Creamy Mac and Cheese

I don't know about you, but I really hate mac and cheese that comes out dry. So, after a lot of experimenting I came up with this delicious recipe, based on one out of my Betty Crocker Cookbook.


Ingredients:


2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni 
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 TBSP Onion, chopped (optional - but gives great flavor)
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground mustard (dry)
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 - 3 cups milk (the more milk the creamier)
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Paprika, optional


Directions:


1. Heat oven to 350 degrees


2. Cook macaroni as directed on package.


3. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter with the onion in a 3 quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk, put back on heat and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese and cook, stirring constantly until cheese is melted. Add sour cream and mix thoroughly.


4. Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese mixture. Pour into a greased 2 quart casserole. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.


Serves approximately 6.

Linda's Eggplant and Zucchini Casserole

If you have an abundance of eggplant and zucchini and you are looking for something different to make, give this recipe a try. I based it on a recipe I found online, but of course I had to make it my own ;-) All measurements are approximate, as I did not measure.

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped 

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 + 1/2 small - medium sized onion, chopped

1/2 med size green pepper (red pepper would be good too), chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Pinch of Salt

Approx. 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Approx. 1 tsp. italian seasoning

1 cup italian bread crumbs, divided

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Olive Oil

Directions:

In a microwave safe bowl, add the zucchini, eggplant, onion, green or red pepper and garlic. Add just a pinch of salt, you don't want any more than that or it will be too watery, as the salt draws out the moisture in the eggplant and zucchini. Add the black pepper. Coat the veggies in the 1 tbsp olive oil.  Make sure everything is coated. Put a lid on it and microwave approximately 8 minutes on high or until everything is soft. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes.

When slightly cooled, add 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1 cup cheese and italian seasoning. Mix well and then add in the eggs. Mix well and put into a 1 quart greased casserole dish. Top with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and top that with 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Drizzle olive oil over the top, you can kinda mix the crumbs with the oil, if you want. Then bake in a 350 oven for 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Enjoy!!