New camera/stove top mac and cheese

I got a new camera for my birthday!!  A Sony Cyber shot!  A much better upgrade from my digital camera that was about 7 years old and had only 2 mega pixels!  So, I took a few pictures at work.  The flower is out front in our lobby.  How pretty is that?

This tree is right outside my office….I can’t wait for the leaves to come out!

Since I have been super busy with my Son’s birthday and my birthday and working and shopping, and cleaning for my son’s sleep over with a bunch of his friends this weekend, I haven’t had time to make my usual dinners, so I am posting another favorite from months back for stove top macaroni and cheese!

I originally posted this recipe back in December. I hope you enjoy trying it! I was watching “America’s Test Kitchen” on PBS over the weekend, and they made a different version of macaroni and cheese that looked fantastic.  There are tons of different ways to make macaroni and cheese.  This version did not use any butter, and used 2% milk to cut down on the fat and calories.  The following dish serves 4 at 360 calories per serving.  Not bad! They used Cabot brand 50% less fat cheese.  You can find it at the store next to the parmesan cheeses, I have also found it in the deli where the cheeses are also.  You don’t have to bake it afterwards because the chef suggested it may get too dry.  Plus, by not having to bake it, you can make this in about 15 minutes, a great meal to make on a busy weeknight. I love macaroni and cheese and love different ways of making it, so I always get excited when I see another lower calorie version.

8 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni

1 can 2% evaporated milk

1/2 cup 2% milk

2 tsp. corn starch (mixed with 2 TB. 2% milk)

8 oz. Cabot brand 50% reduced fat cheddar cheese

pinch of cayenne pepper

Cook pasta in salted boiling water for about 8 minutes, or until the desired tenderness you like.  Drain and set aside. In the same pan you used to cook the pasta, add the evaporated and 2% milk and stir on low until it starts to bubble around the edges. In a small bowl, add the corn starch with 2% milk and whisk until smooth.  Add that to the pot, and cook on low for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. On a piece of wax paper, shred 8 oz. of cheese. (By shredding the cheese on the wax paper, its easier to lift up and pour into the pot). Add the cheese to the milk mixture and take it off the heat to melt the cheese, add the paprika and salt.  Add the cooked macaroni, and stir and serve.  You can sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top too if you like!

*I like to add ham cubes to my mac and cheese. I usually buy it already cubed near the packaged lunch meat at the grocery store. I have also used Jennie-0 turkey kielbasa too, which is mighty tasty!

Do you have a favorite mac and cheese recipe??