I'm not sure how this tradition evolved, but for the past few years, we've celebrated birthdays by allowing the birthday girl or boy to choose the entire day's menu. My daughter celebrated her eleventh birthday this weekend, and she chose some typical kid favorites, like blueberry pancakes with whipped cream for breakfast, and corn dogs for lunch. I was secretly delighted, though, when she specifically requested Spicy Chipotle Hummus with cucumber slices as a side for lunch, and she wanted Macaroni & Cheese with broccoli for dinner.
When I prepared dinner, I got to thinking about some experimenting I've been doing lately with a lowered-sodium onion dip recipe. Onion powder is a great flavor booster, and because it's commonly used in processed foods, its flavor is reminiscent of many kid-friendly box meals -- including mac & cheese. As it turned out, sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference. I was so impressed by how much betteer this recipe tastes with onion powder, I'm updating the recipe here. Enjoy!
Macaroni & Cheese
Ingredients:
1 pound macaroni (or other small pasta, like shells or bowties)
1 (12-ounce) package Mori-Nu tofu (or other silken tofu)
1 cup milk or plain unsweetened soy milk
6 ounces finely shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground peppercorns
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 dashes ground cayenne
Directions:
Prepare macaroni according to manufacturer's directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, puree tofu and milk in blender until smooth. Place pureed tofu in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cheese, garlic powder, peppercorns, nutmeg, and cayenne, and heat until cheese melts, stirring often. Add macaroni and cook until macaroni is heated through, stirring well to combine.
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