*ashlee* re: food

dollfinn19

Do you have a yummy mac n cheese recipe?  I'm totally craving it, and while I do love a trusty box o' Kraft, I've been trying to limit the processed stuff.  Also, would you recommend freezing it?  Or does the cheese get gritty?  I'm trying to expand my freezable meal collection.  So far I just do spaghetti sauce, chili and potato soup.

ashleemw

This is a fairly basic mac and cheese, made with a roux, milk and cheese for the cream sauce. If you freeze it, don't bake it right away. Instead, after you mix the pasta and cheese, cover it tightly and freeze, then defrost it in the fridge and bake it off later. If you're going to freeze it, you want to make 1.5x the cheese sauce just so it doesn't dry out later on. 

http://www.veggiebyseason.com/2008/10/jjs-favorite-white-cheddar-mac-and.html

If you look at my mac and cheese tag, I have several varieties. I've heard people love Alton Brown's basic mac and cheese, and Pioneer Woman's. They're all really similar I think.  

dollfinn19

That looks yummy.  And I love all the different variation ideas on your site!  One more question....if freezing, do you think it would be effective to just make and freeze the sauce in bulk?  Then just thaw and make pasta? 

ashleemw

I've never tried that, but reheating the cheese sauce can get tricky, it might separate on you. I probably wouldn't, but you can try! 

ashleemw

I've never tried that, but reheating the cheese sauce can get tricky, it might separate on you. I probably wouldn't, but you can try! 

dollfinn19

Gotcha, I didn't think about that!  Thank you for the recipes!

LXLX

Not Ashlee, but this is one of my favorite recipes:

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/05/lighter-baked-macaroni-and-cheese.html

I use broccoli instead of spinach.