Raise your hand if you love Macaroni and Cheese! <My hand is raised very high!>
Now, how many of you have had Macaroni and Cheese SOUP!? Not many of you? Me neither, until the other day. And, it was marvelous.
So marvelous that I can't wait to make it again. And again. And again... you get the picture.
This creation comes from Lori Lange, the RecipeGirl. She recently sent me a copy of her new cookbook, The RecipeGirl Cookbook, which is just as fantastic as her blog. It includes some recipes from her website, yet most of them are new for the book. These recipes range from very easy to a little more involved, but everything is completely do-able by your average home cook. The ending pages include entertaining tips and themed menus that I'm particularly very excited about.
I've already made a couple of recipes from Lori's book and blog that have pleased not only my palate, but also my husband's and toddler's. This Macaroni and Cheese Soup, though, has to be one of our favorites. I love that it's completely homemade, easy to make, and is kicked up a notch from your typical cheesy pasta dish by injecting Dijon mustard and hot sauce. The roasted tomatoes are a clever addition, as we all know how well cheese and tomatoes go together. It was hard for me not to pop each tomato in my mouth before the soup was done!
While I was cooking the macaroni, I saw an avocado on my counter that needed to be used up. So, I sliced it up, rolled the slices in some spiced Panko crumbs, and then lightly fried them to create "dippers" for the soup. They made a great accompaniment that I think you'd like, too, so I added it to the recipe.
I also think you'd like RecipeGirl's entire cookbook, so I'm giving you a chance to win one! It's easy peasy to enter. See below:
To enter for your chance to win one copy of The RecipeGirl Cookbook:
- Visit RecipeGirl.com and then come back and leave a comment here telling me which recipe on her site stands out to you most! That's it!
- Giveaway closes on Saturday, June 1st at 10:00PM EST.
- One winner will be chosen randomly and announced at the top of this post. Winner will also be notified by email, so make sure you leave a valid email address in the appropriate field.
- Only one entry per person please.
- Open to U.S. residents only.
Disclosure: This contest is sponsored by yours truly.
Now here's the recipe!
Recipe Card
Macaroni and Cheese Soup with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the Tomatoes:
- 12 small cherry tomatoes , sliced in half
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the Soup:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 3 garlic cloves , pressed
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup dry macaroni elbows
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon pepper (white or black)
- 8 ounce block extra-sharp cheddar cheese , shredded
Instructions
For the Roasted Tomatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Layer the tomatoes, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature while preparing the soup.
For the Soup:
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute (stir frequently to avoid burning). Using a whisk, mix in the flour until smooth, then slowly pour in the vegetable broth and whisk to combine. Drop in the bay leaf.
- Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni and cook at a boil until just tender, about 8-9 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the whipping cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and pepper. Mix in the cheese and continue to stir until melted into the soup. Bring to a boil again and let boil for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and serve immediately in individual bowls, topped with the roasted tomatoes. Serve with Avocado Dippers (recipe below).
- Source: The RecipeGirl Cookbook
Recipe Card
Avocado Dippers
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup frying oil
- ¾ cup Panko bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 Avocado , ripe but still firm
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet.
- Combine the bread crumbs, mustard and salt in a pie plate or shallow dish. Slice and peel the avocado into sturdy strips.
- Dip each strip into the seasoned bread crumbs, then lightly fry in the skillet. Work in 2-3 batches, and make sure to flip every 30 seconds or so to fry each side of the avocado slice.
- Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain and cool.
