Quinoa Mac and Cheese

This recipe for Quinoa Mac and Cheese has been evolving since just before Christmas. Aleks left for Arizona four days before Christmas. I was sad about that because it was going to be our first Christmas together. So his dad and I decided we would have "Christmas" the night before he left. Aleks wasn't too stoked about that but I told him it was our way of getting the holiday with him.

His dad's girlfriend was going to make a ham and while deciding on what else to make Aleks said that an awesome baked macaroni and cheese would go good with the ham. So I did some research and found this recipe. Emril Lagasse had a contest for the Best Mac and Cheese Ever and so I decided to use this recipe.

Aleks said it was his favorite thing we ate at that meal. Later on I visited Aleks in Arizona at the end of January. He told me that his sister wanted me to make the mac and cheese. I had thought he told her about it but instead it was his dad. So I made it again. Another success.

As I have been browsing Pintrest and saw quinoa mac and cheese recipes but it seemed that they really were macaroni made out of quinoa flour. So I decided to make my own recipe. I used the recipe that I used from christmas and decided to add cooked quinoa, broccoli and cauliflower.

With these additions it made the recipe a little bit healthier. At first I only used the quinoa, broccoli and cauliflower but Aleks' sister said she thought that it might be good with a bit of the pasta mixed in for extra texture. So this will be todays addtion to my list of quinoa recipes. So far I have posted about Black Bean Quinoa Burgers and Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad you can read about them here. 

The first thing I would do is get the quinoa on to cook and get the garlic in the toaster or oven to roast. To cook the quinoa you put one cup of water in a pot with two cups of water. Then put it on to boil. Once it boils then take off the lid and turn off the stove. Let the quinoa sit on the stove for 15-20 minutes till cooked.

For the garlic, take the whole head and cut the top third off horizantally. I use a little olive oil and salt an pepper and put the top third back on. The wrap it up in a sheet of foil and throw in the toaster oven or regular oven for 45 minutes at 400 degrees.

While those are cooking then take a package of bacon and cut them up in one inch squares and cook in a big pot.

While that is cooking then dice up two big shallots.

Grate the two cheeses, 6oz of gruyere and 8oz of extra sharp chedar cheese.

In a big pot boil water and put the pasta and the veggies into it. Cook for as long as the package directions call for. Normally its for 7 or 9 minutes. I have used many different kinds of pasta for this recipe. Really you can use whichever kind you want. Macarroni, the short macarroni, squiggly noodles, shells, penne or any other kind you have in the cupboard.

Once the bacon is cooked and crisp then set them aside and drain most of the grease out then add a stick of butter to the bacon pan and let melt with the left over bacon fat.

Once it is melted add the shallots.

After they have turned translucent then add a 1/2 cup of flour making a rue.

Stir together to make a thick paste. It should look somewhat like this.

Add a quart of milk. The recipe above calls for whole milk but any kind you use would work. I use half whole and half 1%. I would whisk it in in two batches.

While that is on the stove take out the garlic. Just squeeze the head and the garlic cloves will squish out all nice and soft.

After all the garlic is out of the husk it will look like this.

Take a knife and smash it into a paste.

Add the smashed garlic to the milk and rue mixture.

After the garlic, milk and rue are all mixed together the slowly add small batches of the cheese.

I go about a handfull of  cheese at a time.

This will slowly thicken the milk mixture.

While the sauce is cooking on the stove get the cooked quinoa and veggies into the baking pan.

Once all the cheese is added and smooth then pour the cheese sauce over the quinoa, pasta and veggies that have been put in a 9"x13" pan. Carefully stir it together so that the cheese sauce is evenly distributed. This normally  fills the pan to the brim so be careful.

Once you have finished stiring it together then top with 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup of shreaded parmesan mixed together.

Top with the bacon pieces.

Then put the pan in the oven for 20-30 minutes till the cheese at the edges are bubbly and the topping has slightly browned.

Take out of the oven, serve and enjoy.

Ingredients 

1 cup dry quinoa - cooked
8oz pasta
3 cups broccoli and cauliflower
8oz extra sharp cheddar cheese
6oz gruyere cheese
1 quart milk
1 package bacon
1 stick of butter
2 shallots
1 head of garlic - roasted
1/2 cup parmesan
1/2 cup breadcrumbs