macaroni and cheese – Jellybeans in the City

#QuarantineCookbook: Easy Mac ‘n Cheese

Last Sunday morning, in a bid to stop me from buying a mass-produced mac ‘n cheese packet when we went grocery shopping (or probably to flex his cooking muscles yet again!), Hubby promised me that he would make some macaroni and cheese for me and the kids.

Fast-forward to the afternoon of the same day, my Significant Other is bustling about in the kitchen (in between watching scenes from his latest Korean drama binge-fest) to make what was arguably my daughter #ExhibitA’s favorite macaroni dish.

Macaroni and Cheese (affectionately called Mac ‘n Cheese by its aficionados) is a dish of cooked macaroni pasta in cheese sauce (normally cheddar). Traditionally, this dish is baked in an oven as a casserole but it may also be prepared on a stove using a saucepan. Or you can just add water to a packaged mix and zap it in the microwave.

Similar dishes have been around in Europe since the 14th century. Since then, Mac ‘n Cheese have grown in worldwide popularity, even being considered comfort food in the US.

In his valiant effort to provide the fam with a filling snack that Sunday afternoon, Hubby improvised on an existing Mac ‘n Cheese recipe he found online.

Ingredients:

2 cups of uncooked macaroni
4 cups of milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup parmesan
1/4 cup grated processed cheese
2 tbsp butter

Procedure:

In a large pot, bring the milk to a boil.

Add the macaroni into the pot, stirring constantly for about ten minutes until the pasta is al dente. The milk would have been greatly reduced by then.

Turn off the heat, add in the cheddar and mix well.

Then add butter, parmesan and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve while hot.

I love how milky and creamy this pasta dish is. And, well, Hubby’s version is way better than the packaged mix. 🙂

Try this recipe out the next time you want a yummy snack or appetizer, or when you need to contribute something hearty to a family potluck and let me know what you think.

Looking for other easy-to-cook dishes to try out while in quarantine? Check out my other kitchen adventures:

Happy fam brunch at Over Easy, Marikina

When we think of brunch, we think of ladies leisurely eating a meal while exchanging gossip.

However, one Tuesday, while my mom was out doing errands, my daughter #ExhibitA and I decided to take my groovy dad out for brunch at Over Easy.

So, after a short trip from our house in Pasig to this trending resto in Marikina, soundtracked with classic rock ‘n roll from my daughter’s Spotify, we found ourselves at Over Easy’s sprawling premises.

And my dad lost no time taking a pose! (So now we know where I got it from! 🤪)

Actually, the resto’s premises is quite conducive to photo opps (“IG-worthy” is how kids today would call it).

From the colorful wall murals to the artfully displayed tchotchkes, Over Easy exudes an atmosphere of warmth, comfort and welcome while still retaining that “cool” factor. Badly put: you might get dragged here by your tita, but, deep inside, you wouldn’t mind.

Yep, you wouldn’t mind hanging out here one bit especially once you’ve tasted what Over Easy has to offer such as what we enjoyed during our brunch with Daddy-o:

Macaroni and Cheese (Php220). This is actually #ExhibitA’s go-to dish. Over Easy’s version features creamy and hot melted cheese mixed in with macaroni and topped with bacon bits.

Fish and Chips (Php295). Fish fillets coated with beer batter, deep-fried until golden brown and served with parmesan dusted potato chips and tartar sauce.

BBQ Ribs (Php510 for half-rack with 2 side dishes). Fall-off-the-bone tender braised ribs, then grilled to get that rich smokey flavor, then served with Over Easy”s signature barbecue sauce. All I can say about this dish is that the bones were picked clean by the time we’re done.

While my dad sipped on his Coke Zero (Php55), #ExhibitA and I treated ourselves to a European Strawberry Cooler (Php140), a refreshing fizzy drink flavored with sweet strawberries (yeah, it’s a tita drink, hahaha!)

