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Crockpot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Healthier Version

Crockpot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Healthier Version

Last month I posted Paula Deen's Crockpost Creamy Macaroni and Cheese recipe (read the post).  While it was incredibly tasty, it was also had a lot of fat and was 193 calories per serving.  This modified version using Greek yogurt and whole wheat macaroni is healthier and only 163 calories per serving.

 

ingredients

 

Cook the 2 cups of elbow macaroni. Drain and set aside.

Mix butter and cheese in a saucepan

I used Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grating my cheese right before I added it to the saucepan.

Stir until cheese melts

Combine yogurt, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper.  

 

Add butter and cheddar cheese mixture, stirring well.

 

Add cooked macaroni (whole wheat and regular) to mixture.

 

Cover and cook on Low for 2 1/2 hours

  

Paula Deen crockpot creamy macaroni and cheese healthier version

Crockpot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Healthier Version:

1 cup whole milk 
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces 
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 
1   (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup 
2 1/2 cups (about 10-ounces) shredded  sharp Cheddar cheese 
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

1 cup uncooked whole wheat elbow macaroni

1/2 teaspoon pepper

 

Directions:

1.  Boil the two cups of elbow macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan until tender, about 7-10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

2.  Shred 2 1/2 cups of sharp Cheddar Cheese.  In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts.

3.  In a slow cooker, combine the yogurt, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper.  Add butter/cheese mixture and stir well.

4.  Add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 2 1/2 hours.

Nutrition Facts  User Entered Recipe
12 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		163.1
Total Fat		12.4 g
	Saturated Fat	7.8 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.4 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	3.2 g
Cholesterol		36.5 mg
Sodium		384.5 mg
Potassium		56.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate		4.5 g
	Dietary Fiber	0.2 g
	Sugars	1.7 g
Protein		8.7 g

Vitamin A	7.7 %
Vitamin B-12	5.1 %
Vitamin B-6	1.4 %
Vitamin C	0.1 %
Vitamin D	3.5 %
Vitamin E	0.8 %
Calcium	22.1 %
Copper	1.0 %
Folate	2.3 %
Iron	1.9 %
Magnesium	2.8 %
Manganese	3.6 %
Niacin	0.8 %
Pantothenic Acid	2.1 %
Phosphorus	15.1 %
Riboflavin	8.0 %
Selenium	7.9 %
Thiamin	2.2 %
Zinc	5.3 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

 

Homemade Pizza

 

The boys' pizza mozzarella cheese and Costco Shredded Mexican Style Blend

 

 

My pizza: mozzarella with extra sharp cheddar cheese

When you have teenagers dinner of pizza at least once a week is a given.  We're fortunate to live near several great pizza places but eating out every week can get expensive.  To save money, I've been making homemade pizza.

When you're a fulltime working mom and fulltime student, there isn't a lot of time to make meals from scratch so I rely on my trusty crockpot and breadmaker.

 

And the dough has risen

 

 

Cut into halves to feed the multitudes

 

 

I cheated and used a rolling pin to roll out each crust

 

Bake in 400 oven for 12 minutes to brown crust

 

Add toppings, bake at 400 for 10 - 15 minutes

 

 

Add toppings, bake at 400 for 10 - 15 minutes

 

Enjoy your homemade pizza

Two pizzas are always better than one

 

Bread Maker Pizza Dough Recipe:

The recipe will work even if you don't have a bread maker, I'd just rather someone or something else, aka the bread machine, do the kneading work. :)

Recipe will yield 2, 12 inch pizzas.  Mine came out a little bigger than 12 inches.

If you're using a bread machine, all ingredients must be at room temperature; add the ingredients in the order listed.   

3/4 cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups of bread flour (regular flour will work but bread flour will taste more like pizza crust)

1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

On your bread machine:

Press select to Dough

Press start

Come back when it beeps that it's finished. How easy is that! :)

 

Directions:

1. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Cover with clean cloth. Let rise for 10 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3.  Cut into halves.  Press into a lightly greased 12 inch pizza pan.  (I cheated: I used parchment paper and rolled my dough with a rolling pin.  I also used an 18 inch pizza pan for one pizza and a baking sheet for the other.)  

4.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes, until crust is lightly browned.

5.  Add your favorite pizza toppings.  

6.  Back at 400 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes, until toppings are bubbling and/or melted.  (I don't like my cheese bubbly so I tend to bake mine for only 10 minutes or so...)

 

 

 

Bowing To A Machine: HAL Gets His Revenge

With a little nod to HAL the machine from Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Delites vending machine in Australia will have you doing more than inserting coins to get your snack.

Want your snack? You'll have to bow, dance, and otherwise bid to the demands of a machine. Check out the video.

Crockpot Creamy Macaroni And Cheese

 

The finished product: Creamy Mac N Cheese

Even during the summer, a crockpot can be your best friend.  I've tried countless recipes for crockpot mac n cheese but despite my best efforts everything came out curdled, until now...Crockpot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese by Paula Deen

Don't bother counting calories or worrying about fat or you won't even try making this: think creamy goodness in a bowl.  

