This has been a revelation! I've seen loads of recipes on the internet for meals in a mug but never tried one, until now. Ok it's not as good as traditionally made Macaroni Cheese but when you're hungry and want something quickly it's not a bad substitute. Best of all it only takes 5 minutes!
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup of Macaroni Pasta
1 Cup of Water (freshly boiled from the kettle)
1 Cup finely grated Cheddar Cheese
Splash of Milk
Knob of Butter
Dash of Mustard (optional)
Salt & Pepper
METHOD
In a large mug or similar vessel (I used a large soup mug) place the macaroni and water. I used freshly boiled water from the kettle to speed things up a bit but I've done it with cold water too. I used a proper cup measure but you could use anything, another mug perhaps. One measured cup would be equivalent to about half a normal mug. The rest you can guess at.
Put the mug with the macaroni and water into the microwave for 2 minutes. The water can boil over so I put a plate on top of the mug and I think the steam helps it to cook too. After the two minutes is up, take it out, stir it well to loosen the macaroni and put it back in for another 2 minutes. Repeat if necessary, perhaps for just 1 minute. The pasta should absorb all the water but if it doesn't just tip the excess out. Equally if it's looking a bit dry when you stir it add a little more water. The important thing is that the pasta is cooked. It doesn't take any longer than 5 minutes.
Whilst the pasta is cooking finely grate the cheese. Get your other ingredients out. I mixed them up together, ready to go.
As soon as the pasta is cooked, tip any excess water out and immediately add the cheese, a splash of milk to loosen it, the butter and seasonings, and give it a really good stir. The heat of the pasta will melt the cheese and mixed with the milk and butter a creamy sauce is created. Enjoy!
Check out traditional Macaroni Cheese
Showing posts with label pasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pasta. Show all posts
SPANISH MEATBALLS
This is a great dish, everyone loves it! I've lost my Tapas Cookbook so this recipe is from memory but it should serve 4 people very well as a main course. You can make the meatballs bitesize for a tapa, served with crusty bread or make them a bit larger and serve as a main dish with spaghetti or tagliatelle (flat noodle type pasta). The sauce is my basic FRESH TOMATO SAUCE but with *one important addition!
INGREDIENTS
MEATBALLS:
1lb Minced Steak
1 Onion - grated or very very finely chopped
Handful of damp breadcrumbs (made from stale bread, dampened with a little water)
1 egg
Mixed Herbs (I favour Herbes de Provence)
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour (for rolling the meatballs in)
SAUCE:
Tinned tomatoes (cheapest supermarket own brand is fine)
Olive Oil
Mixed Herbs (Herbes de Provence)
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A small amount of sugar (a teaspoonful, then taste before adding more)
*Fino - Spanish Dry Sherry
*Fino is the added ingredient to my FRESH TOMATO SAUCE and is very important, the sauce is just not the same without it!
METHOD
Make the sauce as per my FRESH TOMATO SAUCE, adding a good couple of glugs of Fino. You need to use a deep pan so there is room for the meatballs to be added later. Leave the sauce to simmer whilst you make the meatballs...
Place the minced steak, grated onion, breadcrumbs and seasonings together in a bowl and mix well with a beaten egg. If the mixture is too wet add a little flour.
Put 2 plates out and sprinkle some flour on one. Using your hands roll small amounts of mixture into balls, roll in flour to coat on all sides and put to one side. Repeat until you have used all the mixture.
In a frying pan heat a small amount of olive oil and brown all the meatballs. Don't put too many in the pan at once. You are just sealing the meat and giving it some colour so don't leave them in too long.
Once all the meatballs are browned place them carefully into the pan of sauce and cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly. If you are making them in advance turn off the heat when you have added the meatballs and reheat through later.
If you are going to serve the meatballs with pasta now is the time to cook that and set the table!
These are delicious served as a tapa in small individual dishes with lots of sauce and some crusty bread to mop it all up!
INGREDIENTS
MEATBALLS:
1lb Minced Steak
1 Onion - grated or very very finely chopped
Handful of damp breadcrumbs (made from stale bread, dampened with a little water)
1 egg
Mixed Herbs (I favour Herbes de Provence)
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour (for rolling the meatballs in)
SAUCE:
Tinned tomatoes (cheapest supermarket own brand is fine)
Olive Oil
Mixed Herbs (Herbes de Provence)
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A small amount of sugar (a teaspoonful, then taste before adding more)
*Fino - Spanish Dry Sherry
*Fino is the added ingredient to my FRESH TOMATO SAUCE and is very important, the sauce is just not the same without it!
METHOD
Make the sauce as per my FRESH TOMATO SAUCE, adding a good couple of glugs of Fino. You need to use a deep pan so there is room for the meatballs to be added later. Leave the sauce to simmer whilst you make the meatballs...
Place the minced steak, grated onion, breadcrumbs and seasonings together in a bowl and mix well with a beaten egg. If the mixture is too wet add a little flour.
Put 2 plates out and sprinkle some flour on one. Using your hands roll small amounts of mixture into balls, roll in flour to coat on all sides and put to one side. Repeat until you have used all the mixture.
In a frying pan heat a small amount of olive oil and brown all the meatballs. Don't put too many in the pan at once. You are just sealing the meat and giving it some colour so don't leave them in too long.
Once all the meatballs are browned place them carefully into the pan of sauce and cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly. If you are making them in advance turn off the heat when you have added the meatballs and reheat through later.
If you are going to serve the meatballs with pasta now is the time to cook that and set the table!
These are delicious served as a tapa in small individual dishes with lots of sauce and some crusty bread to mop it all up!