Spicy Spaghetti with Beef & Vegetables

While the pictures I took don’t do it justice, this is the perfect pasta recipe to make this summer. Loaded with freshly picked cherry tomatoes from our garden and diced zucchini, you can’t get much healthier than this twist on the traditional spaghetti with bolognese sauce.

Our family likes to eat healthy, buy organic, and cut out as much processed foods as we can. This day and age, our meat is injected with hormones, and our produce is sprayed with insecticide and chemicals; it’s just downright scary.

I used to buy the jarred marinara sauce to make my spaghetti sauce, but the more and more I ate it, it tasted sugary and somewhat “old”. I’ve been making my own meat sauce using The Meat Ball Shop’s classic tomato sauce recipe and I’ll never go back.

This is another great recipe for homemade meat sauce from Taking on Magazines blog, but it has a bit of heat from the red pepper flakes, and is loaded healthy summer vegetables.

If Harper could eat adult food, she’d give it two thumbs up! lol. Enjoy!

Spicy Spaghetti with Beef & Vegetables

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 6

Source: Ground Beef Cooking 2015

Ingredients

8 ounces dry spaghetti, uncooked
1/2 pound ground lean sirloin beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced (1 med = about 1 cup)
2 medium tomatoes, seeded, chopped (2 med = about 1 cup)
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain; set aside.
Combine meat and onions in medium nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink; stirring frequently. Drain, if necessary.
Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, Italian seasoning, sugar, garlic and red pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes, or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Add pasta and zucchini; mix well. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes and parsley; heat through.

Stovetop Chicken Spaghetti

The first Aggie football game against the South Carolina Gamecocks was this past Thursday, and we couldn’t have been any more pumped!

Since Matt’s dad and uncle were coming over to watch the game at our house, I figured I’d make them a tasty and not necessarily healthy meal. 🙂

Chicken spaghetti is one of those comfort foods that is a crowd pleaser. I’ve made the Pioneer Woman’s chicken spaghetti before, but wanted something a little different this time.

I found this recipe on Pinterest, and liked how only one pot was needed to make this meal, and it didn’t involve the oven. It was absolutely delicious and made a ton!

Matt, his dad Tony, and his uncle Rusty filled their plates completely with the chicken spaghetti, and even after going back for seconds, we STILL had tons of leftovers. I put one small dish of leftovers in the fridge to eat for the rest of this week, and a larger dish in the freezer for a meal to have later on.

Serve the chicken spaghetti with crusty bread and a salad, and you’ve got yourself a meal! Plus, how could you forget dessert? I made Matt’s all-time favorite 4-Layer Pudding Dessert.

Yum!! Can’t wait for more football and good food to come this fall season!

Stovetop Chicken Spaghetti — Saute onion, bell pepper and butter in a large pan.

Enjoy!

Stovetop Chicken Spaghetti

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

2 – 2 1/2 cups cooked, cubed
1 lb velveeta cheese
1 can Rotel, original
1 lb spaghetti pasta
1 stick butter
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used 98% fat free)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used 98% fat free)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Boil spaghetti pasta in water according to package directions. Drain pasta after done and discard water. Set aside the pasta. Do not rinse.
Melt the butter in the same (empty) pot and sauté the onion and bell pepper.
Add Rotel, soups, cooked chicken, and spaghetti to the sautéed onion mixture, one at at time, and gently mix together.
Add velveeta and stir together, mixing well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Heat until cheese in melted thoroughly, stirring occasionally to keep from scorching.
Serve immediately.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Working full-time and not getting home until after 6 pm many days of the week, I’m usually starved and ready for food! As you all know, I love to cook, so eating cereal for dinner is not my idea of a great dinner. When Matt’s home, I will almost always prepare a homemade dinner. That’s where this quick and easy chicken pesto pasta dish comes in hand!

With only 5 main ingredients plus a few pantry staples, you’ll have a delicious Italian meal sitting on your table in less than 30 minutes.

