One pot family mac and cheese

Macaroni and cheese is a classic combination that has been around for years and loved by all ages.  This is an easy, one-pot, no-fuss version (with a healthy addition for mommy) that the whole family will eat of.  Our little toddler in fact actually ate from the spinach side 😃  This is definitely my cheat meal for the week!

Tools:

• 1 large pot
• 1 large oven-bake dish
• A whisk
• Mixing spoon

Ingredients:

• 3 tbs oil
• 500ml milk
• 250ml water
• 3 tbs self-raising flour
• 2 tbs butter or margarine
• 1 large egg
• 4 cups cheese
• 500g (1 packet) macaroni
• 500g skinless, boneless chicken cut into small pieces
• 3 tbs chicken spice
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 pinch of salt 
• 1 pinch of pepper 

Method:

• Coat the chicken with the chicken spice and fry in the olive oil for 10 minutes or until the chicken is white (cooked) all over and put to one side.
• Add the milk to the pot and bring to a slight boil.
• Remove the pot from the plate, add the self-raising flour and mix with a whisk until smooth.
• Put back on the plate until boiling again.
• Remove the pot and turn the plate down to a medium heat.
• Add the egg, mix with a whisk and put the pot back on the plate.
• When the milk mixture has come to a boil again, add 3 cups of cheese whilst the milk mixture is boiling.
• When all the cheese has melted, add the pasta, mix and add the water.
• Let the pasta simmer for 15 minutes mixing regularly to avoid the pasta sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Add the salt and pepper and the chicken and mix well, and dish into your spray-cooked oven-bake dish.
• Cook the spinach in the same pot until wilted.
• Add the spinach to one side of the pasta dish and top it all off with the rest of the cheese.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 180°C/350°F.

Tips and tricks:

• If your whole family will eat the spinach, add 3 cups of spinach to the whole mixture.
• If you aren't in the mood for the spinach simply leave it out.
• In both these cases you don't need to use the oven-bake dish, you can put your pot straight into the oven (if it is oven safe of course).
• If you like tomatoes, add slices under the top layer of cheese before putting the dish in the oven.
• For a subtler spinach taste, blend the cooked spinach in a mixer/blender for 30 seconds.  This is the version my toddler ate (what a great way to sneak in some good greens).
• You can replace the chicken with any other meat of your choice, bacon and sausages also work well.
• Since this is a simple cheese recipe you can also add caramelized onion.

♥ Michelle Smillie ♥ 

Let life be, let love in