Macaroni and cheese | My Meals are on Wheels

Baked Haddock w/ Green Beans, (Shells) Mac and Cheese, and…

January 25, 2013 at 6:39 PM | Posted in baking, fish, greenbeans, Velveeta/Kraft Dinners | 2 Comments
Tags: Bread Crumbs, Cheese, Green Bean, haddock, Macaroni and cheese, Serving size, Tablespoon, Velveeta

Today’s Menu: Baked Haddock w/ Green Beans, (Shells) Mac and Cheese, and Whole Grain Bread
They nailed the weather again! Cold and windy and got about an 1″ of snow. Possible 40 degrees coming up though so it won’t last long. Tried a new halibut recipe for dinner tonight, it’s a Baked Halibut one. For dinner tonight I prepared Baked Haddock w/ Green Beans, (Shells) Mac and Cheese, and Whole Grain Bread.

To prepare the Haddock I preheated the oven to 350 degrees. For my seasoning I combined 1 cup Italian Breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp melted Butter (Blue Bonett Light Stick Butter), 1 teaspoons Parsley or Parsley Flakes, 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder, and 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt. Placed the fillets in 11×7 in. baking pan and sprinkled the combined ingredients over the fish. Baked for 25 minutes, until the fish was fork flakey. I like this recipe! The Haddock comes out moist and well seasoned. Haddock is good any way you prepare it, it always taste fresh.

Then for sides I prepared a single serving of Del Monte Cut Green Beans and I also microwaved a single serving of Velveeta/Kraft Shells & Cheese (made with 2% milk). For Bread I used Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread. Later tonight for dessert a 4 Slice Package of Dole Banana Dippers (Covered in Dark Chocolate).
Baked Halibut

Ingredients
2 Haddock Fillets
1/2 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp melted Butter
1 teaspoons Parsley
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
Directions
Place fillets in 11×7 in.
baking pan.
Combine all other ingredients and sprinkle over fish.
Bake at 350* for 25 minutes.

Velveeta Shells and Cheese – 2% Milk Cheese

Shells and Cheese – 2% Milk Cheese. Microwaveable shell pasta and cheese sauce. Made with 2% milk cheese; 1/2 the fat of regular microwaveable shell and cheese. Ready in 3-1/2 minutes. Fat per serving: Regular Microwaveable Shells and Cheese: 8 g.
Nutrition Facts
Calories in Velveeta Shells and Cheese

Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 360.0
Total Fat 12.0 g
Saturated Fat 4.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 20.0 mg
Sodium 940.0 mg
Potassium 0.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 49.0 g
Dietary Fiber 2.0 g
Sugars 4.0 g
Protein 13.0 g

Fried Ocean Perch w/ Green Beans, Mac &Cheese, and Whole Grain Bread

August 9, 2012 at 5:01 PM | Posted in diabetes, diabetes friendly, fish, greenbeans, Healthy Life Whole Grain Breads, low calorie, low carb, Velveeta/Kraft Dinners | 4 Comments
Tags: Black pepper, Green Bean, Macaroni and cheese, Nachos, Olive oil, Rose fish, Sea salt, Velveeta

Today’s Menu: Fried Ocean Perch w/ Green Beans, Mac &Cheese, and Whole Grain Bread

I had a couple of small fillets of Ocean Perch in the freezer so I decided to have that as Dinner. I rinsed the fillets with water and patted them dry. Seasoned them with Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper and I then rolled them in Italian Style Bread Crumbs. I fried them in a cast iron skillet in Extra Virgin Olive Oil about 4 minutes per side. The perch came out a beautiful golden brown! You have to love fish, low in calories and carbs and always a filling and tasty dinner.

For sides I heated a single serving of Del Monte Cut Green Beans, microwaved a single serve of Velveeta 2% Cheese and Shells, and Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread. I ate light all day so for a dessert/snack later my Mom’s been wanting some Nachos so that’s what I’ll be preparing. I use Tostito’s Whole Grain Scoops for the chips, 1 can Campbells Firehouse Chili w/ Beans, 1 small can of Sliced Black Olives, sliced Jalapenos, and Kraft 2% Pizza Cheese. Just layer in a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees until the chips are warmed and cheese is melted.