If you know Matt, he can be very direct, which is good if you’re wanting an honest opinion. There’s been many a nights that I’ve cooked dinner, and he says “I don’t like this”, or “the chicken is dry”. Need I say more? Hahaha?

While I don’t always like to hear it, it helps me to become a better cook because I definitely know what I need to work on.

With this dish, Matt loved it every bit of it! No complaints, only praise. I think he went back for seconds, maybe thirds. While the pictures don’t do it justice, the pesto combined with the chicken broth, crisp pine nuts, juicy rotisserie chicken and fresh lemon juice makes for a perfect combination.

Top it off with some fresh Parmesan cheese and a side salad, and you’ve got yourself a meal. Enjoy!

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 4

Recipe adapted from Prevention Magazine

Ingredients

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup basil pesto
10 oz. bow-tie pasta (can use fettuccine, rotini, or pasta of your choice)
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil, optional

Instructions

Stir together chicken, broth, and 1/4 cup of the pesto in a large, deep skillet.
Cook pasta, drain and add to skillet with lemon juice to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with pine nuts. Drizzle with oil, optional, and remaining 1/4 cup pesto.

Calories: 497 Fat: 15.5 Saturated fat: 3 Carbohydrates: 55 Sodium: 354 Fiber: 7 Protein: 34

Meatless Mondays: Browned Butter Gnocchi

As you can guess, Matt was not home when I made this Meatless Monday dish of browned butter gnocchi with broccoli and pine nuts. I say that because I would consider this dish “fancy”, a word that Matt does not like to classify his food with. 🙂 Matt is from the country and hence, likes good ‘ole southern comfort meals with lots of meat!!

I on the other hand, like trying new foods, especially ones with a touch of sophistication. While I hate mashed and baked potatoes, I LOVE gnocchi. (The gnocchi I used actually contains potatoes!) For those of you who don’t know, gnocchi is an Italian type of pasta, resembling thick, soft dumplings. Gnocchi can be made from ricotta, flour and egg, potatoes, or other similar ingredients.

If you’re like me, you’ll really enjoy this dish with the chewy gnocchi, sweet broccoli and crunchy nuts. The red pepper flakes and pecorino Romano cheese add a nice flavor to the already lightened-up sauce. Enjoy!

Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Add broccoli during last minute of cook time.

Brown butter in large skillet. Add drained gnocchi and broccoli. Add freshly ground pepper, red pepper flakes and pine nuts.

Off the heat and stir in Pecorino Romano cheese.

Browned Buttered Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts
INGREDIENTS
2 (16-ounce) packages prepared gnocchi
5 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
1.5 ounces shaved fresh pecorino Romano cheese (about 1/3 cup)
2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook gnocchi in a large Dutch oven according to package directions. Add broccoli during last minute of cooking; cook 1 minute. Drain.
2. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and oil; cook 7 minutes or until butter browns. Add gnocchi mixture and pepper to pan; toss to coat. Turn off the heat and add pine nuts and Pecorino Romano cheese.
3. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups gnocchi mixture into each of 6 shallow bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 6 servings

Dinner at L’Hostaria – Aspen, Colorado

After hearing from both the concierge and driver at the Grand Hyatt that Aspen’s L’Hostaria was their favorite restaurant in town, we had to try it. What did we think? It was amazing and probably our favorite dining spot in Aspen!

L’Hostaria is where authentic Italian cuisine meets fresh, healthy, and homemade ingredients. We were absolutely impressed with the service and how fresh, light and gourmet the food was. L’Hostaria is the only restaurant in Aspen that makes their own pasta daily by hand, and you can definitely taste a difference!

L’Hostaria menu

The atmosphere of L’Hostaria was elegant, yet cozy. Designer Italian chairs, terracotta vases, Tuscan antiques, soft lighting and stucco walls created an ambiance you will find only in Italy. The restaurant is underground, so you can choose to eat inside the cool, comfortable restaurant, or sit outside on the underground the porch with the retractible roof letting natural sunlight peak in.

Dining inside L’Hostaria – designer Italian chairs, terracotta vases, Tuscan antiques, soft lighting and stucco walls create an atmosphere you will find only in Italy.

