Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese

It’s Party Mac and Cheese.

THIS MAC AND CHEESE IS SO GOOD.

Thick, creamy, and I might even say Panera-style in its creamy, cheesy, velvety glory.

This summer, my daughter and my husband biked 50+ miles to raise money for frogs (I know, can’t make this up, but stick with me). We had a little welcome home party at the end of the bike ride, and I made this mac and cheese for 25 people at that party. Multiple friends came up and asked me for the recipe.

Since then, I’ve made this several more times, always when we have friends for dinner or I’m feeding a big group of people.

So in my mind, this is a party mac and cheese. You can serve it to a lot of people, and mostly everyone will love it.

(Pictured here with the BBQ meatballs that I made for our friends last night! So yum.)

When I do this for a group of people, I’ll do a couple things ahead of time:

• Cook the noodles.
• Make the bechamel.
• Shred the cheese.

Then when it’s time to assemble, I reheat the bechamel, add the cheese, and stir the noodles in. A bit of warm water at the end helps it stay loose and creamy!

My favorite cheese lately has been the cheddar and Gruyere blend blocks that you can buy at ALDI or Trader Joe’s, but I also love some straight cheddar or even a few slices of American for a milder, creamier finish.

It’s just uncluttered, creamy, comforting homemade mac and cheese. Hope you love it!

---

How To Make This Mac And Cheese (Step-By-Step)

1

Grab Your Ingredients.

Pasta, cheese, butter, milk – all the essentials!

2

Cook Noodles.

Cook your noodles and set aside (I love to use classic elbow macaroni!).

3

Start a Roux.

Melt butter, add flour, and whisk until nice and bubbly!

4

Add Milk and Cream.

Go slowly and whisk after each little bit. Stir stir stir until it’s nice and smooth and thickened.

5

Melt in the Cheese.

Chef’s choice, but I like Gruyere and mild cheddar!

7

Add Noodles.

Add your noodles and bring it all together!

8

Serve!

That’s it! Cheesy, comforting, and so good.

Print

Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Lindsay
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 8–10 servings 1x

Print

Pin

Description

Thick and creamy mac and cheese! People always ask me for this recipe. We call it party mac and cheese because it’s perfect for a crowd!

---

Ingredients

Units

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups 2% milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 1/2 cups grated cheese (about 16 ounces, or two blocks – I like a mix of mild cheddar and Gruyere)
• 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup warm water at the end

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Cook Noodles: Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions, with a generous pinch of salt added to the water. Drain, set aside, and drizzle with a bit of oil to prevent noodles from sticking.
2. Butter and Flour: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add flour; whisk to incorporate. Let it bubble for 2-3 minutes to cook out any floury taste. Add onion powder and salt.
3. Add Milk: Slowly add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time. It’ll start out clumpy, but as you whisk and add more liquid, it will turn into a smooth and thickened sauce.
4. Add Cream: Add heavy cream; simmer and whisk until the sauce is smooth and lightly thickened. Turn the heat off. (You want it to be warm enough to melt the cheese, but not boiling hot.)
5. Add Cheese: Add the grated cheese to the warm sauce. Stir to melt completely. (If it’s not melting smoothly, put it back on low heat).
6. Finish: Add your noodles. Stir to coat. It’ll be cheesy and delicious. This is where you’ll add warm water, a little bit at a time, to reach your desired final consistency. Serve immediately!

Notes

This will thicken up as it rests, so it is best to serve almost immediately.

If you want to prep it ahead (which I do quite a bit, being that it’s party mac and cheese) – I cook the noodles ahead, grate the cheese ahead, and even make the bechamel sauce with the flour, butter, and milk. Then, right before serving, I re-warm the sauce (adding water and whisking to bring make it smooth again), gently melt the cheese in, and toss the noodles in the sauce.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: stovetop mac and cheese, easy mac and cheese, panera mac and cheese, mac and cheese recipe

Did you make this recipe?

I love hearing from you! Leave a comment or rating below!

