The Freshman Cook: May 2011

Our appetizer today is quickly becoming a restaurant favorite. It is a new twist on an old classic, and I thought it might go great with our traditional meatloaf meal. Here is what you need:

1/2 pound Elbow Macaroni

8 oz Four Cheese Shredded Cheese

1 cup Milk

1 Egg

 Italian Style Bread Crumbs

Flour

2 tablespoons Butter

Salt & Pepper

Oil

Boil water and cook your macaroni.

 Drain Macaroni & set aside

Melt your butter

Add a tablespoon of flour to your butter & mix 

it together. You are making a roux. This is

 the thickener for your cheese sauce.

It should look like this as you are mixing.

Put your milk in a saucepan, heat it on medium low, and add the roux.

Add your cheese & mix until smooth.

It should look like this. If your cheese sauce is stringy,

add a squeeze of lemon juice, or some other acidic food

like orange juice. Just a small squeeze.

Add the cheese sauce to your macaroni. Mix well.

It should look like this. Let it cool down.

 I used this mini muffin pan to size my mac & cheese balls.

Fill them like above, or about this size. After your

cheese balls are formed place the pan in the refridgerater

 

While your cheese balls are chilling, heat up the oil in a 

saucepan until it reaches a temperature of 325 degrees.

That is the probe from my thermometer in the pan.

This is the other end of the thermometer. This thermometer is the one

I posted about this past Saturday. It is such a great item to have.

Pour some of the breadcrumbs in a bowl.

Put one egg in a bowl and add a little water. You are 

making an egg wash. Beat the egg mix.

Take the cheese balls out of the fridge, and form into balls.

Dip the balls into the egg wash, (sorry, no pics) and then roll the balls 

into the breadcrumbs.

When your oil is to temperature, drop your cheese balls

in to the oil, and begin to cook. Make sure to move 

them around in the oil, so they cook evenly. When they 

are brown, they are done.

Drain the cheese balls on paper towels.

Serve with ketchup.

Enjoy!

There are several different ways to make these cheese balls. You could add onion, or chopped bacon to the macaroni when you add the cheese. You could use a different type of cheese such as cheddar, or even a spicy

pepperjack. That would be good! You could also use a different dip. I used ketchup, but ranch, or salsa, or even marinara would taste great.

Thank you for joining me today. Tomorrow we will make the mashed potatoes & gravy for our

meatloaf meal.

See you tomorrow!

What would you like to make?