Cheese of the Week – Gouda

July 3, 2012 at 10:28 AM | Posted in cheese, Food | Leave a comment
Tags: Cheese, Dutch, European Commission, Gouda, Holland, Macaroni and cheese, Netherlands, Rotterdam

Named after the Dutch town of Gouda, just outside Rotterdam. It accounts for more than 60% of the cheese produced in Holland and it

has a very long history. Gouda is a traditional, creamery, hard cheese. It is round with very smooth, yellow, waxed rind. The flavor is sweet and fruity. As time passes, the taste intensifies and becomes more complex. Mature Gouda (18 months plus) is coated in black wax which provides a stark contrast to the deep yellow interior. Gouda is considered to be one of the world’s great cheeses. It is both a table cheese and a dessert cheese, excellent with fruit and wine. Gouda is now made globally in a style similar to the creation of Edam.

Country: Holland

Milk: cow milk

Texture: semi-hard

Fat content: 40 %

Gouda is an orange cheese made from cow’s milk. The cheese is named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands, but its name is not protected. However, the European Commission has confirmed that “Gouda Holland” is to be protected (although “Gouda” itself is not). Cheese under the name of Gouda is currently made and sold all around the world.

The cheese is from cultured milk that is heated until the curds separate from the whey. Some of the whey is then drained, and water is added. This is called “washing the curd”, and creates a sweeter cheese, as the washing removes some of the lactic acid. About ten percent of the mixture are curds, which are pressed into circular moulds for several hours. These moulds are the essential reason behind its traditional, characteristic shape. The cheese is then soaked in a brine solution, which gives the cheese and its rind a distinctive taste. The cheese is dried for a few days before being coated to prevent it from drying out, then it is aged. Depending on age classification, it can be aged a number of weeks to over seven years before it is ready to be eaten. As it ages, it develops a caramel sweetness and sometimes has a slight crunchiness from salt-like calcium lactate or tyrosine crystals that form in older cheeses. After 24 months of aging, sodium chloride crystals start to form around the outside casing of the cheese. These crystals are usually removed with a soft cloth.

The term “Gouda” is now a universal name, and not restricted to cheese of Dutch origin. The term “Noord-Hollandse Gouda” is

Gouda at a cheese market

registered in the EU as a Protected Geographical Status. The cheese itself was originally developed in Gouda which is in the Dutch province South Holland. The main distributor during this period of time was Pieter’s Kaas (Owned by Dutch priest Peter Haase)

Within the Netherlands, the cheeses vary based on age and additional ingredients. From young to old, these are: “Graskaas”, “Jong”, “Jong belegen”, “Belegen”, “Extra belegen”, “Oud” and “Overjarig”. Younger cheeses are creamier while older cheeses are harder and saltier.

Stinging nettle cheese, or “Brandnetelkaas”, is a type of gouda that contains stinging nettles (Urtica dioica). The small, green particles give the cheese a distinct flavour and appearance. Another variety of gouda contains small pieces of red capsicum, imparting a mildly spicy flavor.

Gouda is exported in two varieties: Young Gouda cheese, aged between 1 and 6 months, is a rich yellow in color and with a red or yellow paraffin wax coating. This cheese is easily sliced with a cheese slicer. Older Gouda cheese has a pungent underlying bitterness, yet is considerably creamier; it sometimes is discernible by a black paraffin wax coating. This strong-tasting cheese is hard and often brittle.

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) package whole wheat pasta

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon paparika

4 ounces smoked Gouda cheese,

shredded

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10 inch casserole dish.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook until a roux forms. Stir in the milk, salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is smooth and thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

4. Combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce; transfer to prepared dish.

Tilapia Sandwich w/ Tofu Mac & Cheese

June 1, 2012 at 5:12 PM | Posted in cheese, diabetes, diabetes friendly, fish, House Foods Noodles, low calorie, low carb | 2 Comments
Tags: Black pepper, Food Network, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Macaroni and cheese, Mustard (condiment), Parmigiano-Reggiano, Tofu, Velveeta

Today’s Menu: Tilapia Sandwich w/ Tofu Mac & Cheese

A comfort food classic, with a bit of a spin, for dinner tonight. It’s a Fish sandwich with Mac and Cheese! I love Mac & Cheese but I don’t like the calories and carbs that usually come with it. So to cut back on the calories and carbs I replaced the Pasta Macaroni with Tofu Shiratki (Yam Noodle with Tofu) Macaroni Shape Noodles.

First the Fish,If you want a flat-out delicious Fish recipe look no further! I prepared this with Tilapia but it would go great with Mahi Mahi, Sea Bass, or about any other Fish. This makes one of the most delicious Fish Sandwiches you’ll ever have. I had seen this recipe originally on the Neely’s on the Food Network and I’ve been using it ever since! So I laid out two Tilapia Fillets and I was set. I preheated the oven to 450 degrees F. Then placed a heavy-duty baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray in the oven to heat.

