Baking Momma of Two: Steak-umms with Mac & Cheese

I'm not sure how anyone else feels about eating the same types of foods over and over again, but in our house, we get pretty tired of it. Unfortunately for my family, I don't know how to make a whole of foods from scratch. I am learning, but they do not always turn out as they should. I do LOVE to watch cooking shows and find new recipes to try. One day, while I was watching Rachael Ray, she was making a mac & cheese dish. We love mac & cheese, but it's kind of boring to just eat a box of mac & cheese with dinner. So, I looked up a few new ideas. I came across this Philly Cheesesteak Mac & Cheese recipe on Rachael Ray's website. I do not have a very well stocked kitchen for gourmet dishes like hers, so I tried to make due with what I had. I made the noodles and the sauce very similarly to the directions, only I didn't have provolone cheese. I am pretty sure I shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese and Monterrey jack cheese. For the meat, since I didn't have any sliced deli roast beef, I used Steak-umms. Overall, it had turned out pretty good. It took much longer than I thought to make it, but my husband and kids liked it so much that I made it a few more times just like that. The one day that I had planned to make it, I didn't have enough time to make everything from scratch, so I cheated and used Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. To my surprise, we liked the taste of this combination much better! So, here is a favorite in my house - my Steak-umms with Mac & Cheese recipe.

Ingredients:

2 boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese - I don't follow the box directions... I use 4-5 tablespoons of butter and a splash of milk to make the mac & cheese

5-6 Steak-umms steaks

(seasoning for the steaks: curry powder, celery seed powder, Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, and white pepper)

half an onion chopped (optional)

green pepper chopped (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

2 sets of 4 paper towels and a plate (to be used to absorb the grease from the meat)

Start by cooking the noodles per the box directions. While they are cooking, break up the Steak-umms into bite size pieces and put them in a pan. I start with the Worcestershire sauce and about 2 dashes of steak sauce. Then, I sprinkle the other seasoning over the top. Mix it well and cook the meat until it is brown.

This picture was taken just after all of the meat turned brown. Since this is a super greasy food, I always let it sit on the burner, but turn the heat down until the grease reduces (see next picture). This makes the meat some-what crunchy which is exactly how we like it. :)

This is what it looks like after the grease reduces. Turn off the heat once it reaches this point.

Usually, about this time, the noodles are finished cooking and I will drain nearly all of the water out of the pot. I always leave just a little in the bottom. Then, I add the butter and the 2 packets of cheese and mix well. I'll add a little more butter if it isn't quite enough. Then, I add the salt and pepper and a dash of milk and mix again. If your pot is big enough, to mix everything, add the onions and green peppers at this time. If it is not large enough, transfer your mac & cheese to a large enough bowl and add the onions and green peppers.

I have a stack of about 4 paper towels on a plate ready to put the meat onto. The meat will be hot, so, please be careful! I blot the meat with the paper towel several times. I will then, transfer to it to another set of paper towels to try and get as much of the grease off as I can.