Mouse’s Macaroni and Cheese
1.Ingredients
4-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
6 cups milk
1-1/2 pounds American cheese, cubed
1-1/2 pounds processed cheese food (eg. Velveeta), cubed
3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2.Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Butter a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni, and cook until not quite done, about 6 minutes. Drain.
- In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Blend in the flour, mustard powder, and pepper until smooth. Slowly stir in the milk, beating out any lumps. Add the American and processed cheeses, and stir constantly until the sauce is thick and smooth.
- Drain noodles, and stir them into the cheese sauce. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top.
- Cover the dish, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until sauce is thick and bubbly.
Pesto Pasta
1.Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 1/2 tablespoons pesto
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 (16 ounce) package pasta
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2.Directions
-
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium low heat. Add pesto, onion, and salt and pepper. Cook about five minutes, or until onions are soft.
- In a large bowl, mix pesto mixture into pasta. Stir in grated cheese. Serve.
Pumpkin Pasta
1.Ingredients
1/2 cup pepitas
2 pounds (about 2 wedges) or 1/2 cheese pumpkin, peeled and seeded (cheese pumpkins have light tan skin and orange flesh)
Cooking spray or a drizzle of oil, for coating pumpkin
Salt
2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small onion, grated or finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
Black pepper
A few grates (1/8 teaspoon) fresh nutmeg
About 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 sprigs rosemary, stemmed and finely chopped
1 pound bucatini or pappardelle
4 tablespoons butter
16 leaves sage
A handful Tuscan kale, leaves stripped and very thinly sliced
Grated Pecorino cheese (tangy, salty) or Parmigiano-Reggiano (nutty), to serve
2. Directions
- Toast the pepitas on a small sheet tray in a 350°F oven for 6-7 minutes or toast in a small skillet over moderate heat.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Peel pumpkin and spray with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil; season with salt. Roast to just tender but not brown, about 25 minutes; cool.
- Shred pumpkin with the large side of a box grater or shred it with tines of 2 forks.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with EVOO, 2 turns of the pan. Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg, and sauté 5 minutes. Add stock and rosemary, and reduce heat to a low simmer. Stir in grated pumpkin and simmer 15 minutes.
- Salt boiling pasta water and drop pasta, cook to 1 minute less than suggested on package for al dente, reserving 1 cup water before draining. Add starchy water to pumpkin sauce.
- Toss drained pasta with pumpkin sauce and a few handfuls of grated cheese. Garnish with pepitas and crispy sage leaves.