More Easy Dreamy Pasta RecipeS

Pumpkin Rigatoni

Mushroom Fettuccine

Red Pepper Pasta

The post Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese appeared first on Pinch of Yum.

from Pinch of Yum https://ift.tt/Snu5NBb

Sloppy Joe’s with Ranch Potatoes

My Kids Have Been Requesting These Sloppy Joe’s Nonstop.

Here’s the thing – it’s humble, it’s non-fancy, but my husband and my kids are so happy when I make this for dinner.

I’ve been on a JOURNEY with these. I tried making Sloppy Joe’s several ways this summer, since my daughter kept asking for them. But with every batch I made, she always kindly let me know that they were still “not as good as the ones at school.”

Lucky for me (and all of us), I know several of the wonderful people who do the food service at their school. I was able to get some school recipe intel, which is how I ended up with this very simple “recipe”:

• ground beef
• onion powder and garlic powder
• beef bouillon base
• ketchup
• BBQ sauce

It’s rich, and meaty, and easy, and just so very family-friendly.

Bjork and I like ours topped with pickled jalapenos or crispy onions, and the girls, of course, like them “plain” on a squishy white bun.

I always always make these with what we call Ranch Potatoes, which are the truly the delight of my life. In our house, it’s not Sloppy Joe’s if there’s no pile of crispy, buttery Ranch Potatoes on the side. 🙂

Regarding diced onion, pepper, or garlic in the Sloppy Joe filling: this recipe has none. Everyone I cook for enjoys these the same (or even more?) with an uncluttered texture and just a few hits of garlic and onion powder instead, which makes this whole thing even faster and easier.

My youngest requested this as her birthday meal this year. Hope you like it as much as we do!

How To Make Sloppy Joe’s (Step-By-Step!)

1

Brown the Ground Beef.

Leave it sitting undisturbed for a few minutes so that it develops a nice golden crust.

2

Add… Everything Else.

Garlic powder, onion powder, beef bouillon, ketchup, and BBQ sauce!

3

Let It Get Saucy.

Add some water as needed to make the mixture loosen up and turn a bit glossy. It can just hang out until you’re ready to eat.

4

Ranch Potatoes

When you’re close to eating, pop your potatoes in the oven.

5

Ranch Them!

Once they’re roasty toasty, add a knob of butter and some ranch seasoning. Toss to combine. (If you don’t have ranch seasoning, just use melted butter, fresh garlic, and dill. UNREAL.)

4

Serve It Up!

Load it onto a soft bun – we love this with ranch potatoes and green beans!

Print

Sloppy Joe’s

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Lindsay
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 1x

Print

Pin

Description

Easy, saucy, delicious Sloppy Joe’s! My kids’ favorite dinner. We love these with Ranch Potatoes!

---

Ingredients

Units

Sloppy Joe Beef Mixture

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 2 lbs ground beef (85/15)
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon beef base (optional, gives it a richer flavor – if you skip it, you’ll want to add salt to taste)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2/3 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/2 cup water (more as needed)

Ranch Potatoes:

• 1 24–ounce bag baby gold potatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning (hard to beat good ol’ Hidden Valley)

For Serving:

• Hamburger buns
• Pickles or pickled jalapeños, if you want

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Brown the Beef: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown the ground beef, leaving undisturbed for a few minutes to get extra browned bits. Cook until no longer pink; break it apart into very small pieces with a spatula. Optional: tip the pan and use a paper towel to absorb a bit of the oil (I do it once or twice to just reduce oil slightly).
2. Add Spices: Add onion powder, garlic powder, bouillon base, and salt; stir to incorporate.
3. Add Sauces: Add ketchup and BBQ sauce; stir to coat everything. Add water a little bit at a time until it becomes a thick, glossy, meaty sauce. Bring to a low simmer until it deepens a bit in color and starts to caramelized around the edges.
4. Potatoes: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place potatoes on a sheet pan; toss with avocado oil and a tiny pinch of salt. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring them once or twice, until lightly golden on the outside and tender on the inside. (The Sloppy Joe mixture can just keep simmering over low during this time.)
5. Make Them Ranchy: Remove potatoes from the oven. Add butter to the sheet pan; toss with the potatoes so the butter melts. Add ranch seasoning and toss one more time to coat. Yum.
6. Serve: Serve Sloppy Joe mixture on softened burger buns! We top ours with pickled jalapenos. Serve with a scoop of ranch potatoes. 

