I have a big tin full of recipes written on index cards.

This one in particular is rather worn.  Yet somehow in all the years this recipe has sat in my recipe box, I don’t EVER remember making it. 

I treasure this recipe.  Just loved when my mom made it while growing up.  She made it at all different times of the year – so even in the heat of summer it was comforting. 

When my kids were itty bitty little I got caught up in the Annie’s routine.  Annies was the alternative boxed mac-n-cheese, and replaced the typical Kraft garbage that I wanted nothing to do with for my kids.  Boxed Annie’s Macaroni and Cheese was what you made when the babysitter came or something you made in a pinch. I would try and dress up Annie’s and add xtra cheese, tuna, peas, sprinkle something on top etc.
 
I never made macaroni and cheese from scratch.

In recent years I discovered and fell in love with the Creamy Pasta with Peas recipe. It is by design low calorie. Seemingly the desire these days and delicious! 

Last December when I was looking for holiday recipes I pulled this one out and said to myself – I really should make this. 

So I did!! Was it ever yummy!! 

When the weather crispened recently I thought … a nice macaroni and cheese would be perfect. I wanted to use the very last tomato from my garden. This seemed the perfect way to do it! 

“Best” Macaroni and Cheese

2 C Cooked Macaroni

Melt 4T of butter. Toss in 2 or more slices of cubed bread and set aside

Melt 2 T of butter in double boiler ( missed this part when I made it and used a skillet vs a double boiler- worked fine)

Add 4 teas of minced onion.

Now this is the tricky part for you moms out there because my mom used to say there was onion in this recipe, as a kid if I saw a speck of chopped onion I would turn my nose up at it.

My mom told me she actually grated the onion – no wonder I never knew!!

I have never grated an onion before in my life.  I used a box grater with the fine side and made lots of onion juice which made me cry and my hands stink ( maybe this is my mom’s way of getting back at me) I somehow grated 4 teas and simmered that in the butter. Amazing how significantly onion-ey that small amount of grated onion is.

Add 1/4 teas dry mustard, 3/4 teas of salt, 1/4 teas pepper ( I used fresh ground white) and 1 TBL of flour. Add 2 C milk and stir until smooth ( will not be thick)

Layer 1/2 the cooked macaroni in an oiled glass casserole dish and top with sliced ripe red tomatoes

( I bypassed this part – tomatoes in january – in chicago – at oh $12 a lb – organic?  No thanks. I am spoiled by my garden and my kate is not a fan of hot tomatoes. However in the summer when you have zillions of tomatoes to use up – this is a perfect recipe)

Add the rest of the pasta -  Add 2 Cups shredded cheese, top with sauce and buttered cubed bread. Bake in a hot 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.

* i had a pumpkin bread that i used this time round for the cubed bread – yum

Very good!  Truth be told – I think the onion is what makes it.

Serves 4

mac n cheese flickr image credit

Karen Hanrahan ~ Wellness Educator/Nutritional Consultant/Blog Author
708.482.0678 ~ Websites: Nutrition, Weight Loss, and Green Clean