First you dredge the fillets in a Melted Butter (I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter), Dijon Mustard, and Chopped Dill. Then you combine Panko Bread Crumbs, Cayenne and Sea Salt and Pepper and dredge the fillets through this making sure the fillets are completely coated. Place on the hot sheet trays in the oven and bake until cooked through and lightly golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Assemble the sandwich by adding Tartar Sauce or any other of your favorite toppings. I left my version of the recipe at the bottom of the post.

Now for the Mac & Cheese, this is where it gets good! I used TOFU SHIRATAKI (Yam Noodle with Tofu) MACARONI SHAPE which is only 20 calories and 3 carbs! I added a half a serving of Velveeta 2% Cheese, 1 slice Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss Cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon Kraft Shredded Parmesan Cheese. Seasoned with Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper. Mix it all together and microwave on high for 1 minute and 40 seconds. After the first minute stop it to stir and continue with 40 seconds, the time can vary according to your microwave. I’m starting to use Tofu more and more as a noodle substitute. Huge difference in calories and carbs between the two. A thank you to Hungry Girl for the idea. I left the recipe and the link to the Housefoods Tofu at the end of the post. For dessert later something a Yoplait Chocolate Banana Smoothie. on the post below.

Cheesy Tofu Shirataki Mac

Ingredients:
1 bag House Foods Tofu Shirataki Macaroni Shaped Noodle Substitute
1/2 Serving Velveeta 2% Cheese
1 slice Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss Cheese
Sea Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
Sprinkle of Oscar Mayer Real bacon Bits (Optional)

Directions:
Use a strainer to rinse and drain noodles well. Pat dry. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave noodles for 1 minute.

*Drain excess liquid. Dry thoroughly with paper towels.

*Add Noodles back to bowl and add Velveeta and Cheese slice to Noodles breaking both into pieces as you add them. Microwave for 1 minute. Stop and stir, mixing well, and continue to microwave for an additional 40 seconds.

MAKES 1 SERVING

http://www.house-foods.com/tofu/tofu_shirataki.aspx

Tilapia Sandwich

Ingredients

Nonstick spray (Pam w/ Olive Oil)
2 tablespoons melted butter (I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Two 6-ounce tilapia fillets
Two Healthy Life Whole Grain Buns or Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread
Iceberg lettuce, Sliced Tomatoes (Optional)
Heinz Premium Tarter Sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a heavy-duty baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray in the oven to heat.

Mix together the melted butter, Dijon and dill in a pie plate. In another pie plate, combine the panko, cayenne and some salt and pepper. Dredge the fish through the melted butter mixture and then through the panko. Place on the hot sheet trays in the oven and bake until cooked through and lightly golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

Assemble the sandwich by adding Tartar Sauce and any other of your favorite toppings to the fillet. Serve on a Healthy Life Whole Grain Bun or Bread.

* Recipe was based on a recipe from The Neely’s on the Food Network *

Tofu Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

April 15, 2012 at 5:21 PM | Posted in diabetes, diabetes friendly, Honeysuckle White Turkey Products, House Foods Noodles, low calorie, low carb, tofu, Turkey meatballs | 2 Comments
Tags: Calorie, Carbohydrate, Kraft, Macaroni and cheese, Meatball, Spaghetti with meatballs, Submarine sandwich, Tofu Shirataki

Today’s Menu: Tofu Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

Tofu Spaghetti! Years ago I would have said “No Way” but now as I’m older and trying to eat more healthy this is great! I used House Food Tofu Shirataki Spaghetti Shaped Tofu. I made Mac & Cheese with Elbow Macaroni shaped Tofu a couple of weeks ago so I wanted to give Spaghetti and Meatballs a try. I heated the Tofu by the instructions, which I left at the bottom of the post along with description and web links.

For my sauce I used my favorite pasta Sauce, Bella Vita Low Carb Meat Flavored Pasta Sauce. If you watching the calories and carbs this sauce is the Bomb! Comes in Roasted Garlic and Meat Flavored and is only 70 calories and 6 carbs! The Meatballs were Honey Suckle White Turkey Meatballs. Love these Meatballs great flavor and they make a delicious Meatball Sub! They are 190 calories and 6 carbs per serving (3 Meatballs). I seasoned it with McCormick Grinder Italian Seasoning and topped everything with a sprinkle of Kraft Shredded Parm and Kraft 2% Shredded Sharp Cheddar. The nice part about this dinner, besides being delicious, is you can have a second helping and still have a low calorie and carb dinner. The one bag of Tofu makes more than enough for two people. For dessert/snack later a 100 Calorie Bag of Jolly Time Mini Bag of Pop Corn.

