Macaroni and Cheese with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Post and images by guest blogger, Rebecca White, of A Pleasant Little Kitchen. 

Visit her full blog or find out more about her here. 

“Mama, can you make the mac and cheese like I like it?”

Done deal, little lady.

“Mama, can you make ME the mac and cheese like I like it?”

Absolutely, little man.

I don’t know about you, but some days I feel like a made to order chef. Not that I don’t mind making my children the food they enjoy, but sometimes the variables change for each person in my household and it becomes a lot to juggle.

For mac and cheese this is especially true. Everyone has a preference for how they want their cheese and pasta…even me.

The kids are fairly basic, they want cheese and pasta… and for Eli, well, he wants chopped up bacon (I don’t blame him!).

For me though, when it’s mac and cheese night, I like to spruce it up a bit with a hint of summer flavor and adult taste: fresh basil and cherry tomatoes straight from the garden. However, if there’s no garden fresh veggies in your backyard, no problem, Market Street’s produce section is basically the same thing.

These two simple ingredients, which only require a few quick chops, enhance a simple bowl of mac and cheese. It suddenly makes the kid friendly meal you’re eating a bit more sophisticated.

If you’re a little hesitant to make homemade macaroni and cheese, don’t be. It only takes one additional step to create a beloved, homemade American classic. Not only is it simple, but it also becomes a meal that is tailored to your family’s needs. Everyone wins.

Here’s a quick look at what it takes to make the mac and cheese:

Step 1: Boil noodles, set aside.

Step 2: Melt butter and add flour, whisk until golden (Hurrah! You’ve now made a roux.)

Step 3: Add warm milk to the roux and continue to whisk until mixture is thickened.

Step 4: Add cheese and salt, stir.

Step 5: Combine noodles with cheese mixture, stir.

Now, here’s a few pleasant little hints on creating made to order mac and cheese:

1. Don’t just stick to one type of cheese. Get to know different flavors with different assortments of cheeses (gruyere and white cheddar, gouda and parmesan, just to name a few. Take a stroll through my favorite spot at Market Street and fall in love with the amazing cheese assortment. Strike up a conversation with the cheese mongers, they love to talk shop and will direct you to some tasty cheeses.

 2. Let your kids get involved with the cooking process. Let them select their favorite cheese, add the ingredients and stir. Maybe even diverge from the typically “elbow” noddle and opt for ___________.

3. Upgrade the macaroni and cheese with unique toppings. Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the _________ department and grab a few canned hatch green chiles. Turn the mac and cheese bowl into a chicken and green chile mac and cheese delight!

4. Save the leftovers and make mac and cheese bites the next day (find this recipe at www.apleasantlittlekitchen.com). These turn into tasty treats that are also freezer friendly.

Macaroni and Cheese with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Serves 4-6

Author note: I prefer to add the cherry tomatoes per individual bowl. This allows me to add as much or as little tomatoes as desired. This makes reheating the mac and cheese the next day for leftovers a bit easier—the noodles warm up easier and the tomatoes and basil stay fresh with every serving. There is nothing fancy about this recipe. It is a basic macaroni and cheese that is essentially a one-pot wonder. Feel free to use whatever cheese you prefer. If limited on time, a shredded cheese blend works wonderfully and makes for an even quicker meal. I warm my milk for about 3 minutes in a measuring cup in the microwave.

Ingredients

2 cups dry macaroni

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed

1 1/2 cups shredded manchego cheese

2 tablespoons crème fraiche

1 teaspoon kosher salt

cherry tomatoes, sliced

basil leaves, torn

 
Instructions

1. Boil the macaroni per the package directions, strain and set aside.

2. In the same pan that the noodles were cooked in, add the butter and melt over medium heat.

3. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk. Continue to whisk until the flour has turned a light golden color, about 2-4 minutes.

4. Add the milk, whisking constantly until the mixture is thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

5. Add the cheese, crème fraiche and salt. Place the cooked macaroni into the cheese mixture. Stir to combine.

6. Place into individual serving bowls, top with cherry tomatoes and basil. Stir well and serve warm.