OUT WEST: Food & Lifestyle

budget family dinner

The BEST Mac N Cheese

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If you love Stouffer’s Mac N Cheese – You will love this!

Who doesn’t love a good mac-n-cheese? My favorite is Stouffer’s Macaroni and Cheese, yes, found in the frozen section at the grocery. Maybe it’s because I grew up eating it, OR maybe because it’s rich, tangy, creamy and addictively good. The top gets all golden brown and crusted over and when you scoop your spoon in, it’s pure creaminess.

Many recipes have come close, but this is the best yet. It all came together when I got a promotional box of cheese from our PNW local Tillamook Cheese. It’s my favorite cheese and that says a lot because I LOVE CHEESE! I wanted a simple recipe with the fewest ingredients possible (because my friend Brittany says she needs recipes with less spices and less ingredients all together). O.k. Brittany, I know you can make this and LOVE IT!

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The BEST Mac-N-Cheese

Course Main Course
Cuisine Pasta
Keyword mac n cheese, macaroni and cheese, pasta, stouffer’s mac n cheese, the best macaroni and cheese
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1 lb large elbow macaroni
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 cup milk
  • 2 cup cream
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp dry mustard powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Tillamook sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 2 cup Tillamook medium cheddar cheese, shredded

Topping

  • 1 cup Tillamook medium cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Tillamook sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

  • Boil large elbow macaroni according to directions.
  • In a large sauce pan melt butter over medium low heat
  • Stir in flour and continue to stir, cooking for about 3 to 5 minutes.  Basically you make a roux and want to not only combine the mixture, but cook the flour taste out as well.
  • Gradually pour in milk and cream, stirring continuously to combine well.
  • Stir in paprika, dry mustard powder and salt.
  • Gradually stir in the first set of cheeses, reserving the cheese designated for topping.  Stir until creamy.
  • Gently fold together the cheese sauce and the cooked large elbow macaroni.
  • Pour mixture into a baking dish. (Try not to eat massive spoonfuls during this process).
  • Top with remaining topping cheese.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, then switch to broil and broil for 5 minutes or until golden browned on top.

Herb Crusted Eye of Round Roast

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Herb Crusted Eye of Round Roast is tender and pink on the inside and packed with a flavorful crust on the outside.

Herb Roast
Herb crusted eye of round roast is tender inside and packed with a flavorful crust outside

Look how beautiful this roast is! The aroma of sage, leeks and thyme has taken over my kitchen as they cover this Eye of Round roast creating a flavorful crust. If your entertaining this holiday season and are on a budget or just want a simple roast, this Herb Crusted Eye of Round Roast is the perfect recipe for you.

It’s so easy to make and the best thing is that it’s a fairly inexpensive cut of meat. I would say it’s right in between a prime rib and a pot roast. It comes out juicy, pink in the middle with a nice golden herb crust.

Slice it thinly, letting it soak up all those juices and make this your go-to roast!

Thinly sliced herb crusted eye of round roast
Tender thinly sliced eye of round roast is budget friendly
Herb Roast
Print Recipe

Herb Crusted Eye of Round Roast

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time1 hr 30 mins
Total Time1 hr 40 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Beef
Keyword: budget roastbeef, easy roast beef, herb crusted beef
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 3 lb. eye of round beef roast
  • 1 cup fresh herbs chopped (such as sage, thyme, rosemary)
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. salt
  • ½ tbsp. cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
  • Place roast in a baking dish, coat with olive oil on all sides, sprinkle with salt and pepper, press mixed chopped herbs all over roast.
  • Place roast in oven, reduce heat to 475 degrees.
  • Cook roast 7 minutes per pound at 475 degrees (that’s 21 minutes for a 3 lb roast).
  • Do not open the oven door. Turn off the oven and continue to cook for 2 ½ hours, making sure to not open the oven door at all during this entire time.
  • After the 2 ½ hours, remove from oven, placing a piece of foil over the top and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Serving Ideas:

Make it a meal with side dishes like Classic Potato Gratin, Northern Winter Salad or Sweet Corn and Snap Peas:

  • Simple, classic layers of potato and creamy cheese with a caramelized top
  • Crunchy Oregon hazelnuts, sweet Washington cranberries and Beecher’s Flagship cheese tossed together with pear, Brussels spouts and kale.
  • Simple, fresh corn and peas lightly sauteed are the perfect summer side dish
Classic Potato Gratin Northern Winter Salad Sweet Corn & Snap Peas