Bready or Not: Legendary Macaroni and Cheese
I needed a make-ahead macaroni and cheese recipe. I already have several other reliable ones like Civil War Macaroni and Cheese and the Pioneer Woman’s recipe, but I didn’t need to babysit boiling milk or dirty a score of pots and pans as I was enjoying company over for a visit.
I have had John Legend’s recipe saved on Pinterest for years. I watched a video of him cooking the recipe with Martha Stewart and read tips from other cooks. I decided to halve the recipe, since this was a side for four people, and otherwise tweak things.
I did the bulk of the recipe in the morning. When it was time to start supper, all I had to do was heat the oven and add the paprika and bread crumbs. It baked up into an oozing, cheesy mass. Everyone raved over it. There were no leftovers.
My other mac and cheese recipes are great but this is the one I’ll keep handy for holidays or when company is coming. Tastiness and convenience? Heck yeah!
Halved and modified from John Legend’s Macaroni and Cheese, as featured on Martha Stewart.
Bready or Not: Legendary Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for baking dish
- 1 1/2 cups macaroni
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheeses or a mix of cheddars, shredded
- sprinkle paprika
- bread crumbs
Instructions
- If you plan to bake this right away, preheat oven to 375-degrees. Butter or spray a 9x9 baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt and macaroni. Cook until al dente. Drain the water and return the macaroni to the pot. Add butter and stir until it has melted.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together evaporated milk and egg. Add seasoned salt, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Place about 1/3 of the macaroni in an even layer in the bottom of prepared baking dish. This should be just enough to cover the bottom. Cover with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat twice more with remaining macaroni and cheese.
- Pour the milk and seasonings mixture evenly over the contents of the baking dish. At this point, you can stash the dish in the fridge overnight or during the day until it's meal time.
- When you're ready to bake, make sure the oven is preheated. Sprinkle the top of the macaroni with paprika and bread crumbs.
- Bake until top layer is lightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
- OM NOM NOM!
Read More
Later this fall…
Later this year, a reprint of my story “Red Dust and Dancing Horses” will appear in an anthology from Lethe Press called For Want of a Horse.
There will recent stories like mine, as well as reprintings of fairy tales and classics by authors like Ambrose Bierce, L. Frank Baum, and Washington Irving. I’m rather tickled by the table of contents. Me and the writer of The Wizard of Oz, hangin’ out.
Look for more info on the book’s release this fall!
Read MoreSunday Quote loves Crystal Light with Caffeine
Read More“Write the kind of story you would like to read. People will give you all sorts of advice about writing, but if you are not writing something you like, no one else will like it either.”
~ Meg Cabot
Fae Friday
Last year my story “The Cartography of Shattered Trees” was included in a wonderful anthology called FAE. Well, the ebook is now on sale for just 99-cents!
Meet Robin Goodfellow as you’ve never seen him before, watch damsels in distress rescue themselves, get swept away with the selkies and enjoy tales of hobs, green men, pixies and phookas. One thing is for certain, these are not your grandmother’s fairy tales.
Fairies have been both mischievous and malignant creatures throughout history. They’ve dwelt in forests, collected teeth or crafted shoes. Fae is full of stories that honor that rich history while exploring new and interesting takes on the fair folk from castles to computer technologies to modern midwifing, the Old World to Indianapolis.
Fae bridges traditional and modern styles, from the familiar feeling of a good old-fashioned fairy tale to urban fantasy and horror with a fae twist. This anthology covers a vast swath of the fairy story spectrum, making the old new and exploring lush settings with beautiful prose and complex characters.
99-cents at all the places!
For Canadians: Amazon.ca
Bready or Not: Ritz Krispy Treats
It’s summer. Time to bust out the non-baked goodies!
If you’re like me, you open up a box of Ritz crackers for some occasion and then it ends up squatting on a pantry shelf for a while. The good news is that just about anything is good if it’s pulverized and mixed with melted marshmallows. Who knew?!
These are especially good because you get that whole salty/sweet combination. A drizzle of chocolate and a touch of large grain salt really adds oomph.
This does produce a thin layer in a small casserole pan. If you want thick bars, double the recipe!
I think this would also work really well with Ritz Sandwich Crackers with Peanut Butter, with peanut butter added instead of Biscoff. You could also use Club or other kinds of crackers. There are a ton of options!
Bready or Not: Ritz Krispy Treats
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups mini marshmallows 1 bag
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Biscoff spread or nut butter
- 2 sleeves Ritz crackers crushed (makes 3 cups)
optional:
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips to melt and drizzle
- pretzel salt or kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare everything for quick mixing. Crush the crackers and measure the vanilla and Biscoff (or nut butter). Grease an 8x8 or 9x9 casserole pan.
- In microwave or on stovetop, melt butter in a large bowl or pan. Add marshmallows and continue to heat on low; in microwave, heat for 25 seconds, stir, 25 more seconds, stir, until everything blends together.
- Add the vanilla extract and Biscoff, then the crumbs. Stir until everything is well blended. Glop it into the prepared pan. Use a piece of wax paper and a glass or firm spatula to compress everything.
- To add some topping for oomph, melt the chocolate and drizzle it over the treats. Immediately sprinkle some salt over it all.
- Let set for an hour or so, until firm. Cut into small squares.
- OM NOM NOM!
