3 T olive oil
1 t cumin
1 quart box of chicken broth
1 can of black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup of pitted green olives (with pimentos) sliced
Heat olive oil in skilled and add garlic, onions, and peppers. Saute until soft - about 6 or 7 minutes. Add the rice, chicken, olives, beans, cumin and broth and bring to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Wasn't that easy?
The hardest part is chopping the vegetables. When I cook on the weekend, I often chop several peppers and onions at once. Mix all together and divide into seperate portions. I freeze what I don't use. If you do this, this meal is really fast. This is another meal I always make a double batch of and freeze one. Another free meal! Enjoy!
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