When she’s not enjoying life with her boys, baking and cake decorating you can find Shanaka at Mama Bee Does. She survives being a single mom with lots of laughter, coffee, sweet tea and Dr. Pepper. Sometimes it feels like she’s hanging on my her apron strings but she makes the most of every day. She believes that every body is unique and beautiful no matter the shape, size or color and that’s why she loves dresses like the Megan from Karina Dresses because they offer dresses for every body. Shanaka loves being social and you can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
The switch from summer to fall weather has me changing from a sleeveless to a a short sleeve dress and switching up my train of thought with my recipes. It becomes less grilled burgers and chilled salads and more crock pot meals and a lot more of my chilly weather comfort food. Among the top of my list of comfort foods is chicken and dumplings, chili, and side dishes like some baked macaroni and cheese. Since I started making the baked macaroni and cheese my boys are no longer impressed with the macaroni noodles that come with powdered cheese. I get the side eye, stank face and “really mom?” when I try and slip the powdered cheese in the blue box by them once in a blue moon.
I admit I loved the boxed mac and cheese as a kid and ate probably more than my share but there’s nothing that can beat the creamy cheesy goodness of some baked macaroni and cheese.
For this baked macaroni and cheese recipe you’ll need to have some macaroni noodles and all purpose flour from the pantry along with some pepper and some shredded cheese, milk and butter from the fridge.
Throw on your cozy short sleeve dress and enjoy this recipe!
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
3 cups (dry, uncooked) macaroni noodles
3 Tbs. all purpose flour
1 & 1/4 Tsp. salt
1 Tsp. pepper
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 & 1/2 cups of milk
4 Tbs. butter
Bring a pot of water with about 6 cups of water in it to a boil on the stove. Add 3 cups of dry macaroni noodles to the water once it is boiling. Cook until the noodles are tender. Drain the water off and set the noodles aside. In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt and pepper. Coat a 13×9 baking dish with non stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place half of the cooked macaroni noodles in the baking dish. Sprinkle the layer of noodles with the salt and pepper flour mixture. Cut your butter in to small chunks. Place a few pieces on top of the sprinkling of flour. Then layer on 2 cups of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layering of noodles, flour, butter and then cheese all a second time. Pour the milk over top. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove the foil from the dish and return the dish to the oven and bake another 10 minutes uncovered. Spoon this creamy deliciousness on to a plate or in to a bowl and enjoy.
You know what’s super comforting? Enjoying a bowl of this baked macaroni and cheese while lounging in one of the fall Karina dresses. You can find your favorite short sleeve dress at our online store! What is your favorite comfort food?