Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

http://healthyintuitions.blogspot.com/Mom's Recipe

A favorite comfort food in my family was Mom's Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese recipe.  She always made it from scratch and it was so delicious.  Obviously much more superior than the boxed version, which tasted soooo bad!  Do I dare mention this company's name?  You know who they are...it's Kraft, the company that makes their so-called healthy meals for kids.  The latest news about boxed Kraft Mac and Cheese is that it now has warning labels on the back of the package.  It contains artificial food dyes, such as Yellow #5 and Yellow #6 in the powdered cheese.  Kraft's pasta is made from (GMO) genetically modified wheat. 

I've made Kraft's Mac and Cheese in the past for an easy meal, but I'm happy that I never made it a habit because now I know how harmful it is to your health.

My mom's recipe for baked mac and cheese is easy to make, and I've updated it with all organic ingredients, but it is still her basic recipe.


Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:

• 5 T. organic unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup organic bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup organic shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 lb. organic elbow pasta
• 4 T. organic flour
• 4 cups organic 2% milk 
• 6 cups grated organic white cheddar cheese
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Melt 1 T. butter and combine with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.  Set aside.

2)  Cook pasta per package directions, drain, and return to cooking pot.

3)  In a large saucepan, melt remaining butter over low to medium heat.  Add the flour and whisk until golden.  Add milk; continue whisking and cooking until sauce thickens slightly.  Add grated cheese, whisking until cheese melts into sauce.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

4)  Pour sauce over pasta and stir.  Pour mixture into a 4-quart baking dish and sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture.

5)  Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly golden and bubbling.  

Serves 6-8 

Sunny Honey Carrot Salad

http://healthyintuitions.blogspot.com/Mom's Recipes

Mom's carrot salad is a nutritious salad, which includes slivered almonds, raisins, and fresh parsley.  I'm surprised that even for an older recipe, our family was eating healthier foods decades ago.  The only ingredient I changed was sea salt in place of regular salt, and make sure you buy organic ingredients. Prepare and eat this homemade salad for lunch or as a side dish - it stays nice and crunchy!   Please send me your comments -


Ingredients:

2 bags of shredded carrots
3/4 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup raisins
3 T. minced fresh parsley

Dressing Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. raw honey
1/4 tsp. sea salt


Directions:

Stir together dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Combine all other ingredients in a medium bowl.

Toss dressing with carrot mixture.

Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.  Serves 6 ~



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Baked 7 Layer Mexican Dish

Cinco de Mayo is next month, and I have planned a special recipe for that day.  This baked 7 layer Mexican dish was and continues to be a favorite easy recipe that I learned to make from my mom. Many of the recipes for 7 Layer Mexican dips/dishes are served cold, but this recipe is baked to make a complete dinner.

Baked 7 Layer Mexican Dish ~

Layers:

1.  Refried beans
2.  Cooked chicken or ground beef
3.  Avocado mixture
4.  Sour cream or plain yogurt
5.  Tomatoes
6.  Black olives
7.  Cheese (I like to use colby-jack)


Ingredients:

1  16oz can organic refried beans

1 lb. grass-fed lean ground beef (cooked with 1/2 pkg. taco seasoning mix or use my recipe listed below**  (Optional: Substitute with cooked shredded organic chicken)

2  avocados  ( add 1 T. lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. sea salt*, and 1/8 tsp. ground pepper), and mix in blender until smooth.

1 cup organic sour cream

1/2 large organic tomato, cubed

1/2 can black olives, drained and rinsed well

2 cups shredded organic cheese (your choice)


Preparation:

Cook the ground beef with taco seasoning ahead of time and set aside.  Blend your avocado mixture and also set aside.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  

Use a 7 x 11 inch baking pan and begin layering the pan with the refried beans for the bottom, then add the ground beef on top of the beans.  Spread avocado mix next, and add the sour cream layer.  Add the tomatoes and black olives.  For the last layer, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top.

Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  Serve with warm tortilla chips.

Moist Organic Banana Bread

My homemade recipe for banana bread is a great way to use those overly ripe black bananas we all end up with. They are perfect for this recipe and helps to make the banana bread moist. The delightful aroma of baking banana bread will fill your home and once it is out of the oven and sliced, this banana bread will disappear quickly!  Make 2 loaves and freeze one for next time.


Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup raw honey
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1.  In a bowl mix mashed bananas, yogurt, honey, eggs, applesauce and vanilla.  Set aside.

2.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt.

3.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and blend together.

4.  Pour batter into a loaf pan that has been buttered and dusted with flour.  Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

5.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Slice and serve.



I eat a slice of banana bread for breakfast with oat bran cereal...yum!  I must give credit to my mom for the original recipe*