Macaroni and cheese, an old favorite in these parts. I don’t think two words go together better than “cheese” and “macaroni.”
I’m pretty sure mac and cheese is one of the first things I learned how to cook as a kid. Now, I am not talking about the microwave, powdered-cheese variety, I’m talking about the REAL DEAL. No, powdered cheese and no processed bright yellow cheese substance. Making real mac and cheese is really, really easy. All it takes is some flour, butter, milk, cheese and pasta. THAT. IS. IT!
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Preparing a wholesome and delicious dinner every day is a challenge many busy families face. Some nights, you may have to cut corners in the kitchen. I get it! But on other nights, you can whip up a homemade dinner in 30 minutes or less! This April, I’m participating in the Weeknight Wins by Sauté Express® Sauté Starter Blogger Challenge from Land O’Lakes. In case you missed my post last week, I will be posting about easy Weeknight Wins with four other food bloggers. You can repin your favorite go-to recipe ideas for each challenge from our Pinterest Board. Plus, each week there will be a new sweepstakes to enter. Read more below about how to enter for your chance to win a Weeknight Wins prize pack!
This week’s challenge is “A New Twist on an Old Favorite.” Land O’ Lakes challenged me to take one of my all-time favorites and mix it up a bit with their newest cooking innovation, Sauté Express® Sauté Starter. This is a first-of-its-kind seasoned butter and olive oil starter that can be used to cook and season any protein, such as chicken, fish or pork, in one easy step. My favorite recipe idea with a twist is Chicken and Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese.
While I could probably live on the cheesy pasta for the rest of my life, I wanted to make it more of a complete meal. One with a li’l oomph. But I didn’t want to make too much of a fuss or add cooking time. I am busy, and I know you are too, so I am sure you can appreciate a quick dinner.
Cooking my chicken in the Savory Butter and Olive Oil Sauté Express® Sauté Starter gave it a wonderful flavor, and I didn’t have to spend more time gathering more spices and seasonings. All I needed was Sauté Express® Sauté Starter to cook and flavor the chicken.
Now, my all-time favorite dish is more of a complete meal with the addition of the chicken and broccoli. And it’s all cooked in just 30 minutes.
It’s prize time!
Share your idea for a new twist on an old favorite for a chance to win the Sauté Express® Sauté Starter New Twist Prize Pack.
Bonus: Tell me what you would make using Sauté Express® Sauté Starter for a new twist on an old favorite. Each week, Land O’Lakes will pick a few favorites to be featured on Land O’Lakes Weeknight Meals Pinterest Board. *When you enter, Land O’Lakes may select your comment to feature for promotion, social media and/or other related marketing materials.
To enter, simply leave a comment below answering one of the following questions:
CONTEST CLOSED
What is your idea for a new twist on a go-to recipe?
OR
What would you make with Sauté Express® Sauté Starter?
Enter The Weeknight Wins by Sauté Express® Sauté Starter Sweepstakes
Details
Open to legal U.S. residents 18 years and older. No purchase necessary to enter or win. One entry per person (that includes email address & IP address) per day. Required information is first & last name and valid email address. Entries obtained by mechanical or spamming mechanisms will be disqualified. One winner will be chosen at random from all of the qualified entries submitted. Sweepstakes ends on Friday, April 12, 2013 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be contacted via email supplied in the entry & will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Approximate retail value of prize: $150. Sweepstakes is sponsored by Land O’Lakes. The Hungry Housewife and the sponsor reserve the right to cancel the sweepstakes at any time. Contact The Hungry Housewife for winner list or with any questions. By participating in this Sweepstakes, you agree to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the Sponsors, which shall be final. All federal, state, and local laws apply; void where prohibited.
Disclosure: I’ve partnered with Land O’Lakes for an exclusive endorsement of Sauté Express® Sauté Starter. This blog post is sponsored by Land O’Lakes. All opinions are my own.
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 squares Savory Butter & Olive Oil Sauté Express® Sauté Starter
- 12 oz. microwavable broccoli florets
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups whole milk
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 oz. Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- Salt
- Crumb Topping
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to high broil.
- In a large stock pot bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add macaroni, boil for 9–11 minutes, drain and put back into stock pot.
- While pasta is boiling, cook broccoli in the microwave per package directions. Lightly chop and set aside.
- In a medium nonstick skillet with a lid, melt 2 Sauté Express® Sauté Starter squares over medium heat, and add chicken. Cook for 6–8 minutes per side over medium-low head with the lid on, or until no longer pink in the middle. Remove and chop chicken into bite-sized pieces, set aside.
- While the chicken is cooking, make the cheese sauce. In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter, add flour, dry mustard powder and pepper, whisk for about 1 minutes or until flour starts to darken.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and whisk until smooth. Bring to a full boil while whisking. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses, stir until smooth. Salt to taste.
- Pour the cheese sauce into the noodles and mix until incorporated. Fold in chicken and broccoli. Pour into a 9×13 casserole dish.
- In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and melted butter, sprinkle over macaroni and cheese. Place in oven and broil for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Serve.
I would love to try some fish cooked in that new butter.
I would try lemon pepper chicken tenders..:)
I would make this! This looks awesome! *pinning*
I’d make some fajita meat and sauteed veggies!
