Skillet Macaroni

Found and tweaked from http://www.hotforfoodblog.com/

Three elements come together in this one simple satisfying dish.  Skillet stuff.  Cheese stuff. And pasta.  You can feel free to substitute things in the skillet and also use various pastas.  This serves about 6-8 people.

Cheese Sauce.  This is a very good cheese sauce which can be used for many things (toppings for baked potatoes or broccoli, or nachos).

Cheese Sauce Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of cut up potatoes ( I used russet, about 2 potatoes), pieces no wider than 3/4″
  • 1 cup of sliced carrots
  • 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup of almond or soy milk (or use water)
  • 4 tsp lemon juice
  • 12 pickled jalapeño slices
  • 5 tbsp jalapeño pickling liquid
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tsp arrowroot flour/starch
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp sea salt

Skillet Ingredients:

  • Package of Gardein beef crumbles
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 cup of chopped mushrooms (optional)
  • 1 splash of oil
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup water (reserved from cooking carrots and potatoes)
  • 1 green onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • ground pepper to taste
  • 1 box of elbow macaroni or other pasta

Cheese Sauce Directions:

Bring pot with water on stove to boil.  Add peeled and cut up potatoes and carrots.  Bring back to boil for 8 minutes.

While carrots and potatoes are cooking, add all other ingredients to a blender. Do not blend yet.

Remove carrots and potatoes from water.  Reserve 1 cup of water.   Put potatoes and carrots in blender.

Blend, add water as needed to make a smooth sauce that can be blended.  Set aside.

Skillet Directions.

Bring water to boil for pasta and cook according to directions. Do not over cook.

In large skillet, add oil and saute onions.  If using mushrooms, add nearer to end of cooking time for onions.

Add in Gardein ground beef and stir.  Add in 1/2 cup of reserved water.

Add in spices.   Salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and cook.  If too watery, cook a bit more to remove liquid.

Drain pasta.  Add in skillet mix and stir.  Add in cheese sauce and stir well.

Serve topped with sliced or diced tomatoes and green onions.