I like pretending I’m a food writer, but in fact, most of the day, I’m a teacher. These two tasks are really related, right? Either way, one has to figure out what’s important, clarify it, and enthusiastically pass it on to someone else so that they want to try it too. (Do you convince people that they want to learn how to make a pie? Do you convince someone that they want to try reading long vowels? Sure, they are the same thing.)
All of this to say that, there are certain times of the year — at the beginning of the school year and the end of the school year — that really push the buttons. Not kidding. Just worn out. he did. Maybe your life is like this, too, with cycles of busy times that ebb and flow. Sometimes you’re really good at taking care of yourself, making good choices, and conquering the day – sometimes all you can do is put milk on cereal and call it dinner.
And if there’s one thing that has saved me when times are tough, it’s having easy, convenient bowls in my repertoire.
Another thing I’ve thought about in the past couple of years is that we’ve probably been lying to ourselves about cooking pasta in big pots of pasta water. I haven’t done any science tests or read anyone else’s hyper-scientific food blogs, but I’ve really noticed that I enjoy pasta recipes that cook pasta in less water. With this easy technique, you can prepare a main dish that oozes itself with great flavor and simple cleanup.
From crazy season to season, I hope you save this recipe for that time when you need it and enjoy it.
Macaroni in one bowl (can be called macaroni and cheese for adults)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Salt to taste, according to your broth salt level
½ cup pasta (or any other form of pasta with a specified cooking time of about 10 minutes)
1/2 cup cream
3 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese
About 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or a blend of your favorite grated cheese)
directione
1. In a large skillet, melt butter and cook onion and garlic over medium-low heat for a few minutes until softened. Season with a little salt and pepper.
2. Add the broth and let it boil.
3. Add the pasta, stir, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes until most of the broth is absorbed. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. Pour the cream and let it simmer for a few minutes.
5. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese and cream cheese. Cook for 1 minute.
6. Taste salt and pepper and serve.
Differences
Green color: Place about 1 cup of frozen peas in the skillet when adding the cream. Or add a handful of chopped fresh spinach right before adding the cream cheese and cream cheese.
Herbie: Add the chopped herbs to the butter and onions at the end of the cooking time, and stir, then immediately add the broth and continue as planned.
Less creamy things: Discard the cream and cheese, add a little butter before Parm.
DIY: Cook something with onions. Choose anything that does not absorb water, such as minced chicken, zucchini, or mushrooms. Follow the rest of the steps.
Pro tip: Keeping a bunch of chopped onions and garlic in the freezer cuts down on preparing for many meals. Process 2 onions and 1 head of peeled garlic until soft, spread thinly in a plastic freezer bag, and freeze, then chop as needed. there he is. Great flavor, no chopping at night.
Ann Wilhoit is an educator, community volunteer and passionate baker who loves to create recipes that use techniques from scratch and are inspired by local, seasonal ingredients. Find her on Instagram at aawillhoit or send her an inquiry at [email protected]
