Recipe: BAKED MACARONI

It's like 11:00pm and I am kinda blogorrheic... LOL.. Here's the recipe for the "Baked Macaroni ala Yumi" as requested by Nurse Joyce... :D


Ingredients:
THE MAC

1. Elbow Macaroni - 1 kg
2. Water - 1000 mL
3. Magic Sarap - 1 pinch
4. Dari Cream - 1 tsp

• Any brand you prefer but I suggest Del Monte Wheat Elbow Macaroni... lol
• First, boil water with a pinch of Magic Sarap seasoning mix and Dari Cream (Generally, people usually use a pinch of salt as a preservative and a teaspoon of oil of any brand and kind but I prefer to use Magic Sarap and Dari Cream to add flavor..hehe..it's yummy!)
• While waiting for the mixture to boil, you can prepare the sauce
• Next, when the mixture is boiling, pour 1 kg Elbow Macaroni and stir occassionally until al dente.
  
• Last, when the pasta is tender enough for you, strain, pour cold running water and stir to prevent sticking of the pasta. Then, set aside and do the SAUCE

THE SAUCE

1. Clara Ole's Three Cheese Pasta Sauce - 1000 mL
2. Clara Ole's Bacon and Cheese Pasta Sauce - 500 mL
3. Bell Pepper (Green and Red - chopped) - 2 cups
4. Onion (chopped) - 1/2 cup
5. Garlic (chopped) - 1/2 cup
6. Dari Cream - 1 tbsp
7. Thyme - 1/2 tsp
8. Sage - 1/2 tsp
9. Eden Cheese (Grated) - 225 gms
10. Mayonnaise - 1 cup
11. Button Mushroon Sauce
    

• I only found Clara Ole brand to have my favorite ingredient - the CHEESE. It has Parmesan , Romano and Cheddar Cheese in one delicious Pasta Sauce! LOL... I just love cheese and cheese and cheese... so there's another grated cheeses and Bacon and Cheese pasta sauce... LOL
• The Bell Pepper i used has this sweet aroma and flavor that adds to the flavor of the sauce to be used. Also, being chopped, the pepper adds to the texture of the sauce...as well as the world famous onion and garlic. Hmmm... what else? My sister-in-law also uses ground tofu to add texture. Well, I really use Dari Cream 'coz I find it healthy and yummy...LOL..
• Thyme and Sage are healthy Italian herbs that add to the tempting aroma of the sauce ;p
  
• First, Saute Bell Pepper, Onion, Garlic and the Italian Herbs in Dari Cream in sauce pan until the yumi-est aroma is achieved
• Second, pour all the Pasta Sauce, Mushroom sauce and Cheese in sauce pan and simmer until thick. To thicken more and add a little sour taste, add Mayonnaise and simmer

THE CHEESY STACK

1. Eden Cheese / MeltSarap (sliced) - 450 gms
2. Button Mushroom (sliced)
3. Green and Red Bell Pepper (chopped and sliced in rings)
4. Cheese (grated) - 225 gms
5. THE SAUCE
6. THE MAC

• Depending on your preference, you can either mix the sauce and the mac first or just have the sauce for layering the cheesy stack...but what I did is that, I mixed part of the sauce and all of the mac first such that the mac would have flavor. :D

• First, pour a thin layer of the sauce at the bottom of the baking pan (I used the microwave, so my baking pan is the microwave-safe container bought by mom..lol)
• Second, add a layer of the mac then on top of it, arrange the sliced cheese evenly to cover the whole floor of mac, arrange the button mushroom slices and spread some of the chopped bell pepper.
• Repeat the first and second step until you reach the brim of the baking pan.
• For the finale, spread grated cheese to cover all of the floor of cheesy mac, arrange button mushrooms and bell pepper rings according to your own style...then the mac is ready to be baked!
• I used MO so, I baked it for 5 - 8 minutes until the cheese melted at power level 10 of our microwave..lol I dunno for real ovens...hekhekhek

I hope you loved the recipe Ms. Joyce.. :D