I’ve pretty much discovered that adding browned butter to an old dessert changes the flavor completely. That is my latest “twist”
I would make shrimp, broccoli and a penne pasta dish.
Any type of pasta dish with chicken or shrimp!
I would make this recipe! I love love love mac n cheese, and anything that makes it a complete meal is great in my book!
I’d make exactly what you made! This looks incredible, and I think it’s impossible to go wrong with mac and cheese!
I would saute halibut steaks since they are going on sale at my whole foods friday. I can taste them in this butter already!
I would like to use it on some shrimp
This Mac n cheese looks delish!
This is such a hearty and comforting dish. Can’t wait to try it. With the Garlic and Herb Sauté Express® Sauté Starter, I would make Chinese Shrimp Fried Rice. It’s going to be yummy!
amy [at] utry [dot] it
I bet it would be great with fish
I have some in my fridge that I believe is destined to be melted and poured over popcorn.
I would love to try the garlic butter saute while making my chicken and mushroom dish. It would make the prep work very easy.
I would use the lemon pepper with chicken breasts.
Fajitas would be great!
I would love to try this recipe and modify it to cook in the small mason jars as my twist. I think that would work great for picnics or taking it to work. 🙂
Chicken Fettucine Alfredo
I would love to try a saute kit with a Steak Diane type recipe.
I’d love to make chicken using the Lemon pepper!
I’d use the garlic butter sauce to make chicken
I would love to try your chicken & broccoli mac n cheese recipe! It looks great.
This looks so rich and decadent!
I could use the Garlic and Herb Saute Express to cook chicken and spinach for the topping on a white pizza. Yum!
I would make stir fry veggies with rice
I would love to do a sauté of chicken, shrimp and vegetables.
Shrimp, steak, n salmon scampi n pasta ~perfect w/Land O’Lakes Savory Butter & Olive Oil Sauté Express® Sauté Starter! Definitely a MEAL! love them for making it even easier for us ‘at-home’ cooks!!!
browned butter and crawfish can add new life to any old casserole recipe!
I’d love to make ITALIAN SHRIMP CAPRESE PASTA with ITALIAN HERB
SAUTÉ EXPRESS® SAUTÉ STARTER
I think gnocchi would be great!
I would to make a shrimp or scallop scampi
Chicken, red peppers, broccoli and mushrooms in the Italian herb and toss with penne pasta …
I think asparagus (fresh from our garden) would be delicious sauteed in the starter!
I would use the Garlic and Herb Saute Express to create a twist on my homemade Mac and Cheese, adding some sauted chicken
I would saute some cut up veggies & then “hide” them in my meatloaf 🙂
I would like to make some chicken Parmesan with the butter starters. Thanks for the chance to enter.
pork medallions with rice
I’d use the lemon pepper with turkey breast slices!
Who doesn’t love mac n’ cheese! I would use the butter flavor to cook up some fresh spring veggies for a simple side dish!
This would be great on a chicken tortilla!
I would make confetti chicken and rice. Their website has lots of yummy looking recipes!
Olive Oil & Butter sounds like a great think to make some veggies in for a side!
I would love to use the Savory Butter and Olive Oil Saute to saute the chicken for my chicken and noodle casserole!
I’d like to try Chicken Parmesan using the Italian Herb flavored Saute Express. Thanks!
I’d make the dish you are featuring right here! Looks amazing and ho doesn’t live Mac and cheese,
I love to mix sweet and savory into the dinner and lunch- like sautéing apples with honey mustard chicken or cranberry and beef sandwiches. Sometimes my dinners sound crazy but they taste great
I want to use the savory butter and olive oil one on a slab of salmon (in the beautiful pan!) then make tostadas with arugula, some Havarti and an avocado sauce.
Incorporating more veggies
I’d make the recipe for Chicken Fajitas with Land O Lakes® Garlic & Herb Sauté Express that’s on the Pinterest Board and Land O’ Lakes site.
Yummm!! I would butter up some veggies and throw them on the grill!!
Yum- I would make this if I won!
I think my Hubz (and I!) would love the Garlic Chicken and Potatoes. The Lemon Pepper might be fabulous with shrimp for a PoBoy sandwich.
I use a lot more veggies to get my daily vitamins and also a lot more cheese as I would be making mac and cheese. You can’t ever have to much cheese.
I’d use the Savory Butter & Olive Oil Sauté Express for a quick and delicious sautéed shrimp and broccoli.
I’ve been adding avocados to a lot of my recipes lately, like mac-n-cheese (chicken and broccoli is next!), hummus, and smoothies. It definitely gives my old standbys a twist!
As for the Saute Starter, I’d love to try a herb one on fish, I think that would be fantastic! Thanks for the opportunity!!!
I would make a light lemon butter chicken salad – spring is on my mind : )
I think it would be good just frying boneless chicken breast in! sharoo1975@yahoo.com
I would make a chicken parmesean
I would use the Lemon Pepper Saute Starter and saute some boneless chicken breasts and serve over noodles with veggies on the side.
I would like to saute fresh veggies and boneless chicken breast using the Sauté Starters
I would make Garlic Chicken Pizza with the Garlic and Herb flavor