Everything on the menu looked good, so we had a hard time deciding what to order. In the end, Matt and I choose to split the Papparadelle alla Bolognese. The papparadelle (extra-wide pasta noodles) was spinach flavored and accompanied with a light yet filling Italian meat sauce. I say “light” because unlike a lot of meat sauces, this was NOT greasy. For garnish, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and shredded basil was added.

Pappardelle alla Bolognese – homemade spinach pasta with an Italian meat sauce

My mom ordered the Spaghettini with rock shrimp, chopped eggplant, diced tomatoes and garnished with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese in a light tomato sauce. It was excellent…. extremely light, yet packed full of flavor.

Spaghettini with rock shrimp, eggplant, diced tomatoes and fresh basil

My dad ordered the grilled New York steak with green peppercorn sauce, accompanied with a scoop of mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. His steak was nicely seasoned, and even though I hate eating steaks at restaurants since they are so salty and overly seasoned, this was was very good and had a unique flavor. (Sorry, we have no picture… it was blurry!)

Since our main courses were so delicious, we thought we’d finish it all off by splitting a piece of Tiramisu four ways. The tiramisu consisted of marscarpone and cream layered between ladyfingers soaked in coffee, and topped with cocoa sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar and drizzled with chocolate sauce. It was good. If you like dark chocolate, you’ll love this! It was extremely rich and dark. I’m more of a milk chocolate fan, so you know where my preferences land.

Tiramisu dell’ ‘Hostaria – ladyfingers, marscarpone, cream, coffee, and cocoa

***We were all so impressed with L’Hostaria that my mom and I came back the next evening and ordered the potato gnocchi for take-out. We all ate our “own” dinners at the hotel that evening: Matt and my dad split a pizza while my sister had grilled chicken.

The gnocchi my mom and I split was outstanding! It was so fresh, and almost seemed to melt in our mouths. Again, the sauce was very light. The gnocchi was accompanied by freshly diced tomatoes, basil and Parmesan cheese. Yum!

What did I like best? I can’t choose…. it depends on what mood I’m in. All-in-all, all pasta dishes were homemade, fresh, and light. You’ll get full, but won’t have that miserable “stuffed” feeling like many restaurants give off from their greasy, processed food. Next time you’re in Aspen, you must visit L’Hostaria. We will be back for sure!

Potato gnocchi with diced tomatoes and basil

Meatless Mondays: Pasta with Chickpea-Tomato Sauce

Here’s an elegant pasta that you can whip up in under 30 minutes. Matt was out of town when I made this, so you won’t be getting a guy’s point of view this time.

If you’re looking for a light, vegetarian and “meatless Monday” dish, this is one you’ve got to try. The chickpeas take the place of the meat by adding in protein and texture. The tomato-sauce is very subtle, but gets a little heat from the red pepper flakes. Don’t forget to add in my favorite grated Pecorino Romano from Central Market. Pecorino Romano is sooo much better than Parmesan because it’s stronger and has a nuttier flavor.

Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Cook garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chickpeas and cook 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add cooked pasta to the pot and toss.

Garnish with Parmesan and basil

Pasta with Chickpea-Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1/4 tsp. red-pepper flakes

3 cups cooked chickpeas

Coarse salt

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth

Dried or fresh basil, for garnish

12 ounces medium pasta shells

Grated Pecorino Romano, for serving

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds (do not brown). Add chickpeas, season with salt, and cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and broth, and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until sauce has reduced slightly, 20 minutes. Add basil, and cook 5 minutes more. Remove basil.

3. While sauce is cooking, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente; drain, and return to pot.

3. Add sauce to pasta and toss. Serve with Pecorino Romano, and garnish with torn basil.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe adapted from: Martha Stewart

Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo

If you’re looking for something healthy AND tasty, look no further than this chicken and sun-dried tomato orzo dish. Matt and I both loved it and the dish is actually pretty simply to make!

