Mac & Cheese.

Last night (and by last night I mean a week ago when I wrote this post....and forgot to publish it) I had a craving for macaroni and cheese and I decided I wanted to try and make my own. Although I had never made homemade mac & cheese, I had heard my dad list his mac & cheese ingredients enough times to know the basics of what I needed. So without using a recipe, I winged it, and it turned out really tasty!

Disclaimer: I LOVE having a ton of leftovers, so I generally cook a portion big enough for Thanksgiving dinner...this recipe is no exception. If you don't want to make enough to feed a family of 6, just cut the recipe in half!

What you need to make a TON of mac & cheese....

• 4 cups of shells


• 5 cups of skim milk


• 1 8oz block of cheddar cheese, shredded


• 2 tsp salt


• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard


• 2 tbsp cream cheese (optional)


• 3 tbsp flour (optional)

How to make it...

In a saucepan, add pasta and milk (you cook the noodles in the milk, no water required).  Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to low, stirring frequently and ensuring milk does not boil. Cook until pasta is soft - this took about 20-25 mins on low heat.

While the pasta is cooking, shred the entire block of cheese!



Once the shells are cooked, turn the heat off. Add cheese and salt. Stir to combine.  Stir in the mustard, to taste. Cover and let stand for a couple of minutes to thicken up, then stir again. If it's too thick/not creamy enough, add milk a little at a time, and stir.



If its too runny, you can add more cheese. I didn't have any more cheddar cheese and mine ended up being a little too runny, so I added some cream cheese. After a few more mins of stirring, I still wasn't satisfied with the consistency, so I added flour, a little at a time, to thicken it up. In total, I ended up adding just about 3 tablespoons of flour. If you don't want to have to add cream cheese or flour, I suggest using 4 cups of milk to start, then you can add more milk at then end to thin it out if necessary.



You can also bake the mac & cheese at this point. Just place in a baking dish and top with a generous sprinkling of cheese (or bread crumbs? or whatever you put on top of baked mac & cheese). Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 10 minutes until cheese has melted and begins to brown. This mac & cheese made a perfect side dish to my pan-fried pork chops.

Once you taste this mac & cheese, you'll be really glad you have a ton of leftovers. K, bye!!

Pizza Grilled Cheese.

I think we've already established the fact that I love pizza (in all forms, really ALL forms). And who doesn't love grilled cheese? So why not combine two delicious dishes in one!?! Pizza Grilled Cheese is an easy way to kill a pizza craving without ruining your diet!

What you need...

• 2 slices of bread


• 1 tablespoon butter


• 2 slices of mozzarella cheese


• pepperoni (I prefer turkey pepperoni)


• Italian seasoning


• Parmesan cheese


• Pizza sauce for dipping
  

How to make it...

Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice of bread, buttered side down, on a preheated pan over medium heat. Top with one slice of cheese, a small shake of Italian seasoning, a small shake of parmesan cheese, and pepperonis. If any other toppings are desired, add them and top with the second slice of mozzarella. Place the remaining slice of bread on top, buttered side up. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip, cooking until cheese is melted and bread is lightly browned. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.



This delicious sandwich is only about 300 calories! And did I mention its delicious? Give it a try!! K, byeee!

Mexican Grilled Cheese.

Who doesn't love a classic grilled cheese? Well, this isn't exactly a classic grilled cheese, but it's still really delicious. This Mexican Grilled Cheese creation came to life based on the ingredients I had in my fridge and my lack of desire to go to the grocery store. That being said, I ended up liking it so much I made it again the next night!

What you need....

• 2 slices of bread


• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped


• 2 slices Pepper Jack cheese


• 1 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened


• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning mix


• 1/2 cup salsa for dipping


• 1 jalapeño, sliced (optional)


• 100 calorie pack wholly guacamole (optional)

How to make it....

Stir the taco seasoning and butter together until spreadable and smooth. Spread the butter mixture on one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice of bread, buttered side down, on a preheated pan over medium heat. Top with a slice of cheese, cilantro, and slices of jalapeño.

Place the remaining slice of bread, buttered side up, on top. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip, cooking until cheese is melted and bread is lightly browned.

Serve with salsa and guacamole for dipping.



I couldn't decide which one I liked dipping my sandwich in more, they were both so good!



I originally thought I'd be putting this under fat girl nomz, but once I added up all the calories I realized it really wasn't that bad!! 

So if you weren't convinced to give this a try before, now you don't have any reason not to! K, byeeee!