Notes

The meat mixture is ready to go right after you add the ketchup and BBQ sauce, but I usually like to let it simmer for 30-60 minutes to really caramelize around the edges and deepen in both flavor and color. That’s why I do the potatoes after the meat!

• Prep Time: 0 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: sloppy joe’s, sloppy joe sandwiches, easy dinner, kid-friendly dinner

Did you make this recipe?

I love hearing from you! Leave a comment or rating below!

More Favorite Kid-Friendly Dinners

Instant Pot Spaghetti

Pizza Burgers

Burger Bowls

The post Sloppy Joe’s with Ranch Potatoes appeared first on Pinch of Yum.

from Pinch of Yum https://ift.tt/gKzevq0

Fall Freezer Meals #2

October Fall Freezer Meals Are Here!

A few months ago, I discovered what feels like a little life hack.

I started spending an hour each month getting a few meals prepped for the month ahead. We’re talking just assembling stuff for my favorite recipes into bags and freezing it!

And I can’t tell you how much this system makes me feel like I have my life together! It’s the best.

What I Prepped:

What I Got:

The recipes this month are absolute family favorites for fall!

And they all have cook times for Crockpot, Instant Pot, and stovetop methods. 🙂

Hope these help make your life easier this month like they have for us!

---

Here Are The Bag Labels + Grocery List:

They’re free! Aren’t they so fun?!

Everything you need is right on them. I print the cards out and attach them to the bags so I don’t have to use my phone at all for the prep or cooking.

---

Here Are All The Recipes:

Apple Streusel Muffins

16-18 muffins total

Click here for printable version!

Blend in a BLender:

• 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 3 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 cups chopped Honeycrisp apples
• 1 1/2 tsps. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt

For the streusel: mix 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 3/4 cup flour into small crumbles.

Bake

Spray a muffin tin with avocado oil. Fill tins two-thirds of the way full with batter; top with streusel.

Bake at350°16-18 minutes

FReeze

Store muffins in an airtight container or bag in the freezer (or fridge). To reheat from frozen, microwave 45-60 seconds.

Chicken Tinga Tacos

4 servings

Freeze Together

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• half of an onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 individual chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 14-oz. can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup water

Cooking Methods

CrockpotHigh4 hoursfrom thawed

Instant PotHigh15 minutesfrom frozen

StovetopSimmer30 minutesfrom frozen

Finish

Remove chicken from the sauce and shred. Blend sauce until smooth. Add chicken back in. Serve in tortillas with all the taco fixings you want!

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

10 servings

Freeze Together

• 3 cups mirepoix (chopped celery, carrot, and onion)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1 lb. chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp. chicken bouillon paste

Cooking Methods

Add 5 cups chicken broth before cooking.

CrockpotLow8 hoursfrom thawed

Instant PotHigh30 minutesfrom frozen

StovetopSimmer60 minutesfrom frozen

Finish

Shred chicken; return to pot.

Add 2 cups heavy cream and 2 1/2 cups chicken broth. To thicken: whisk 1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch with 1 1/2 tbsp. cold water; add and simmer.

Steph’s Chickpea Curry

4 servings

Freeze Together

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. red curry paste
• 1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken broth

Cooking Methods

CrockpotLow4 hoursfrom frozen

Instant PotHigh13 minutesfrom frozen

StovetopSimmer20 minutesfrom frozen

Finish

Whisk 1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch in 1 1/2 tbsp. cold water; add to bubbling pot and let simmer until slightly thickened.

Stir in 2 cups of fresh spinach and fresh cilantro just before serving.

Serve with rice and chili crisp. I also love this with cucumber salad (thinly sliced cucumber and red onion, tossed with vinegar, avocado oil, salt, and sugar).

More Freezer Goodies!

Fall Freezer Meals #1

22 Healthy Freezer Meals

Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches

The post Fall Freezer Meals #2 appeared first on Pinch of Yum.

from Pinch of Yum https://ift.tt/UJdLMBs