No-Boil Mac & Cheese

It's no secret that mac & cheese is one of my favorite foods (this recipe will always and forever be my favorite), and I am always up for trying a new recipe. This recipe from Bon Appétit caught my eye because of the "no-boil" part. Growing up my mom made a mac & cheese that also didn't require boiling the noodles, and I always loved it. This recipe is a little different with a very thin bèchamel sauce poured over the noodles and cheese before baking. It's perfect for a weeknight, or even if you're serving it for company, as you can put it all together and keep it in the fridge for a few hours before baking.

No-Boil Mac & Cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup flour
3 cups whole milk (but I've also used 1% and it's worked just fine)
3 cups water
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup panko
2 tsp dried parsley

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, whisking often, until a very thin, glossy sauce forms, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Remove sauce from heat.

Toss pasta and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a 9x13 or other shallow 3-quart baking dish. Pour sauce over (past should be submerged; do not stir) and cover with foil. Bake until pasta is almost tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, panko, and parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove foil from dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, then panko mixture. Bake until pasta is tender, edges are bubbling, and top is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

source: recipe from Bon Appétit, January 2013

Chicken & Tomato Pasta Bake

Since I can never seem to get a decent picture of pasta dishes, these pictures do not do this dish justice.  This is one of our newest favorite pasta dishes - especially because you don't even have to boil the pasta!  It is definitely a stir-all-the-ingredients-together-and-throw-it-in-the-oven kind of dinner.  Those are my specialty!

Chicken & Tomato Pasta Bake
8 ounces dried pasta, uncooked
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast meat
4 cloves garlic, roughly minced
28 oz diced tomatoes
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or a mix of mozzarella and provolone)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups milk

for the topping
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh herbs (I used 2 tsp dried basil and 2 tsp dried oregano instead)
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a 3-quart casserole dish (ideally one wth a tight-fitting lid, but you can also cover another dish with aluminum foil during baking).

In a large bowl, mix the dried pasta, chopped chicken, garlic, and tomatoes (with their juices).  Stir in the salt and pepper. Stir in the shredded cheese and Parmesan.  Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish and pour the milk over top. Cover the dish tightly.  Bake for 50 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.  Remove the dish from the oven.

Meanwhile, prepare the topping.  In a small bowl (or food processor), stir together the breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, stirring until the texture resembles wet sand.  Spread the topping over the bubbling casserole and return the dish uncovered to the oven.  Cook another 5 minutes or until the topping is toasted.  Allow casserole to cool for a few minutes before serving.

source: the kitchn