Home-made Mac and Cheese

Week 5 is all about snacks! This weeks lesson was on meal planning. Be sure to check it out HERE. This recipe utilizes a béchamel also known as a white sauce. You can use this sauce to make lasagna, mac and cheese, alfredo sauce and so much more! Todays recipe will make about 10 servings and was adapted from the Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Looks a bit browner because I used whole wheat noodles

How to make a béchamel (white sauce)

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups 1% reduced fat milk (or 2% milk)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash of ground white pepper

Directions:

1. Combine milk and bay leaf in a small saucepan over medium high heat; bring to a simmer. Then remove from heat and cover. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Then strain the milk mixture through a sieve over a bowl and discard the solids (This step is optional)
2. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add flour to pan and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Do not let the butter/flour mixture brown! Gradually add strained milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and pepper.

Never done this before? Check out this video on how to!

What you'll need for mac and cheese

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Pot
• Mixing spoon
• Whisk

Ingredients

• 4 cups dried macaroni
• 1 whole egg beaten
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard (or more to taste)
• 1 pound of grated cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme

Directions

1. Cook the macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Then drain the water.
2. In a small bowl beat the egg.
3. In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk this together over medium low heat. We don't want to brown the mixture. Cook this for about 5 minutes whisking constantly. 
4. Pour in milk, and add the mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five more minutes until very thick. Reduce to low heat. (We are making the béchamel here).
5. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pout it into beaten egg. Whisking constantly to avoid cooking the egg. Whisk this together until smooth (This is called tempering).
6. Pout the egg mixture into the sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
7. Add in cheese and stir to melt.
8. Add salt and pepper. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings to what you like.
9. Pout in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
10. Serve immediately (very creamy) OR pour into a buttered baking dish and top with extra cheese. Bake this for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top. (This is also called baked macaroni and cheese).

Since this weeks recipes were snacks we made 5 different recipes!

• Cauli-tots (Cauliflower tots)
• Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
• Tomatillo Salsa Verde 
• Home-made Mac and Cheese
• Healthy Granola Bars

Click on any of the above to see the recipe on how to make it and as always feel free to ask questions or leave comments below!