Quick and Easy Dinner Idea

Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Kielbasa

So long time no see again. I've been really busy working and with my kids, etc. that I have neglected my blog and website once again. I enjoy adding recipes but got tired of having to link to other people's food photos because I was waiting on a new camera phone, lol.

I have finally reentered modern civilization and have left the stone ages with my new camera phone that I've had for about a month now. Yay! So now I can excitedly add my favorite recipes, maybe restart project pancake and add my own pictures to recipes that I've already added.

Most of my recipes have my own photos, but not all. There is just one quick update since I've last posted other than my ability to finally post pictures again. For anyone that has followed, I had been interested in going back to school this past January for Legal Studies.

Some paperwork was holding up my start date for January, so I ended up switching to a fall start date, changing my major to Criminal Justice AND changing my school of choice in New York's SUNY college campus network. My placement test is in April and I'm excited! This will work out better for me with my youngest - my girls. They'll be starting preschool in September, so I can use the time that they're at preschool to study.

I make my own work schedule, so I can juggle my work before everyone gets up, throughout the day and at night before I get some zzzzzzz. Can't wait! Okay. So back to my homemade baked mac and cheese with kielbasa recipe! This recipe here is the best if you love homemade baked mac and cheese. I've made kielbasa on the side with mac and cheese, and thought it would be cool to sort of make a casserole with it. It's quick, easy, cheesy and YUM!

Quick and Easy Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Kielbasa Recipe

Prep Time: 5-10 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes Total

Servings: 9-10 (Smaller families can reheat for leftovers.)

Ingredients:

1 small onion chopped and diced
8oz box of macaroni elbows
8oz package of shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
2 cups of milk
10 slices of yellow American cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package of Kielbasa, cooked and sliced
1/2 cup of seasoned bread crumbs (or non-seasoned - depending upon preference)
1/2 cup - 1 cup of frozen peas and carrots

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
Boil a large pot of water to cook your macaroni elbows for 10 minutes, while cooking the kielbasa in a separate large pot of water for the same length of time. You'll follow the directions per your package of kielbasa, but 10 minutes is basic cooking time. You'll only fill the pan with just enough water to cover the kielbasa as you cook it on medium heat.
While the elbows and kielbasa are cooking, you'll chop and dice your onion, and gather your supplies.
Drain the elbows and place the kielbasa on a cutting board. Slice the kielbasa. Depending upon how small your children are, you may wish to quarter the slices into smaller pieces to avoid a choking hazard.
Take one of the large pots that you already used (to save yourself some dishes!), rinse it out and use it to mix the cheese. Saute the onion with the butter in the rinsed out large pot.
Once the onion has been sauteed, mix in 2 tablespoons of flour into the onion and butter mixture. Mix well.
Slowly stir in the 2 cups of milk on medium to low heat. Mix well.
Carefully pour the package of shredded cheddar cheese into the mixture and stir until mixed well.
Begin adding your slices of American cheese until completely melted. I usually do 2 slices at a time and just keep folding them in, then stir. Once everything is mixed well, turn off the heat.
Take a casserole dish and pour the elbows into the casserole dish. Then slowly and carefully pour in the cheese mixture into the casserole dish of elbows. Stir well. Add a little bit of salt and pepper.
Mix in the carrots and peas. Pour bread crumbs on top.
Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes.