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Panera Mac and Cheese

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I recently came across this recipe for Panera Mac and Cheese and knew I needed to make it on the next cold, rainy fall day that we had.  I made a batch of it this afternoon while Baby T was napping (he is recovering from a cold and is ever so grouchy when he is sick.)  I figured some mac and cheese would be the perfect antidote for his dinner tonight.

My first memory of going to a Panera was when I had my first job out of college.  My apartment was just down the street from one and I would stop in all the time to grab a weekend bagel or even a loaf of bread to serve alongside dinner.  I hadn’t been to one in years, but lately my family and I seem to be going all the time.  I’ve actually never tried the Panera Mac and Cheese before, but I have heard rave reviews. I’m usually a Mediterranean Veggie on Tomato Basil kind of girl, but after making this recipe, I might be leaning towards the Mac and Cheese next time.  Or then again, I could just make this recipe again…

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Panera Mac and Cheese
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 1 (16-ounce) package of small pasta shells (I used Orecchiette)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 and ¼ cup whole milk
  • 1 and ¼ cup half & half
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
  • 4 oz. white American cheese, chopped
  • 8 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
  1. Prepare pasta according to package directions in a large pot of water. Drain pasta and return cooked pasta to the pot.
  2. Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly.
  3. Gradually whisk in milk and half & half. Add mustard, salt, and hot sauce to pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat.
  4. Add cheese by the handful, stirring until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
  5. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and stir until incorporated.

Source: Adapted from MyPanera.com and Annies’s Eats

Do you grab a bite to eat from Panera occasionally?  What’s your favorite menu item?

Chili Mac and Cheese

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Well hello, hello!  I feel like I have been MIA lately.  Do you want to know what is to blame this time?  The Hunger Games!  I got so wrapped up in these books during the last week that I feel like I got nothing done besides read those books.  You will be happy to know that I finished the series and I can now give you my full attention.  I am, however, going to see the movie this weekend which I am very excited about! Are any of you addicted to these books and plan on going to see the movie?  It seems like everyone I talked to was wrapped up in these books.

Well, besides my Hunger Games vacation, I also received my Cooking Light magazine over the weekend.  I am pretty excited because they have an entire section for 40 meals under 40 minutes.  I don’t know about you, but on the weeknight, I need a dinner that is easy and quick to pull together.

The first meal I picked from the magazine is a little unlike me because I am not a huge chili or mac and cheese person.  Don’t get me wrong about mac and cheese- I do love it, but I tend not to make it because it is not always healthy.  I picked a recipe for Chili Mac and Cheese and let me tell you… it was awesome!  My boyfriend also loved it- when I offered him one more scoop, he happily obliged which he hardly ever takes seconds of meals.  I loved this recipe because it was like a healthier homemade version of Hamburger Helper, which I use to love in college. Also this recipe is super easy and only uses two pots! Okay on with Chili Mac and Cheese.

IMG_0989

Chili Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
1 tsp. canola oil
1 lb. ground beef (95 % lean)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups fat-free, lower sodium beef broth
1 cup water
1  10 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies (I used hot but you can also use mild)
8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
1/2 cup fat-free milk
4 oz. of 1/3 less fat cream cheese
4 1/2 oz. of shredded reduced fat cheddar

Instructions
Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat . Add oil and allow to heat up.  Stir in ground beef and all 4 spices and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Next add broth, water, and tomatoes. Bring mixture to a boil and stir in elbows.  Cover with lid and let cook for 10 minutes or until the macaroni has been cooked and most of the liquid in the pot has been absorbed.

In a small sauce pan heat the milk and cream cheese over medium heat, stirring constantly until cream cheese has been melted and combined with milk.  Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese until melted.   Add cheese sauce to the macaroni and stir well. Serving size is about 1 cup.  Makes 6 servings.

Source– slightly adapted from Cooking Light,  April 2012

Pasta Bake With Sausage, Broccoli and Beans

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The other night B and I made an additional dish to end our Lifetime “Cook Yourself Thin” recipe week.   We didn’t put as much cheese as they stated in the recipe because they ask for a lot of cheese.  Additionally we used whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta because I basically always use whole wheat in all my recipes (more filling and yummy!).  Also this recipe makes a ton so we still have leftovers 3 nights later.   It sort of tasted like a homemade macaroni cheese in the end, so if you love homemade mac and cheese and don’t mind broccoli,  you have to make this!

Pasta Bake With Sausage, Broccoli and Beans

Serves 8

Calories per serving: 529

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large head of broccoli, about 1 1/2 pounds, cut into small florets

3 cloves garlic, peeled

3/4 pound rigatoni

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan

1 pound Italian-style turkey sausage with fennel (removed from casing if uncooked or thinly sliced if precooked)

1 can cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

2/3 pound skim mozzarella, grated, 1/4 cup reserved

3/4 cup skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated, 1/4 cup reserved

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-x-13-inch gratin or baking dish.

2. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, broccoli and garlic. Simmer the broccoli and garlic for 5 minutes, until softened. With a slotted spoon remove the broccoli and garlic to a large bowl. Bring the water back to the boil, add the pasta, and cook the pasta for about 2 minutes less than the package directions suggest, about 11 minutes. The pasta should be al dente, a little firm.

3. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add sausage and the garlic cloves from the broccoli bowl, and cook, stirring frequently until meat is fully cooked and no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes, if using fresh sausage. (If using fully cooked sausage, cook until surface is golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.) With a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to the broccoli, and drain most of the oil from the pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Discard the garlic.

4. Toss drained pasta with sausage mixture. Add beans, stock, 3/4 cup of grated mozzarella cheese and all of the ricotta. Add remaining salt and pepper. Gently toss. Transfer to prepared gratin or baking dish, top with breadcrumbs, remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, and drizzle with olive oil.

5. If making this in advance, allow the mixture to come to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

6. Bake for 25 minutes, until heated through and crusty on top

Enjoy!

-K

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