The sun-dried tomatoes combined with Parmesan cheese pack a flavorful punch along with the Italian aroma of the fresh marjoram and mushrooms. Serve with a side a green vegetables or salad and you’ve got a complete meal. Enjoy!

Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo

Serves: 4

Adapted fro Eating Well

Ingredients

8 oz orzo, preferably whole wheat
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, (not oil-packed), divided
1 plum tomato, diced
1 clove garlic, peeled
3 tsp. chopped fresh marjoram, divided
1 Tbs. red-wine vinegar
2 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (1 – 1 1/4 pounds)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
8 oz. mushrooms
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

Instructions

Cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8-10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
Meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in a blender. Blend until just a few chunks remain.
Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Measure out 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes to the pan along with the orzo, mushrooms and 6 tablespoons of cheese. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Divide among 4 plates.
Slice the chicken. Top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the remaining cheese and marjoram.

Penne alla Betsy

If you’ve never had Penne alla Betsy, then this is a recipe that you need to try! (By the way, this is a repeat from my blog, and it has been too long since I’ve eaten it…since August 2010!) I made it for dinner tonight because it was quick and easy, and one of my favorites. In addition, last night I had my sister and mom over for dinner and fixed Grilled Tomato Basil Chicken (to be blogged soon) and I had leftover fresh basil, which this recipe calls for.

Penne alla Betsy incorporates some of my favorite ingredients: pasta, shrimp, a creamy tomato sauce, and tons of fresh basil. It is so flavorful, and can be prepared and served up within 20 minute. Note: the recipe calls for raw shrimp, but I used cooked shrimp, and did not saute it in the pan for as long…I simply warmed it up.

The Penne alla Betsy recipe comes from Ree Drummond’s cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl. I really like this cookbook, not just for the recipes, but for the step-by-step picture instructions she shows, and the interesting stories behind each recipe. (Sorry, but I don’t have a really interesting story relating to making Penne alla Betsy. All I can remember is making this recipe for the first time for my husband, Matt. I also remember being shocked with how good this dish was!)

For those of you who have not heard of Pioneer Woman, she is a city girl that married a cowboy, who is referred to as the Marlboro Man, from Oklahoma. The Pioneer Woman has attracted millions of followers to her blog, and she is extremely popular in the cooking world.

Enjoy Penne alla Betsy!

Saute shrimp over medium-high heat in 1 tbsp butter and olive oil for about 2 minutes, or until opaque.

Remove shrimp and saute onion and garlic in remaining 1 tbsp butter and olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent.

Add tomato sauce and heavy cream and stir until combined.

Add shrimp to sauce.

Add herbs and cooked, drained pasta. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Serve and garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Penne alla Betsy

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 lb. penne pasta
1 lb. large shrimp
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (I omitted)
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
Milk for thinning
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Bring pot of water to a boil. Cook the penne until al dente (firm yet tender). Drain and set aside.
Begin by peeling and deveining shrimp and rising them under cold water.
In a small skillet over medium-heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the shrimp. Stir and cook on both sides until it is just starting to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and allow to cool slightly.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and onion. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
If using wine, pour into pan and allow to evaporate, about 45 seconds. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low.
Pour in the cream. Stir well to combine; reduce heat to simmer.
Add the shrimp to the sauce and stir gently to combine. Next add the herbs and cooked, drained pasta. Stir gently to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little milk to get it to the right consistency. Add salt and pepper. Serve.

Notes

Source: The Pioneer Woman

Colby’s Quick Spaghetti

This past weekend, as you may know, I traveled to Stillwater, Oklahoma to run in the Remember the Ten Run with my sister. This event honors ten men (mostly players and coaches) from the Oklahoma State University Basketball Team that perished in a plane crash on January 27, 2001 in Colorado. The Remember the Ten Run has now become an annual tradition held on the third Saturday in April each year. My sister and I decided to race in the 10k. I placed 4th in my age division with at time of 45:19 and my sister placed 2nd with a time of 42:01! Apparently it pays to be the girlfriend of an outstanding OSU cross country and track runner (Colby). He is considered as one of our country’s fastest collegiate runners. Maybe his speed has rubbed off on my sister because she sure ran a fast time! I on the other hand did well for having not trained. Maybe my husband’s collegiate football talent from Texas A&M will rub off on me! However, I don’t know of any women football leagues out there… plus at barely 5’1 tall and 90 pounds, football would not be a sport I could picture myself being good at!

