Recipes: Mac & Cheese and Gooey Apple Butter Cake from the Casserole Queens

Who said macaroni and cheese is just for kids? It may have been during our adolescent days in the lunchroom where we fell in love with this all-American comfort dish, but this is not the macaroni and cheese of your childhood! Our version includes savory veggies, a rich medley of grown-up cheeses, and just enough cayenne to take this simple comfort food to a new gourmet delight. Makes a complete meal on its own or is a great side for just about anything, but we suggest serving it with some creamy tomato soup. Delish!

MAKES 8 SERVINGS
1 1/2 cups dried elbow macaroni
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup sliced green onions, green parts only
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cayenne
11/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups whole milk
6 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
4 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (1 cup)
4 ounces Gouda cheese, grated (1 cup)

1.Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.Cook the macaroni according to package instructions. If you are using fresh broccoli, blanch in hot salted water for 5 minutes, then drain. If you are using frozen broccoli, thaw and drain it. Add the broccoli to the macaroni. Set aside.

3.Meanwhile, place the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and add enough warm water to cover. Let stand for
10 minutes or until softened. Drain well, then chop into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside.

4.Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the green onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, cayenne, basil, and salt. Add the milk, and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened and bubbly. Add 3/4 cup of the Cheddar, the Gruyère, and Gouda, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition, until the cheeses are melted. Stir in the macaroni and broccoli mixture and the softened sun-dried tomatoes. Transfer to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese.

5.Bake for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.

Crystal’s nieces have nicknamed their mother “Butter.” This term of endearment for Karen stems from the fact that she cooks everything with butter. One of her specialties is this cake, and—you guessed it—there’s lots of butter! A cream cheese and apple mixture bakes up nice and gooey on top of a soft cake layer. Served warm, it just doesn’t get any butter—we mean, better.

Makes 6 to 8 servings
3 Granny Smith apples
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 (18.2-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Peel and slice the apples, then toss them in a bowl with the lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the cake mix, 1/2 cup of the melted butter, and one of the eggs. Mix for 2 minutes at medium-low speed. The batter should easily come together into a ball. Transfer the batter to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula.

4. In the same bowl used for the batter, beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed for 30 seconds, until fluffy. Add the remaining 1/2 cup butter, the remaining 2 eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat for 1 more minute.

5. Fold the apple slices into the cream cheese mixture, and spread the mixture over the cake mix in the baking dish.

6. Bake for 45 minutes or until the cake jiggles slightly when gently shaken and is somewhat solidified in the center. (The cream cheese mixture will not solidify completely.) Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 30 minutes.

7. Stored in the refrigerator, the cake will keep for three to four days, but it will never last that long!