Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Mac & Cheese

Okay. I know that when Chrystina & I started this blog, we were going to keep the recipes simple & cheap.  This one's not the cheapest (Daiya is a major component), but it's croosh.  Seriously, try this.

1 1/2-2 c almond milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice), unsweetened (make sure it says unsweetened on it. Plain and unsweetened are two entirely different things)
1 bag Daiya, cheddar flavor
1 tsp mustard powder
3/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
2 tsp white miso
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp margarine
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 lb package of macaroni (or pasta of your choice)
 S&P to taste

This is a pretty standard mac and cheese recipe.  Starts with a bechamel and then you melt the cheese into it.



Put a pot of water on to boil.  You want to cook the pasta until it's just about done, but not quite.  It will finish cooking in the sauce.

In a saucepan, melt your margarine.  Add the cornstarch and whisk.  This is called a roux, and it's the base of the bechamel.  After your roux has cooked for a minute or two, add the almond milk.  Whisk while you are adding it to ensure you don't get any lumps in your sauce.  You also want to add your miso, the spices and the nutritonal yeast at this point.  Allow your sauce to cook for a few minutes so it has a chance to thicken (that's why you made the roux--it's a thickener).  Once your sauce is lookin' good, add the Daiya.  Again, you're still whisking while you do this to ensure there are no clumps.

Your pasta should be par-cooked by now.  Drain it and add it to the pan with the sauce.  If you like baked mac & cheese, this would be the time to add some more almond milk, stir everything around, pour it into a greased 9x9 pan, add some seasoned breadcrumbs to the top (I'd go with a mixture of panko, nutritonal yeast, garlic powder and melted margarine) and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.  If you like your mac & cheese right off the stove, let it cook for 1-2 more minutes (to finish cooking the pasta) and then you're good to go.  I like to add a few handfuls of frozen peas and a pinch of salt to mine during the last few minutes of cooking.  Et voila, mac & cheese that actually tastes like mac & cheese, not nutritional yeast & cheese

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