Lava Cake (Php195). Our foodie adventure here wouldn’t be complete without dessert. We got ourselves a molten chocolate cake topped with classic vanilla ice cream and doused with chocolate syrup. What a perfect way to cap our meal!

This brunch may not have been an all-out gossip over drinks sesh among ladies but it allowed my daughter and me to spend some precious time with my dear daddy.

Over Easy is located at G&W Terraza, Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue, San Roque, Marikina City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 7am to 11pm and Fridays to Sundays from 7am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2554686.

Disclosure: Part of our meal was sponsored by Over Easy through gift certificates shared by Harvard of Always Hungry PH.

Check out my blog posts on breakfast joints around the metro:

Family Dinner Hack with Honestbee and Buffalo Swing Cafe, Maybunga

As a working mom, one of the regular challenges I face is trying to fit in all my errands and tasks during the weekend. Last Saturday was particularly hectic: I had errands elsewhere and I didn’t know if I will be able to finish them in time to come home and prepare an appetizing dinner for me and the kids.

Fortunately, Honestbee has recently expanded its services to food delivery and among its partner merchants is Buffalo Swing Cafe.

This resto is situated in the Maybunga area, quite some distance from my home. I never heard of it before as I don’t usually explore the area for dining options.

Already anticipating how busy my day was going to be, I already booked my orders the night before using the Honestbee app. I ordered the following:

1 order of American BBQ wings (Php175 – 5 pieces)

2 orders of Butter Parmesan Wings (Php175 – 5 pieces)

1 order of Macaroni and Cheese (Php170)

1 All-Cheese Pizza (Php345)

I chose 2 flavors of wings so that the kiddos and I will have some choice in our viands. The Mac ‘n Cheese is a special request from my daughter #ExhibitA, while the pizza is a treat for my little boy who is, by the way, is a self-confessed pizza monster, so I’m hopeful that the pizza order will be a hit with him.

The entire bill amounted to a little over Php1,000 but since I applied the Php500 reward I received for referring a friend of mine to Honestbee, my actual payable amount is Php569.

I was still stuck in traffic by the time my orders arrived. Fortunately, #ExhibitA paid for the delivery while I was gone.

By the time I got home, dinner was already laid out at the table, ready to be eaten.

Not surprisingly, the little boy loved the All Cheese Pizza. It arrived still warm with the brick oven baked crust still crisp and the cheese toppings rich and creamy. My little pizza monster was able to polish off 3 slices.

The Mac ‘N Cheese, on the hand, was a hit with #ExhibitA. We found the noodles firm and the sauce really cheesy, with bits of bacon to add a meatier flavor to the dish.

We actually loved the Butter Parmesan Wings. It had a new kind of flavor that is a departure from the usual spicy buffalo wings. The American BBQ Wings wasn’t bad either. It was quite close to the barbecue sauce flavoring we’ve come to expect and had some zesty aftertaste which counters some of the umay factor.

Both sets of buffalo wings arrived still warm and had tender and juicy meat, which was very much appreciated by the kids and myself who all made short work of the meal.

I’m glad that with Honestbee there’s now a convenient way for me to have food delivered at home, with various options other than the big fast food chains. It’s become a life hack for busy working moms like me who want to give their kids a dining treat without having to spend all day in the kitchen, nor having to forego other important activities.

If you’re in an area where Buffalo Swing Cafe delivers via Honestbee, I would recommend ordering from it. Sign up for Honestbee using this referral link and get Php500 off for a minimum spend of Php2,500. You can download the Honestbee app on iTunes or Google Play.

This post contains affiliate links.

I’m glad I discovered this hack for a great family dinner. Want to explore other life hacks that make parenting life easier and more enjoyable for you and your family? Check out these books on Amazon.com.

Parenting Hacks: 10 Smart Solutions for Raising Amazing Kids.

Weird Parenting Wins: Bathtub Dining, Family Screams, and Other Hacks from the Parenting Trenches

Busy Mom’s Cheat Sheet: Raising Happy Healthy Kids

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