Macaroni Cheese with Cauliflower and Broccoli

Friday 26 March 2010

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I have been collecting the free recipes that they pass out in Waitrose over these past seven years. I have always found them to be really delicious and quite easy to prepare. I have a whole box filled with them. I really need to sit down and catalogue them I suppose, but that can wait now until I have finished moving.

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I don't always make them as written, but have found that, in a lot of cases, they make a good canvas upon which to work and create from. I often change this or that in them, and end up with something completely new, and even more delicious. I like it when you can do that with recipes.

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This was one that they came out with just recently. I switched a few things here and there, but I thought it sounded really good. I love cauliflower cheese and broccoli with cheese sauce and I adore Macaroni Cheese. There was very little not to like about this recipe!

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Unless you are Todd and you are not fond of pasta, but you know what they say . . . You can't always have things that you like. Sometimes you have to have something you are not fond of, just to please your wife . . . you know . . . coz she likes pasta . . . she really, really likes pasta and you love her . . . and well, sometimes you just got to do what you just got to do!

We had this simply with some grilled Bacon Chops. It was fabulous, absolutely fabulous! You could charge it up a bit and use a snappier cheese. I am thinking a gorgonzola would be just wonderful!

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*Macaroni Cheese with Cauliflower and Broccoli*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Like Macaroni and Cheese? Like Cauliflower Cheese? Like Broccoli with Cheese Sauce? Then you will love this! Nuff Said.

300g dried Macaroni
300g of mixed cauliflower and broccoli florets
50g butter
50g plain flour
750ml Milk
100g strong cheddar cheese, grated
2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 TBS cracker or bread crumbs
1 TBS butter, melted
4 TBS grated cheese, your choice (Parmesan, Cheddar, etc.)

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Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water for 8 minutes until just tender. Place the cauliflower and broccoli in a steamer (or sieve) and set over the pasta for the last 5 minutes until almost tender. Drain the pasta and place in a lightly buttered 1.75 litre ovenproof baking dish with the vegetables, mixing them together.

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute until thick, then off the heat gradually whisk in the milk, keeping the mixture smooth. Return the pan to the heat and stir constantly until thickened. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat, stir in the cheese, mustard and seasoning and pour over the pasta and vegetables.

Mix together the bread or cracker crumbs, melted butter and grated cheese. Sprinkle this evenly over top of the macaroni mixture. Bake in the heated oven for 20–25 minutes until the top is crisp and golden. Serve as it is, or with grilled or roasted meats.

14 comments

  1. Oh, yummy! That's just my kind of meal, Marie! Love this recipe, and how versatile it is, as you say--gorgonzola would be fabulous in this!

    Hope things continue to go well with your moving preparations--wish I could help you, my friend! My prayers and thoughts are with you, though, and I know it will all go very well!

    Hugs and warm thoughts sent to you tonight--I'm off to dreamland!

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  2. Love the addition of the broccoli and cauliflower. Will need to give this a try ;0)

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  3. Marie, mac and cheese is a wonderful place to hide some veggies when your children SWEAR they can't stand them. This would be fabulous with Gorgonzola- a very adult version
    xoxo Pattie

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  4. Oh, this is delicious...I love mac & cheese, and I love vegetables--so the paired here is terrific, Marie! This is one hubby & I would really enjoy. I know what you mean about recipes, I collect so many--from newspapers, supermarket leaflets, online finds, etc.--but rarely to I prepare the recipe to the letter... I almost always tweak them! It's part of the fun of cooking! :o) Hope all is going well with the last of your packing... Thinking of you lots... LOVE YOU !! OXOX ((BIG HUGS))

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  5. I really love the idea of adding vegetables to macaroni and cheese; sounds and looks healthier and I am sure tastier.
    Rita

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  6. Great recipe, there is something on my blog for you:o)

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  7. OK, now repeat after me "There is no snappier cheese than strong cheddar" !!!!!!!!!!!!

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  8. I love mac and cheese and this would be a great way to make it healthier! Thanks! ♥

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  9. Mac and cheese - a staple in our household. I want to try this recipe :)

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  10. I like the addition of the cauliflower and broccoli to the mac and cheese... good to get a little something healthy with the creamy pasta goodness!

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  11. Marie, your recipe was simply fantastic. i have a suggestion to make that i tried myself...i added a side order of bake beans and it was wonderful.
    kind regards, Alan Gee

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  12. Just cooked this for dinner. I receive a box of organic veg. every Friday and never know what's coming. I've cooked zucchini slice, the 2 year old loves it, 5 year old hates it. Zucchini and broccoli lasagne the reverse. This, they both loved! So did we - thanks!
    Vanessa, Perth, Western Australia

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  13. So glad you all enjoyed Vanessa!

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