Healthier Mac 'n' Cheese....and an Apology

Hey everyone! Yes, I'm still alive, and I owe my readers a big apology for being a bit MIA lately. If you haven't heard, I have started my own paper crafting shop on Etsy (yes, this is a shameless plug, but hey, its my blog, I guess I can plug away!), KTPaperCrafts. Getting the shop going has been quite a bit of work and has pulled me away from both this blog and my other.

At any rate, I'm back in the game and ready to share some more recipes!! Tonight's recipe comes from a website called Right at Home, and is something I found when I started my grocery coupon kick a few weeks ago. This Mac 'n' Cheese was absolutely delicious, and even with the veggies in it, it was husband-approved. next time I might try adding a little Mrs. Dash seasoning to spice it up a bit, but even by the book, this one's a keeper.


Ingredients

• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) elbow macaroni
• 4 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion poweder
• 4 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 cup fat-free or low fat cream
• 2 cups shredded, reduced fat cheddar cheese
• 2 cups broccoli, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 12 baking dish or 2 qt casserole dish.
2. Cook the macaroni according to package directions.
3. Mix the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Melt the butter or margarine in a 2 quart pot over medium heat. Add the seasoned flour from step 3 and whisk constantly until the mixture is thick and smooth, about 2 minutes.
5. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisking constantly, gradually add the milk and cream until the mixture is smooth.
   
6. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is very thick and smooth, about 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the cheese, half cup at a time, stirring thoroughly each time until the cheese is melted.
8. Remove from heat. Add cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
9. Layer the bottom of the baking dish with broccoli and tomatoes. Spoon the macaroni and cheese over the vegetables. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
10. Bake 30 minutes until the top is crisped and lightly browned.

Source: Rightathome.com

Albóndigas con Salsa de Tomate (Meatballs in Tomato Sauce)

As some of you may know, I used to be a high school Spanish teacher. Along with the gig came lots of different recipe books for Spanish speaking countries. I've never actually tried any of these recipes, until tonight. This recipe comes from the book "Spanish" by Pepita Aris, and I got it at one of those $5 sales at Borders, thinking it would be perfect for my classroom.

Much like the Arroz con Pollo, I was so impressed by the amount of healthy, natural ingredients in this recipe, and I can't wait to try more from the book. Although the ingredient list is a little lengthy, look closely because I bet you have a lot of these things already in your refrigerator.

I made the meatballs with beef tonight, but you could easily substitute a lean turkey to make it even healthier. We had it as our main dish, but I might recommend trying them as a side or an appetizer, because while they are absolutely delicious, and somewhat filling, I'm not sure they qualify as a complete meal. In Spain they are served as tapas, little appetizers often served at bars along with a yummy Spanish drink and some of their amazing crusty bread.

I hope you enjoy making these. I will say, this is one of those wonderful recipes that tastes just as good as it smells, and these smell fantastic!

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey, minced
• 4 scallions, thinly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp red or dry white wine
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• pinch of shugar
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• fresh thyme, to garnish

Directions

1. Put the minced beef in a bowl. Add the scallions, garlic, Parmesan, thyme, and plenty of salt and pepper.
2. Stir well to combine, then shape the mixture into 12-14 small firm balls.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the meatballs for about 5 minutes over medium heat, turing frequently, until evenly browned all over.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, wine, rosemary, and sugar to the pan, with salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook about 10-15 minutes until the tomaotes are pulpy and the meatballs are cooked through.
   
6. Check the sauce for seasoning and serve the meatballs hot, garnished with the thyme.

Source: "Spanish" by Pepita Aris