Comfort Food: Homemade Mac and Cheese

OK - So Lucas loves Mac and Cheese. Even the Kraft box when I leave him alone for a couple days (the boxes mysteriously go missing). So, in hopes of finding a healthier, yummier option, I found a copy of Real Simple with Mac and Cheese on the front cover (must be good!). I've kept it for a long time and finally tried it out!

Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese

12 oz Elbow macaroni or medium shells (I used shells)

1 head of califlower, chopped unevenly

4 pieces multigrain bread

1/2 cup flat leaf Italian parsley

3 T olive oil

1 onion, chopped thinly

1 1/2 C Extra sharp cheddar cheese (use extra sharp becase you don't have to add as much cheese to get the flavor)

1 1/2 C Nonfat sour cream (I use half nf sour cream, half nf plain yogurt)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Cook macaroni or shells as directed, adding the califlower in during the last 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a food processor, add 4 pieces multigrain bread and pulse until bread crumbs form. Add 2 T of the olive oil, parsley and salt and pepper. Pulse for 1 min.

Using the large bowl that the noodles were cooked in (use a large stockpot), cook onions 5-7 min in remaining 1 T olive oil (adding salt and pepper if desired). To this pot, add pasta and califlower mixture, cheese, and nf sour cream. Mix well.

Transfer to large baking pan. Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes.

Beet and Grapefruit Salad

4 fresh beets

8 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 bunch (about 1 cup) watercress, coarse stems removed

1/2 head Bibb lettuce, shredded

1-2 grapefruits, peeled, pith removed, and sectioned

2 ounces blue cheese, chilled and cut into thin triangles

salt and freshly ground pepper

  

Cook beets in boiling water until tender, but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain , and cool. Peel and grate coarsely. In a small bowl, combine grated beets, 4 teaspoons of the olive oil, and vinegar. 

In a medium bowl, combine watercress and lettuce. divide among individual serving plates. Spoon mound of beet mixture on 1 side of plate. alternate grapefruit sections and blue cheese triangles in fan pattern around beets. Drizzle with remaining 4 teaspoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Unique combination of that complement each other!