As part of the “carbo-loading” we do before a big cross country race, my sister’s boyfriend, Colby made us his “quick spaghetti” recipe that his mom has made him over the years, and it was delicious!

This is definitely not your typical “spaghetti with meat sauce” recipe with the red, marinara sauce you would typically expect. Instead it has more of a creamy, mushroom and tomato flavor you would expect from a tomato-cream sauce like in Penne alla Betsy. The simple ingredients include ground beef, a can of mushroom soup, a can of tomato soup, and seasonings. You probably already have all you need sitting in your pantry at home!

Colby’s spaghetti is quick, easy, tasty, and fool-proof. It also fulfilled my sister and my need for “carbo-loading” before our big race the next day. It paid off and we each ran our best. Enjoy and try this new twist on spaghetti!

Colby’s Quick Spaghetti
Ingredients
1 pound hamburger meat
1 can mushroom soup
1 can tomato soup
Italian seasoning, oregano, and garlic salt to taste
salt and pepper

Directions
1. For the Meat Sauce: Brown 1 pound of hamburger meat and drain. Put meat back in skillet and add 1 can mushroom soup and 1 can of tomato soup, mix together (you might need to add a little water, maybe 1/4 cup).
2. Add Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Heat this mixture.
3. To Cook Spaghetti: Heat water in large pan, add some salt before water boils, then add spaghetti. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, about 12 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings
recipe from Karen Lowe (Colby’s mom)

Three-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Oh, my… I’ve found yet another mac and cheese recipe that is out of this world! It is called “Three-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese” and I found it from the Brown Eyed Baker blog. Compared to the other two recipes I’ve made, (Cadillac Mac and Cheese and Alton Brown’s Macaroni and Cheese), this one is by far the creamiest! Unlike the other two, it does not have a bread crumb/Panko topping, but it does not need it. My husband, Matt, actually prefers not to have a crumb topping…he likes only the most creamy macaroni and cheese you can make! Therefore, this is Matt’s favorite recipe (and my favorite too)!

I love this recipe, and the flavors of red pepper and the three-cheese mix of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, and Parmesan and to die for. The original recipe calls for 6 ounces of Cheddar, and 2 ounces of Monterey Jack, but I used equal amounts (4 ounces) of each, and loved it that way! I also used shell pasta instead of elbow macaroni, so the type of pasts you buy is something you can experiment with as well!

From now on, this will be my go-to recipe for mac and cheese. Did I mention, it is the easiest macaroni and cheese recipe aside from making Easy Mac? It sure is… you only use the stove top to melt the butter and garlic. This is good news for me, because half of the time, I end up curdling my cheese because the milk mixture is way too hot for the cheese! In this Three-Cheese Baked Macaroni, all you do is beat the eggs, add the milk, salt and pepper, and cheese, and mix in the pasta-garlic mixture. Finally, get this… it only takes 10-12 minutes to bake! That’s it! Again, this is the easiest, fastest mac and cheese you’ll ever make! Enjoy, and try not to eat the whole thing like I almost did!

Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, milk and cheeses.

Stir in pasta.

Bake in a 475 degree F oven for 12 minutes, or until sauce bubbles around the edges.

Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Three-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
1/2 pound elbow macaroni (I used shell pasta)
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used red pepper)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the macaroni for 6 minutes (it will be cooked to al dente). Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, remove the garlic to a medium bowl. Add the macaroni to the bowl and stir to combine.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and evaporated milk. Add the salt, cayenne pepper and cheeses; mix well. Add the macaroni mixture and stir well to combine.
4. Transfer mixture to an 8 or 9-inch square baking dish or 2-quart gratin dish. With a spoon, gently spread mixture to form an even layer. Bake just until sauce bubbles at edges, about 12 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker