Another kid favorite...Homemade Mac & Cheese

From June until the middle of August
when I walk in the door each afternoon
I hear the same 5 words...
"Hi Mom, What's for Lunch?"

Well, after asking my kids what was their favorite lunch that we fixed this summer there was a tie....
"GREEN Smoothies" (click here)

and Homemade Mac' and Cheese!

I have never personally purchased a box of Mac and Cheese for my family. After hearing from Tracy that his missionary companions called it "Yellow Death" and knowing it was loaded with lots of preservatives, I couldn't bring myself to buy any, However, Tracy does occasionally throw a few boxes in the shopping cart from time to time along with Spaghettios and I just turn my head the other way (big wink)!

Jade seemed to make it through his youth without ever having Mac and Cheese at any of his friends houses, however, Ethan was introduced to this a few years ago at either a friends or cousins house and BEGGED us to buy some (which Tracy did...)
Thank Heavens for Dads!

So, I made it a quest to find a homemade version and one day a few years ago I was browsing through one of my cookbooks and came across a recipe for homemade mac and cheese. I adjusted things a little and added an addition of some chicken and peas and it has been a favorite with my kids ever since.
(By adding the chicken and peas it is a complete meal in one...and not just pure Carbs.)
(Summertime and date night
are when my kids get this treat!!
************
I call this recipe "Chicken Noodle Casserole"
because in my mind it sounds nicer than saying "Mac and Cheese".

This is a great use way to put food storage items to use and it is tasty as well. KID Friendly meals are always great to have
and this fixes up in a hurry
if you are realizing that it is dinner time
and you haven't had time to make up anything...
this does the job everytime!!

Chicken Noodle Casserole

(“Healthy” Homemade Mac and Cheese)
(white sauce----make this while you’re cooking the noodle mixture)
1-1/2 cups water
3 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp dry milk powder
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter

Bring water to a boil…
blend flour, dry milk powder and salt and beat into boiling water.
Reduce heat and cook for 1 minute.
Add butter and stir.

2 cups uncooked pasta (I like spirals or penne, but you can use whatever you have)
1-1/2 cups frozen peas
**1 can of “Cannery Chicken” (OR 1 or 2 cooked chicken breasts cut into small pieces)
½ tsp garlic powder
1 cup grated cheese (or more…however, much you’d like)

Add frozen peas and chicken to water and bring to a boil…
then add in pasta and cook until it’s “Al Dente”.
Drain off water and
add in white sauce, cheese and garlic powder and stir together.
Garnish with additional cheese on top, if desired.
(sometimes you may need to add a little bit of milk to it, if it has gotten too thick)

This is YUMMY!!

Kids Love it and it uses up your food storage!
 
**Helpful Hint---I always keep frozen peas on hand. That way when you need a quick meal to throw together and you don’t have any fresh veggies, you can always add in frozen. If you can't have fresh then frozen veggies are the next best choice.
**ALSO, instead of using chicken you can put in 1/2 cup chopped ham with the white sauce as a great alternative as well.