Mac and Cheese and Green Bean Salad

Well, I was thinking, "Whimsical Wednesday is supposed to be kid friendly. What says kid's meal better than Mac and Cheese!" So, I made Rachel Ray's Pimento Mac and Cheese and Honey Mustard-Dressed Green Bean Salad. It sounded like a good idea at the time, and my husband and I really enjoyed it. One of my daughters liked it as well, she just picked the pimentos out. The other three wouldn't even try it. So, if I make it again, I will leave the pimentos out and see if it gets a better reaction. The thing is, you don't taste the pimentos. They are just there to add color and make it look pretty. Oh, well.

Pimento Mac and Cheese
*1 pound elbow pasta
*1 tablespoon olive oil
*2 tablespoons butter
*1 small onion, finely chopped
*2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
*1 teaspoon paprika, plus additional for garnish
*salt and ground black pepper
*2 tablespoons flour
*2 cups milk
*A couple dashes hot sauce(which I left out in attempt to get my kids to eat it. I think this would add some much needed flavor though)
*3 cups sharp cheddar, grated, divided (divided simply means you will use some at one time and then use the rest later on in the recipe)
*2 3oz jars of pimentos, drained (I only used one)
*1/2 cup parsley, chopped


1. Preheat broiler to high or oven to 400 degrees. (I did oven because I get distracted easily and didn't want it to burn)

2. Cook the pasta according to package directions, but cook it just shy of al dente. This means to take it off before it is all the way done. It will still be a little firm.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil and butter. Add the onions, garlic, paprika, salt and ground pepper, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Look how pretty it is and it smells even better! 4. Add the flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in milk and hot sauce, and bring up to a bubble. Turn off the heat, and stir in half of the cheese in a figure-eight motion until it is all melted. (I don't know why it has to be a figure-eight. Maybe to keep the cheese from getting clumped together?)

5. When the pasta is done, drain it well and add it to the pot with the cheese sauce. Toss to combine. Fold in the drained pimentos then pour everything into a baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.

6. Bake in oven until cheese is brown and bubbling. Garnish with the chopped parsley (which I forgot to do) and a sprinkle of paprika. Also pictured is the Green Bean Salad.
Honey Mustard-Dressed Green Bean Salad
*1 pound green beans, cleaned
*1 tablespoon yellow mustard
*3 tablespoons honey
*1/4 cup cider vinegar
*salt and ground black pepper
*1 cup olive oil
*6 scallions, sliced on bias
*1 bunch radishes, sliced into thin rounds

1. Steam green beans in a covered pot with half an inch of boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Cold shock them by running them under cold water and drain well.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the mustard, honey, vinegar, salt and black pepper with a whisk. Once the ingredients are well combined, drizzle the olive oil in a slow and steady stream while continuously whisking. Add the cooked and shocked beans to the bowl with the dressing along with scallion and radishes, and toss to coat. (I actually left out the radishes and scallions. This left a lot of the "sauce" so after I mixed it up, I pour off the excess juice.)