Mac and Cheese In A Hurry

Star Q

i.  The Unbearable Bubur Chacha

ii.  Perkhemahan Integrasi  Pra-U

iii.  Beautiful School

Last week Aidil Adha.  Initially we did not make any plans to go anywhere for the long weekend.  We did not even make arrangements to go back to our home towns.  We were contented to just stay home and celebrate Aidil Adha together as a family.  However the phone call made us change our minds.

I had already prepared all the ingredients for my Mac and Cheese and the thought of making the white sauce from scratch gave me a warm feeling.  The call informing us that my father-in-law had been admitted to hospital made me opt for a simpler version of the white sauce; canned!

I was worried that my kids and everyone else would not like the simple in-a-hurry version but I was happy that they did not make any complaints.  In fact they showered praises and even asked for seconds.

450g macaroni, cooked until al dente

200g ground chicken meat

1 cup diced onion

1 cup mixed vegetables

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can instant carbonara sauce

1/2 can water

4 tbs olive oil

200g grated cheddar cheese

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

75g grated parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a pan and saute the onion and garlic until the onion turns translucent.  Add the ground chicken meat and cook until it turns opaque/white.  Next stir in the mixed vegetables followed by the cream of chicken soup and carbonara sauce.  Stir in half can of water and bring to a low simmer. Season with black pepper.  Continue simmering until sauce thickens.  Stir in the grated cheddar cheese and transfer to a greased casserole dish.  Meanwhile pre-heat oven at 180 C.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the parmesan cheese and sprinkle evenly over the macaroni mixture.  Bake in pre-heated oven for about 35 minutes until breadcrumbs turn golden brown.  Serve hot or warm.