House Tofu Shirataki.
Tofu Shirataki is a great pasta alternative made from blending the root of the Konnyaku – a member of the yam family and tofu.
It is a healthy, uniquely textured noodle – that pleases people of all ages!

VARIETY OF SHAPES:
Macaroni New!
Spaghetti
Fettuccine
Angel-Hair

*The Macaroni shape is available in only selected retailers.

LOW CARB – only 3g of carbs per serving
LOW CALORIE – 20 calories per 4 oz serving
FIBER – 2g per serving
NO CHOLESTEROL
NO SUGAR
GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE
CONTAINS 10% CALCIUM
VEGAN
KOSHER CERTIFIED

*TOFU SHIRATAKI CANNOT BE FROZEN

Directions:
Step 1: Empty your noodles into a strainer, and rinse them with water to get rid of the liquid they were packed in.

Step 2: Dry them as thoroughly as possible by blotting with paper towels — remove as much moisture as possible. We cannot stress enough how important this is.

Step 3: Cut them up a bit; they can be VERY long. (Fun fact: We once found a noodle that was six feet long!) Kitchen shears (scissors you use only for food) make this super-easy.

Step 4: Heat your noodles for a minute or two in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove. (If microwaving, you may want to blot for liquid one more time before adding sauce.)

http://www.house-foods.com/Tofu/tofu_shirataki.aspx

http://www.hungry-girl.com/biteout/show/2157

Baked Shrimp w/ Tofu Mac & Cheese

March 29, 2012 at 5:51 PM | Posted in baking, diabetes, diabetes friendly, Food, Healthy Life Whole Grain Breads, low calorie, low carb, shrimp, tofu | 6 Comments
Tags: Black pepper, Calorie, Cheese, Food Press, House Foods, Hungry Girl, Macaroni and cheese, Shrimp, Velveeta

Today’s Menu: Baked Shrimp w/ Tofu Mac & Cheese and Whole Grain Bread

Shrimp with Mac & Cheese a great combo. Shrimp with Mac & Cheese under 400 calories a fantastic combo! I used Gorton’s Homestyle Shrimp. They come in breaded seasoning and baked at 425 degrees for 18 minutes. These are the best tasting boxed and frozen Shrimp I think I’ve ever had. Delicious and good size Shrimp.

Now for the Mac & Cheese, this is where it gets good! I used TOFU SHIRATAKI (Yam Noodle with Tofu) MACARONI SHAPE which is only 20 calories and 3 carbs! I added a half a serving of Velveeta 2% Cheese, 1 slice Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss Cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon Kraft Shredded Parmesan Cheese. Seasoned with Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper. Mix it all together and microwave on high for 1 minute and 40 seconds. After the first minute stop it to stir and continue with 40 seconds, this time can vary according to your microwave. This came was the first time I tried this and it came out delicious! I’m starting to really like using Tofu as a noodle substitute. Huge difference in calories and carbs between the two also. A thank you to Hungry Girl for the ideal. I left the recipe and the link to the Housefoods Tofu at the end of the post. I also had Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread. For dessert later something new a Yoplait Chocolate Banana Smoothie. i seen these on Biggest Loser and they looked so good I had to try it out and glad I did! Easy to make and a nice thick and tasty Smoothie. Only 130 calories and 18 carbs! I’ll leave the write up and nutrition on the post below.

Cheesy Tofu Shirataki Mac

Ingredients:
1 bag House Foods Tofu Shirataki Macaroni Shaped Noodle Substitute
1/2 Serving Velveeta 2% Cheese
1 slice Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss Cheese
1 tsp.Kraft Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Dash each Parsley, Sea Salt and Black Pepper, or more to taste

Directions:
Use a strainer to rinse and drain noodles well. Pat dry. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave noodles for 1 minute.

*Drain excess liquid. Dry thoroughly with paper towels.

*Add cheese wedge and cheese slice, breaking both into pieces as you add them. Microwave for 1 minute. Stop and stir, mixing well, and continue microwaving for an additional 40 seconds.

*Add remaining ingredients and stir very well.

MAKES 1 SERVING

http://www.house-foods.com/default.aspx