I have a theory.
Actually I have lots of theories; some legit, a few far-fetched, a handful of indecent ones, and a couple pearls of wisdom tossed in just to give me credibility. I generally only share the good ones publicly, which is why I have the reputation of being a mental giant, not to be confused with a vertical titan.
At 5’2, that’s not likely to happen anytime soon, unless of course my CSA suddenly starts doling out some of Jack’s magic beans and I grow at the speed of well, a stalk. Don’t be aghast. Stranger things have happened. Hell, Donald Trump is running for president, and I have ultrasound pictures in my purse. Who am I and why doesn’t his hair move?
It’s also possible this mental giant business is mainly in my own mind, and guess what? I’m ok with that too. I say a solid self-esteem is healthy, especially on those days when it’s harder to come by. Yes, it happens to me as well, usually when someone at work talks about how so and so never looked pregnant from behind, which then leads me to believe they’re subtly saying I’m the size of a tank from all angles. Welcome to pregnancy hormones and my rabbit hole.
Hours later, and many glances backward, along with the Hubby repeatedly saying, “You just look like Meghan from behind,” I’m back to my usual elevated level of mental prowess, and I’m ready to share my theory.
Most of my engaged audience doesn’t give a donkey’s backside about my recipe posts.
Sure, food is great; fantastic even. We love it, we need it to survive, and occasionally, I’ll get a reader or three who actually make my meals (I legit adore you people). My regulars though, my day in and day out commenters come here for other reasons; quite possibly for the Week in Review because ♫ damn, it feels good to be a gansta’ ♫ (The Unborn Child is back on hip hop). Perhaps you get a little kick out my writing style, maybe I make you laugh, my confessions make you blush or you simply relish in my nefarious personality. Cackle, cackle.
So when I talk about broccoli, pasta and cheese, I get it might not be the most titillating post for you and your eyes even gloss over just a smidge, and I can’t really blame you. In fact, I’ll let you in on a little secret: when I make someone else’s recipes and it’s a blogger I don’t know, I never read a lick of their post, outside of the actual recipe. Just bring on the food I say. So I’m going to take my own advice here and tell you I legit love broccoli. I also love rich, creamy cheese and buttery pasta, which is how this recipe was created.
Yes, Broccoli Mac and Cheese is the lovechild of my mind. The lovechild of my loins, well that’s a whole ‘nother story, and if food isn’t your thing, you can read about it here.
- 1 lb. Pasta of choice, I like spirals, elbows, shells, anything the cheese can grasp
- 4 cups Broccoli, chopped
- 4 Tbsps. Butter
- 1/2 cup Red Onion, finely diced (approximately half a small onion)
- 4 Tbsps. Flour
- 1 cup Milk of choice, I used Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 3 cups Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, plus 2 Tbsp. for topping.
- 1/2 tsp. Dry Mustard
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Red Pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Paprika
- 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, crushed walnuts or Savory granola for topping (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Add chopped broccoli to boiling water with pasta when there is only 5 minutes remaining on the pasta. Drain and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, in a midsized saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbsp. of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the finely diced onion and cook until translucent, about five minutes more.
- Reduce the heat to low and then add flour, one tablespoon at a time and mix in with the butter and onions, using a whisk or a fork until the flour has been fully absorbed. Your mixture will resemble a paste at this point.
- Slowly add in your milk, stirring until fully incorporated with the butter/onion/flour mixture. Your sauce will be quite thin. Add in 3 cups of your shredded cheese and all of your spices from the dry mustard through to the nutmeg. Stir occasionally until cheese has fully melted and sauce has thicken substantially. If your sauce is too thick, you can gradually add more milk. Alternatively if your sauce is too thin, you can add more cheese. Taste your sauce and adjust seasonings as necessary.
- Add pasta and broccoli mixture to a greased 2.5 quart casserole dish. Pour cheese sauce over the entire thing, stirring to incorporate. Top with the reserved two tablespoons of shredded cheese and the 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, crushed walnuts or granola. Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350. Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the top has formed a nice golden brown crust.
What’s your take on your recipe posts? To read or not to read, and what it is about my blog which appeals to you? Feel free to indulge a pregnant woman here.
Jessica says
January 15, 2016 at 7:33 AMYUMMMMM! Mac and cheese happens to be my boy friend’s favourite food so I am totally trying this one out. 🙂
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:16 AMFantastic; you’ll have to let me know what he thinks.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Suzy says
January 15, 2016 at 7:48 AMI only read your posts because you use words like “titillating” and “loins.” It’s true. But even truer is that you’re hilarious. And while I used to avoid food blogs like the plague, yours I can stomach because you make me laugh. Someone that’s funny, says loins, and blogs about food? Yeah, I’ll eat their titillating broccoli dishes.
