Macaroni and Cheese

I recently checked out a cookbook from the library titled Deceptively Delicious.  The book aims towards getting more vegetables into your kids diet.  I've made this recipe twice now and we really like it.

What you need:

1 ½ cups elbow macaroni

1 Tbl olive oil

1 Tbl flour

½ cup milk

½ cup squash puree

1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

4 oz cream cheese

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp pepper

Make it:

Cook macaroni until al dente. Drain

While macaroni is cooking coat a saucepan with cooking oil heat to medium. Add oil and flour and cook.  Stirring constantly until thick but not browned. 1-2 minutes

Add the milk and cook, stirring every now and then, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3-4 minutes.

Add the vegetable puree, cheddar cheese, cream cheese and seasonings.  Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

Stir in macaroni and serve.

Four-cheese pasta florentine

What you need:
3 cups mostaccioli, uncooked
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
4 oz. (1/2 of 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 pkg. 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Make it:
Heat oven to 375 degrees F
Cook pasta as directed on package.
Meanwhile, cook spinach as directed on package; drain well. Place in large bowl. Add cream cheese; stir until melted. Stir in cottage cheese and eggs until well blended.
Drain pasta. Add to spinach mixture with mozzarella; mix lightly. Spoon into 8- or 9-inch square baking dish; top with parmesan.
Bake 25 minutes or until heated through.

My picky 5 year old even loves this!

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

1/2 of a 16oz pkg linguine pasta

1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli florets

2 Tb butter

1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Prepare linguine according to package directions.

Add broccoli during last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain well.

Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken & cook until well browned, stirring often.

Stir soup, milk, cheese, black pepper & linguine/broccoli mixture into skillet.

Cook until mixture is hot & bubbling.

Chicken Spaghetti

Thanks go out to our good friend Leanne for this recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken (I shred & skin a whole rotissierie chicken for a nice mix of white/dark meat)
2 cans Cream of Chicken and Mushroom soup
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 finely diced green pepper
1 finely diced medium white onion
1 4oz. jar diced pimentos, drained
3/4 - 1 box thin spaghetti, broken
2 cups chicken broth
Lawry's Seasoned Salt (I don't measure - just taste and add...start with 1 tsp.)
Cayenne pepper (again, taste and add, start with 1/8 tsp.)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 add'l cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Assembly:
Cook the spaghetti until al dente - do not overcook. Meanwhile, skin and shred the chicken. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with all ingredients except the one add'l cup of sharp cheddar.

Place in casserole dish and top with remaining 1 cup of cheese. You can freeze for up to 6 months, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, or bake immediately at 350 for 45 minutes until bubbly. You can cover with foil if the cheese starts to get too cooked.