Eating well is easy with Mariano's Fresh Market (and an easy recipe for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese) - The Sensible Mom (2024)
by Sandra8 Comments
I recently discovered a gem of a grocery store.
It’s a gem that is sort of right in my backyard now that I’m back in Illinois (near Chicago).
It’s Mariano’s Fresh Market, where the motto is “Shop well. Eat well. Live well.”
Shop well? Because they have a wide variety of foods at competitive prices…and double coupon days. Stores that double coupons are almost non-existent in Illinois. It’s a sad reality.
Eat well? Because they offer an amazing selection of food that is healthy and nutritious. They’ve got a jaw-dropping bakery section,too, for when you want to have a treat.
Live well? Because at Mariano’s,not only can you find fresh and nutritious foods to feed your body, but they care about you. Their employees are some of the best. Within 20 seconds of walking in the store, an employee walked right up to us and greeted us with freshly squeezed orange juice.
When I wasn’t sure where to sign up for a Mariano’s Rewards Card, I was helped by another employee who was more than happy to give me the rundown on what I needed to do. Then she kindly steered me in the direction of the kiosks at the front of the store where I was able to go through the quick process to sign up for my rewards card. (There’s no standing in the customer service line to fill out a form to get a rewards card. Approximately two minutes at the kiosk, and you have your card.)
When I was wandering around with three kids looking for the bathroom, an employee actually asked if she could help me, before I had the chance to even ask.
I was completely impressed by Mariano’s, and the icing on the cake was when we went to leave the store and saw that there were three tables set up for kid’s crafts.
All five kids left the store with adorable marshmallow snowmen. They were a fun treat on the car ride home. And we needed to get home quickly, because Mariano’s is a bit of a drive for us and we had eggs, milk, and cheese that needed to get into the refrigerator.
We went to Mariano’s to pick up ingredients to try a recipe on their website.
So even if you don’t have a Mariano’s store where you live, you can still visit their website and try one of the many recipes there.
I’ve never made homemade macaroni and cheese before, so I knew when I went through the recipes on the website that their Macaroni and Cheese Temptation recipe was going to be the one for me.
I would finally make homemade macaroni and cheese. It’s been a long time coming.
I like this recipe, because it only requires one type of cheese. It’s simple and easy to make, and it provided a nice Sunday lunch for my family.
I ate too much of it, and the scale will pay me back tomorrow. 😉
But it was totally worth it.
Here’s the recipe:
Print
Macaroni and Cheese Temptation
Ingredients
1/2 lb macaroni or other dry pasta
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 whole large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups (about 12 ounces) grated cheddar or other yellow cheese (divided use)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 1-1/2-quart casserole (I used coconut oil).
Cook macaroni in large saucepan according to package directions. Pasta should be tender, but not too soft. Drain well and allow to cool slightly. Return to saucepan.
Stir in butter, mustard, egg, and salt. Add 2-1/2 cups cheese and flour, tossing well to evenly distribute ingredients. Turn mixture into prepared casserole dish. Pour milk over macaroni and cheese. Use the back of a spoon to press down ingredients and level the top. Bake for about 35 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake about 10 minutes longer or until the custard is set and the top is golden and crusty.
I doubled the recipe to make enough for my family of seven, and we had leftovers. Without doubling, this recipe makes 4-6 servings. I hope you enjoy it.
Have you ever made homemade macaroni and cheese?
If you’re interested in finding out more about my shopping trip to Mariano’s, you can check out my Google+ story — there are lots of pictures! 🙂
You can also follow Mariano’s Fresh Market on Facebook and Twitter for their latest updates and recipes.
I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Mariano’s — All opinions are my own.#cbias #SocialFabric
Sour cream is the perfect ingredient to substitute for milk when making mac and cheese, giving it a rich and creamy flavor without sacrificing texture. It's easy to add in, and you can adjust it to your liking — add extra sour cream for more creaminess, and counter with extra cheese for more cheesiness.
Garlic powder allows you to add depth without the pungency of fresh garlic. Most importantly, it infuses a savory quality. Meanwhile, onion powder provides a sweet and savory undertone. Chili powder, cayenne pepper, or black pepper introduces subtle or pronounced heat.
Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.
What three cheeses go well together for mac and cheese? Cheddar (white or yellow), Gruyère, Swiss, and gouda are some of the most popular types of cheeses to use for homemade mac and cheese, thanks to their flavorful, meltable qualities. For richer flavor, incorporate some funky varieties like blue cheese and Parmesan.
Bland almost always means things need more salt. A teaspoon or so of dijon mustard does wonders to mac & cheese. Edit: since this is the top comment, I will also add that dijon mustard is widely considered a pantry staple, so it's something that you should have in your fridge at all times.
There are a few different ways to keep your macaroni and cheese moist, from adding a solid layer of shredded cheese on top to holding back on the cream when making your sauce.
Spices: A little garlic powder and onion powder goes a long way in making this the best easy mac and cheese ever! Definitely don't skimp on these. You could also add a bit of paprika, black pepper, or even a splash of hot sauce if you want to amp up the flavor even more.
Sure, Americans love their mac and cheese. But not as much as Canadians. In fact, Canadians love macaroni and cheese, and they love it more than anyone else in the world and consume the most macaroni and cheese per capita!
Skip the draining step, and add more milk as the noodles cook, if needed. Once al dente, stir in an extra 1 cup of shredded cheese and voila: less powdered cheese flavor, more homemade vibes and a hint of cheesy goodness infused right into the macaroni itself.
Because then, when you spoon past the top, you go right into the creamy, velvety cheese and tender pasta embodied with full flavor. The garlic and onions add a new depth to what could be a basic dish.
Yep, Nutmeg! I know it may seem odd to add nutmeg to a cheese sauce. But, it brings out the nuttiness of the cheeses and gives the sauce that extra hint of deliciousness. Nutmeg is traditionally added to a “Béchamel sauce” (or white sauce), which consists of butter, flour, and milk.
Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it. If the problem was the cheese you use doesn't have much flavor, then try adding some other flavors, such has mustard or hot sauce. The next time you make it, try to find some more strongly flavor cheese, or adding more cheese.
You want equal amounts of butter and flour by weight. This is key. Throw in too much flour, and sure the sauce might get thick, but it also might taste floury and be lumpy. Even if you get the roux right, use too much or reduce your sauce down too far, and the macaroni and cheese will turn out dry.
Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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