New recipes

As I sit here to write, Ms. Caroline refuses to sit in her pumkin seat and give momma a break, so she's on my lap nursing as I type...silly baby.

So I realize I forgot to write the main ingredient in my PB Banana Muffin recipe.  Don't worry, I didn't forget it when I made them--no one would have eaten them!  The recipe calls for 1/2 cup peanut butter, sorry.  Everyone approved of the muffins too.  Tonight I made macaroni and cheese with cauliflower, Brayden wasn't a fan--but he said he didn't like it before he even tried it.  He can't be fooled.  He knew as soon as he looked at it that it wasn't his beloved boxed macaroni--the noodles were bigger.  Trying to convince him that home made mac is better wasn't going to work either, he didn't really understand what "home made" meant, but he didn't like it.  He wanted his old mac back.   So I managed to force one bite down him, he choked it down with water and said he still didn't like it.  Oh well, I tried.  I'll keep trying too--I thought it was delicious, but I can't stand macaroni made with powdered cheese. So here's the recipe to that one and another recipe for grilled cheese with sweet potato puree which is also great--I like it even better than regular grilled cheese.

Mac & Cheese:

1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
non stick cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cauliflower puree
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika (I left this out)
1/8 teaspoon pepper (I left this out too)

*Recipe calls for all non fat or low fat items, I always use regular stuff though.  If I'm gonna hide veggies in food, I figure I've gotta use the good stuff to hide the flavor and get the boys to eat it.

1. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil, cook macaroni according to package directions, drain in colander.

2. While mac is cooking, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add oil, then flour and cook, stirring constantly until mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned, 1-2 minutes

3.  Add the milk and cook, stirring every now and then, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3-4 minutes.  Add the veggie puree, cheddar cheese, cream cheese and seasonings and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. (mine didn't get smooth til I added it to the noodles--I also added a little bit of water because I thought it was too thick). Stir in the macaroni and serve. 

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches:

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sweet potato puree (I used about 3/8 cup instead)
1 tablespoon soft tub margarine spread
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 slices bread (I ended up making 4 sandwiches, so 8 pieces of bread)
nonstick cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil (not really necessary--I didn't use it the second time I made these)

1. Mix the cheese, veggie puree, margarine and salt in a bowl. Spread mixture on bread and top with another piece of bread.

2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium heat.  When the skillet is hot, add the oil (again, not necessary)  .  Put the sandwiches in the pan and spray the tops with cooking spray.  Cook 4-5 minutes on each side, until the bread is crisp and the filling is melted. 

ENJOY!!