GOLDEN GRAIN MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPES

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it’s barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It’s going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
• Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
• Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
• Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 3-quart or 9 x 13 baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Steps:

• In a large deep non-stick skillet, brown the ground turkey over high heat until cooked through, seasoning with a pinch of salt and breaking it up into smaller pieces as it cooks.
• Set aside on a dish.
• Add olive oil to the skillet, reduce heat to medium and add the onion, red pepper, celery and carrots; sauté until the vegetables soft, about 6 to 7 minutes.
• Return the turkey to the skillet along with the remaining ingredients except for the pasta and cheese.
• Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
• While simmering, heat oven to 350°F.
• Spoon just enough of the turkey/vegetable mixture to cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
• Cover with uncooked pasta.
• Spoon remaining sauce mixture evenly over the top and sprinkle with cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake 50-55 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes.
• Divide into 8 servings.