Suzy recently posted…Facial Expressions
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:19 AMI am your food blog exception as you are my running blog exception. Match made in heaven or someone’s titillating loins.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Erin says
January 15, 2016 at 8:13 AMI love reading recipe posts on different blogs but with a 9 month old, anything that doesn’t happen in one pot doesn’t happen! I love reading your blog because your posts make me laugh which is much needed sometimes when operating on little sleep:)
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:25 AMI can completely understand. Even without the 9 month old (Congratulations!!), I have trouble making complex meals. I’d much prefer easy eats.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Danielle says
January 15, 2016 at 8:25 AMOh woman, how do I explain why I love thou blog. Simply you. And maybe a little gangstah style. Your recipe posts are just a cherry on your banana cakes and I dig em all. Sending Hearts and rainbows and farting unicorns in your general direction.
Danielle recently posted…a look at the first year
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:26 AMI’ll take all the hearts, rainbows, and farting unicorns I can get. 🙂
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Juli@1000lovelythings says
January 15, 2016 at 9:24 AMThis is a question I ask myself a lot. Does anyone actually give a fuck about the food I post?
In your case as part of your engaged audience I can wholeheartedly say YES YES YES! I love your food and I make quite a few of your recipes on repeat! Apart from a few occasions when I try someone elses recipes Stefan and I are basically fed by your, Arman’s and my own stuff. Not the worst combination if you ask me 🙂
But even if you only posted seafood recipes I’d read every post. Because I love you!
Juli@1000lovelythings recently posted…25 things I fear travelling
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:28 AMYou are my foodie exception since I know you make a lot of my recipes. I can’t tell you in words how happy it makes me when I see it or you share it with me. For real, I am so very appreciative and thrilled you enjoy the food.
The Hubby is asking when were having your Veggie Skillet again. #winner.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Heather says
January 15, 2016 at 9:58 AMI come for the laughs, but I will absolutely make this mac n cheese because I will forever be 6 years old at heart and mac n cheese will forever be my favorite. Now that I’m an adult, I also appreciate the whole broccoli aspect as well. Comfort food at its finest!
Heather recently posted…Oh, those imaginations!
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:29 AMMac and cheese will always be one of my favorites too.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Frances says
January 15, 2016 at 1:17 PMI love your recipe posts! As someone who aspires to eat more veggies and to eat healthfully on a more regular basis, your recipes help so much, especially when I’m crunched for time. That’s also why I loved the What I Ate Wednesday posts. It really does fascinate me to see what other people eat and it gives me meal planning ideas. And of course, who doesn’t love lists? Or random outbursts of song?
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:33 AMRandom outbursts of song are my happy place, and I have a WIAW post coming up just for you. I took pictures last Sunday so I could participate in one soon. I know people enjoy seeing a day of food, and I kind of like sharing ’em too. I promise to keep the recipe posts coming, although maybe I’ll talk a little less in them….or try to anyway. I tend to ramble and break out in bursts of song. 🙂
Thanks Frances for coming back.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Cora says
January 15, 2016 at 1:27 PMThere are more reasons – for why your blog is one of the few I read religiously – than I can put into one comment. All the ones you mentioned, absolutely. But also absolutely for your recipes. They are always simple and REAL. Sure its cool to see weird gluten/dairy/grain free recipes pop up around the net, but so few people post standard good meals that are all about comfort – yet still supremely healthy. This mindset seems to be getting lost. In fact it is your meals and your take on recipes that motivate me the most in terms of recovering from restriction and getting back to good sold real food. Even though I don’t have nearly enough time to make all the ones I have book marked, the inspiration is always there for what I want to make. And of course, you make me smile.
Cora recently posted…A Little Help for my Hormones
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:35 AMAw shucks… “what a lovely comment,” she says while kicking ground bashfully with feet.
I’m touched, in a non creepy way. Thank you.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
meredith @ Cookie ChRUNicles says
January 15, 2016 at 1:59 PMHa – when I don’t know the blogger, I don’t read the post either, I scroll for the recipe!
meredith @ Cookie ChRUNicles recently posted…Trader Joe’s Pantry Favorites
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:35 AMGuilty as charged.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Tara says
January 15, 2016 at 4:18 PMAt the risk of sounding incredibly stalkerish, I always read every word you write (*crickets*). Umm…but yeah, though I love your personal posts, I love me a good recipe too. Especially when it involves cheese, duh. But really, I make your cabbage taco salad and pom citrus salad on the reg.
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:36 AMStalk away my friend. Comments like this make my day, and I love that you dig the cabbage taco salad. It also reminds me I need to make it again too. I actually have some cabbage still in my fridge from December. I’m sure it’s still good. Right? right.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Michele @ paleorunningmomma says
January 15, 2016 at 5:46 PMTwo things:
1. You totally articulated how I feel about recipe posts! Both as a blogger and reader – love it 🙂
2. My older daughter would be thrilled to have you as mom for a day if you promised to make this! She’s the only one who likes broccoli in Mac and cheese and therefore never gets it! This is so similar to a recipe I made years ago when she was a baby!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma recently posted…Banana Blueberry Breakfast Bread {Paleo & Nut Free}
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:37 AMI will happily make your oldest girl this mac and cheese recipe. I could probably swing it where the broccoli is all on one side of the dish too so the family could enjoy.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Michele @ paleorunningmomma says
January 16, 2016 at 10:06 AMLightbulb moment lol.
