When You Know It is Good

TS has a phrase for when food I make is really good: "You can add this to the rotation." This means I can make it on a regular basis and he will not get bored by it. This also means I could make it once a week and he would be more than happy. Tonight when we finished dinner TS said "You can add this to the rotation." What was he talking about? Broccoli Mac & Cheese.

I have made this before, but this time I got the recipe right. It is cheesy yummy goodness. With the right amount of spice, crispy breadcrumb topping, and adding your vegetable.

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

1/4 onion, finely chopped
4 cups macaroni
16 oz bag frozen, chopped broccoli
6 oz. shredded Italian Cheese mix
1.5 oz (1/3 c. flour)
3 c. skim milk
3/4 c. fat-free half and half
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flake
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1.5 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
dash nutmeg
1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs


1. Put pasta on to boil for 7 mins., add broccoli during last 3 mins of cooking
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While pasta is cooking:
-- cook onion in olive oil in a large pot (dutch oven) for 1 min
-- take onion off the heat and add milk, stirring thoroughly
-- in a separate bowl whisk half & half and flour
-- add flour mixture to onion/milk mixture, set back on medium high heat and cook until boils, stirring frequently
-- when boils, cook for 1 more minute, continuously stirring, then remove from heat
-- add cheese, red pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, garlic powder and nutmeg to milk mixture
3. Drain pasta/broccoli mixture and add to cheese sauce
4. Pour pasta mixture into 9x13 pan (previously coated with cooking spray)
5. sprinkle bread crumbs on top of pasta mixture
6. bake for 18 mins.
7. After baking, let sit for 5 mins so it can come together.

In this recipe you do end up doing a lot at the same time, so read this recipe completely before you start. Also, have all your ingredients measured and ready to go before you start. This will make things go smoothly. All in all, I think dinner took me about 40 mins to make tonight, with the last 20mins or so with it in the oven.

I love dinners that end with me putting them in the oven. This gives me the chance to clean my kitchen while it is baking. Which means, when dinner is over all I have to do is stick the plates and cups we used into the dishwasher, then I can go about my merry way.

This meal made enough food for us to eat very generous portions for dinner (we were both REALLY hungry) and still have enough for 4 more servings. Leftovers are great.

All in all, this dinner was quite the success! So, here's to good eating!