What's for dinner 1/4/11: Homemade Mac & Cheese...YUMMY!

Okay 1st off this photo is not good, but man was the mac & cheese LOL


So last night's Feingold friendly meal was homemade mac & cheese.




Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 6-8 (depending on your serving sizes)

Ingredients

	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste (for cooking pasta)
	1 Tbsp unsalted butter
	1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
	2 1/2 cup(s) low-fat milk
	2 cup(s) onion(s), finely chopped
	5 oz cheddar or colby cheese, shredded (extra-sharp suggested)
	3 oz shredded cheddar cheese
	3/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
	3/4 tsp table salt, to taste
	2 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated (Parmigiano Reggiano suggested)
	12 oz dry whole-wheat elbow macaroni
	1/4 cup feta cheese  (original recipe called for blue cheese)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside.

Cook macaroni in salted water as directed on package; set aside.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly add flour, stirring constantly; cook for about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to thoroughly incorporate flour mixture. Stir in onion and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently; remove from heat.

Combine feta with about two-thirds of both types of cheddar cheese in saucepan and season to taste with salt and pepper; stir in macaroni. Pour half of macaroni mixture into prepared casserole dish and top with remaining cheddar cheeses. Pour in remaining macaroni mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; bake for 30 minutes. Let stand for about 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into 6-8  pieces.

VERDICT: I will change it next time...next time I will just add all the cheese instead of layering and cut the parmesan cheese in half and mix that in also...my kids didn't like the cheese on top (I think they were sick LOL) but overall it was really good...perfect comfort food.

What's for dinner 01/03/2011: Pioneer Woman's Beef & Snow Peas

OMG so tonight I made Pioneer Woman's Beef & Snow Peas and let me just say...SOOO good.  Of course I had to adjust a few of the ingredients to make it Feingold friendly but that is so okay.  The ingredients I changed was:

I omitted the sherry & red pepper but man was it good and the sauce tasted just like you would get it in a chinese restaurant.  So I say thank you Pioneer Woman for another wonderful dinner!!!

Beef & Snow Peas
serves 6
8 weight watcher points (not including rice)

Ingredients

• 1-½ pound Flank Steak, Trimmed Of Fat And Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
• ½ cups Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Sherry Or Cooking Sherry
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
• 8 ounces, weight Fresh Snow Peas, Ends Trimmed
• 5 whole Scallions, Cut Into Haf-inch Pieces On The Diagonal
• Salt As Needed (use Sparingly)
• 3 Tablespoons Peanut Or Olive Oil
• Crushed Red Pepper, For Sprinkling
• Jasmine Or Long Grain Rice, Cooked According To Package

Preparation Instructions

In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Add sliced meat to bowl and toss with hands. Set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. Add snow peas and stir for 45 seconds. Remove to a separate plate. Set aside.

Allow pan to get very hot again. With tongs, add half the meat mixture, leaving most of the marinade still in the bowl. Add half the scallions. Spread out meat as you add it to pan, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.

Repeat with other half of meat, allowing pan to get very hot again first. After turning it, add the first plateful of meat, the rest of the marinade, and the snow peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Check seasonings and add salt only if it needs it. Mixture will thicken as it sits.

Verdict: once again DELISH and oh and it's points friendly if you are doing weight watchers