There's plenty of time to make this for dinner tonight.  Total time needed is a little over 3 hours from start to finish, including time to grate the cheese.

For reference, this recipe fills half a 3 quart crockpot.  

 

Ingredients for crockpot creamy macaroni and cheese paula deen

Cook the 2 cups of elbow macaroni. Drain and set aside.

 

 

Mix butter and cheese in a saucepan

I used Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grating my cheese right before I added it to the saucepan.

 

 

Stir until cheese melts

 

Combine cheese/butter mixture with milk, sour cream and seasonings

 

 

 

Add drained macaroni to mixture; cook on low for 2 1/2 hours

 

 

Spoon into a bowl or plate and enjoy

 

You can find the original version of the recipe here; my modified version is below.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe:

1 cup whole milk 
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces 
1/2 cup sour cream 
1   (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup 
2 1/2 cups (about 10-ounces) shredded  sharp Cheddar cheese 
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni  
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1.  Boil the two cups of elbow macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan until tender, about 7-10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

2.  Shred 2 1/2 cups of sharp Cheddar Cheese.  In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts.

3.  In a slow cooker, combine the sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper.  Add butter/cheese mixture and stir well.

4.  Add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 2 1/2 hours.

Nutrition Facts     User Entered Recipe
12 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		195.8
Total Fat		14.5 g
	Saturated Fat	9.1 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.5 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	3.8 g
Cholesterol		40.8 mg
Sodium		383.0 mg
Potassium		48.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate		8.4 g
	Dietary Fiber	0.4 g
	Sugars	1.1 g
Protein		8.0 g

Vitamin A	9.2 %
Vitamin B-12	3.9 %
Vitamin B-6	1.4 %
Vitamin C	0.2 %
Vitamin D	3.5 %
Vitamin E	1.1 %
Calcium	21.0 %
Copper	1.7 %
Folate	5.9 %
Iron	3.1 %
Magnesium	3.2 %
Manganese	4.1 %
Niacin	2.2 %
Pantothenic Acid	1.6 %
Phosphorus	14.4 %
Riboflavin	7.5 %
Selenium	12.4 %
Thiamin	3.9 %
Zinc	6.0 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

 

Bacon Ice Cream

 

On June 12th Burger King announced a new menu item, the Bacon Ice Cream sundae.

This is my brother in law, Ian Cheesman (@iancheesman), enjoying a Bacon Frozen Yogurt ala Soup Plantation on June 9th, one step ahead of Burger King.

Bakery Heaven

Based on a friend's recommendation, I stopped by Elizabethan Desserts.  Here's what we're having for dessert tonight...if it lasts that long.  It was all I could do not to buy one of everything in the store.

Peanut Butter chocolate smores bar, mexican chocolate cinnamon brownie, 3 types of Beglian chocolate rice krispy bar with chocolate gnache on top, red velvet whoopie pie (hadn't realized they had chocolate and red velvet), and cheescake brownie.   

Can you say diabetic coma?

Freebies on Income Tax Day - April 17, 2012 And Before

Need a little relief post filing your income taxes?  These companies/merchants are offering a little something in the way of tax relief.  Read the details as some offers start before April 17, 2012.

• AMC Theatres: coupon for free small popcorn. Valid 4/13/12 - 4/15/12
• Arby's: coupon for a free order of value-size curly fries. Valid 4/17/12
• Aunt Anne's: coupon for buy one, get one free pretzel. Valid 4/17/12 - 4/25/12
• Boston Market: coupon for buy one individual meal and drink, get one free.  Valid 4/17/12
• Bruegger's: coupon for Big Bagel bundle for only $10.40.  Valid 4/13/12 - 4/17/12
• Chili's: coupon for either a free appetizer or free dessert with entree purchase. Valid 4/16/12 - 4/18/12
• Cinnabon: two free Classic Cinnabon Bites.  Valid 4/17/12 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
• HydroMassage: free massages. Valid 4/16/12 - 4/20/12
• MaggieMoos: free scoop of their new yogurt. Valid 4/17/12 between 4 - 7 p.m.
• Office Depot: coupon for free 25 single sided black and white copies. Valid through 4/16/12
• Office Depot: coupon for up to 5 pounds of shredding. Valid through 4/16/12.
• Panda Express: coupon for free single serving Shanghai Angus Steak. Valid 4/17/12
• PF Chang's: coupon for 15% off your pickup order. Must place order online. Valid 4/17/12
• Seattle's Best Coffee: free coffee. Valid 4/17/12
• Sonic: half priced drinks and slushies. Valid 4/17/12

 

Free pancakes at IHop

Free short stack of pancakes at IHop today.  Find your closet IHOP.

Move over Colonel Sanders, there's a new chicken in town

 

Tonight's meal was all homemade: fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, Caesar Salad.  Not even going to worry about how many calories it was.

Cauliflower Pizza Dough

In February someone at the gym mentioned making pizza from cauliflower.  The benefits being gluten-free, less carbs, and more veggies.  I finally tried it two weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised by the results and how easy it is to make.  Recipe and nutritional information at the end of this post.