Michele @ paleorunningmomma recently posted…Banana Blueberry Breakfast Bread {Paleo & Nut Free}
Miss Polkadot says
January 15, 2016 at 7:27 PMThe only reason I don’t care for your food posts as much – definitely not saying I didn’t care for them at all, though – is that the fact there’s a recipe description taking up space that could contain more of your wordsmith talent. As in: the reason I’m coming back to your blog time and time again. But since you add a nice chunk of that into those posts still I enjoy them, too. Am I making sense? Rule of thumb: the more Meg sass a post contains the better. Honestly, you could probably write a post about foods that absolutely don’t tickle my fancy – think pickled beetroot topped with mustard and deep-fried bacon – and I’d still read your posts. This Broccoli Mac, however, very much tickles my fancy and I’ve been eyeing it since its first appearance in a Week in Review post way back. Mmmh. Good.
Miss Polkadot recently posted…Why adopting a new diet attracts us so much in recovery.
Meghan says
January 16, 2016 at 7:39 AMPickled beetroot topped with mustard and deep fried bacon sounds a little scary even to me.
I very much appreciate your comment and can relate 100%. It’s how I feel about most recipe posts too so I’m not surprised it comes through a bit in the writing. Happy Weekend Sunshine!
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
January 16, 2016 at 1:44 PMConfession: I never read recipe posts if it’s a blogger that’s not in my reader, and I struggle with writing them too because on the one hand I find all the recipe details extremely boring, but I figure that people want to know about what they’re making before they make it? Unless no one reads it, in which case I guess I could write about whatever it is that I wanted. I dunno — I try to balance a bit of both. And I read your blog because you’re fabulous. I mean… obviously 😛
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…banana cream pie overnight oatmeal smoothie
Meghan says
January 17, 2016 at 8:33 AMRecipe posts are a strange mix to be sure. On one hand, you want to share some story for the regular readers who don’t care about the food, and on the other hand, you want to make sure the folks who do make it, know what it’s about, especially where things like bread or muffins are involved. It’s helpful to know if it’s dense and rich or light and fluffy. One day I’ll figure out the right approach. Until then, I’ll keep rambling.
Meghan recently posted…Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
Kate says
January 17, 2016 at 8:55 AMWho’s got all the ingredients she will need? This girl!
If I read the recipe post depends on when I begin with the first paragraph and if I’m sucked in by it. Or if the writer is funny person. 😀
Kate recently posted…The why to waiting
Meghan says
January 17, 2016 at 9:20 AMIt’s a sign you need to make it. Go forth and prosper with Broccoli Mac and Cheese.
Abby says
January 17, 2016 at 9:47 AMWell, I’m a vegan who still reads your recipe posts, so there’s that. But I have to admit that I completely skip most blogs with recipe posts that include 12 paragraphs of introductory text explaining how they thought of this recipe FOR OATMEAL (or something basic) while a young girl on the prairie churning butter with their great grandma who was married to George Washington who reminded her of apples which is why she included apple pie spice in the recipe. In other words, I like the recipe and the ingredients and not a life story for food posts. But with you, I like your humor so I’ll at least skim over anything 😉 Plus, broccoli cheese pasta.
lindsay says
January 17, 2016 at 10:24 AMpretty sure you look like meghan and some sexy ass from behind. I will agree with your husband. and this dish –> My childhood favorite. You’re gonna be a great mama
I like all your posts. I like you. I can never please anyone with my recipes and shenanigans. BUT tis life.
Brittany says
January 17, 2016 at 5:49 PMI read allllll your posts regardless of a recipe! Broccoli was made for mac and cheese, it’s a proven fact.
Brittany recently posted…May the Life Force Be with You
Luce@FitSwissChick says
January 17, 2016 at 7:16 PMI don’t care about recipes. I’m far too lazy and that is also why I will exclude 95% of recipe posts from my blog. I like to cook, but I’m lazy and greedy, so it needs to be simple and quick – no fancy stuff that could grace a worthy blog article. I drool over the pics though most of the time and beg the blogger to cook it for me. So please, when I come there make these saviry scones you once had on the blog plus this Broccoli stuff.
When little Miss Meghan can walk, I will come back to Cleveland, putting on the shades, basketballcaps and fat chunky jewellery and will do a gangsta kitchen party with here. Got the picture? 🙂 <3
You inspire me, you improve my English, you make me laugh, I learn perfect articulation, new words and am in awe by YOU my wonderful friend in all the posts. Recipes or not, all that comes from you I want to read.
Jen @ Chase the Red Grape says
January 18, 2016 at 2:15 AMDang it girl! I never miss pasta, like at all, but the one dish I used to adore was a broccoli cheese pasta… And now I want it all! Hmmm might seek out a rice pasta… Or just make it with a bucket load or broccoli and cauliflower – veggies and cheese sauce, I’m down with that.
And I love your recipes – sure there are some that I can’t make (gluten) but actually a lot of them I tweak, or it inspires me to make something else similar. Please keep them coming!
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