Easy Cooking Recipes: Cooking with kids recipe of the day: Easy Cheesy Macaroni

Nearly every child (from toddler age on) is absolutely enamored with macaroni and cheese. The boxed version really is a mediocre staple; so homemademacaroni and cheese is usuallyquite a hit. Here is a really simple recipe that your budding chef can help make:

Easy Cheesy Macaroni

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
2 1/2 teaspoons of salt
2 big pinches of ground nutmeg
2 big pinches of freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, white or yellow (you can get crazy with the cheese, but keep in mind that kids generally have less sophsticated palates)
2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound elbow macaroni

Directions:

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.

Have your little helper add the flour to the melted butter. Using a whisk, stir the flour and butter together until the mixture is smooth and bubbling (but now browned) - about a minute.

Increase the heat to medium; slowly add the milk, while stirring the mixture with a spoon.Continue to stir and cook until the mixture is smooth, thickened and gently bubbling - about 6 to 8 minutes. The mixture should be about as thick as melted ice cream. This is a parent's job; but your child can keep you company.

(Now would be a great time to cook your macaroni, according to the package directions. Time it so that you have cooked and drained the macaroni, as you're finishing up the cheesy mixture, below):

Remove the sauce pan from the heat.

Ask your child to add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the nutmeg and the pepper. Then have your wee one stir several times, then add the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Stir until the cheeses have melted and the sauce is smooth.This is a great task to help wear out a rowdy child..really, it works!

Fold in the cooked macaroni, and stir until it is well-coated with the cheesy mixture (not too vigorously). Again, have your child help, but emphasize that they should be "gentle" with the food.

You can also garnish the mac and cheese with tomatoes and then bake the dish...but most kids wouldn't appreciate the effort (and they'll be clamoring to eat once you've finished adding the cheese).

Dish out the macaroni and cheese promptly and enjoy. Serves 4.

For additional resources, see:

Curious Chef; real kitchen utensils for small hands
Williams-Sonoma; WSkids

Cooking with kids recipe of the day archives:

9/21/09: Vermont Cheddar Soup

9/20/09: Oatmeal-Raspberry Bars

9/19/09: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

9/18/09: Cheesy Veggie Flatbread

9/17/09: Slow Cooker Apple Butter

9/16/09: Double Apple-Walnut Bread

9/15/09: Apple Fritters

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