Easy Veggie Macaroni and Cheese Cups
Ah, kids. They're tricky. Lily will literally go from liking a food to not liking it within the time that it takes to eat a single meal. And vice versa. So, Jake and I usually try to include both familiar foods and something new in her meals and will, uh, bribe her to try the new food. Or, if she won't eat it, we will leave it on the table and she will oftentimes get hungry and give it a try. It's amazing how often she puts it in her mouth and says incredulously, "I like it!" Perfect. She generally is good about eating vegetables, but you never know what she will like and when.Macaroni and cheese is usually a safe bet though, so I decided to combine the two. She hemmed and hawed because combining foods is tricky for kids, but when she tried it, she liked it. Sweet! Especially since it's so quick and easy to make. Campbell's has a new program called The Wisest Kid in the Whole World™ that is all about getting healthy and delicious food into kids with easy recipes. And using condensed soup definitely makes it a quick, weekday meal. I love that there is broccoli in the soup - talk about getting the veggies right in there. I added peas and corn, but you can add any veggies you happen to have on hand (just make sure you chop them up into macaroni-sized pieces). Of course, condensed soups have a good amount of sodium, so I didn't add any additional salt, and the pasta absorbed it and evened it out well. Beyond using soups to make recipes, which I'll definitely think about more often now, adding pasta or rice to a bowl of tomato soup is an easy way to get a filling dinner on the table. Lily won't eat grilled cheese with her tomato soup (what kind of kid is she?!) but I certainly will! You can check out lots of great recipes at Campbell's Kitchen.
Easy Veggie Macaroni and Cheese Cups
2-3 Tbsp bread crumbs (more if needed) 2 cups macaroni elbows or a medium cut pasta 1 cup frozen peas 1 cup frozen corn 1 can Campbell's Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup 1 can Campbell's Condensed Broccoli and Cheddar Soup 1/4 cup milk 1 egg 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/2 tsp garlic powder Pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a cupcake pan with cooking spray and then cover with a thick, even layer of breadcrumbs.
Cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente. In the last minute of cooking, add the peas and corn. Bring back to a boil and then remove from the heat. Drain and set aside.
Combine the soup cans, milk, egg, 1 cup of cheese, mustard, garlic powder, and pepper. Add the pasta and vegetables and combine. Put into the cupcake cups and cover with the remaining cheese.
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, or until they are cooked through and brown and bubbly on top.
Source: L+K Original
