crab mac ‘n cheese; roasted caesar broccoli;

crab mac 'n cheese;

Pasta tossed with cheese and crab meat and topped with seasoned bread crumb

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If you’ve clicked this link you’ve got good taste.  I’m just putting that up front!  This recipe was born from a grocery store sale!  I love those.  Browsing ads for some great deals helps me to narrow down what I might want to make.  If chicken’s on sale, then it’s chicken for dinner; if there’s a good price on salmon, then we’re having salmon for dinner!  And in this case … crab meat was on sale and I was craving some comfort food, so crab mac ‘n cheese it is!

T and I are trying eat healthier now that the holidays are (mostly) over.  We do still have New Year’s to go, but this recipe is fairly simple and armed with crab, cheese, and pasta, it’s a tasty meal!  Okay, so maybe this isn’t the healthiest recipe, but it is tasty.  And besides, we’ve been going to the gym since we’ve gotten back (hey, you don’t know it’s only been two days), and portion control is key anyway.  Throw in a sale on crab, and there was no way I could not make this.  This recipe is adapted from Aimee’s Crab Mac And Cheese.

We served the mac ‘n cheese with Caesar broccoli, a wonderful complement and another super easy recipe to pull out of your fridge.  Just toss broccoli with lite Caesar dressing and roast at 400 degrees for about the same amount of time as the mac ‘n cheese!

I’m looking forward to trying some new recipes for our upcoming New Year’s Eve party!  A taste of what’s to come: avocado ranch dip for veggies and matcha shortbread cookies…yum!  I always have to stop and remember to offer up translations for things that I take for granted.  So in case you didn’t know, matcha is green tea!

crab mac ‘n cheese;

Pasta tossed with cheese and crab meat and topped with seasoned bread crumb

Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Oven Temp: 400°

Servings: 4

Author: bestwithchocolate.com

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Ingredients

• 12 oz dried pasta
• 8 oz lump claw crab meat
• 1 + 2 Tbsp butter, separated
• ½ cup panko
• zest of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 2 heaping Tbsp flour
• 1½ cups milk
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp old bay seasoning
• 2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• salt & pepper

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Instructions

• In a large pot, boil water and add pasta. Cook until just underdone, then strain and add back to pot. Toss with crab meat and set aside.
• In a small bowl, melt 1 Tbsp butter, then add the panko and half of each of the following ingredients: lemon zest, parsley, old bay, and dill. Toss all together
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter. Add the flour and whisk, cooking until light golden brown.
• Slowly add the milk to the pan, whisking continuously to prevent scorching. Bring to a simmer and let thicken, approx. 5-7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add in remaining lemon zest, parsley, old bay, and dill. Stir in cheese until melted. Then season with salt and pepper.
• Place the pasta-crab mixture in a baking dish, stir in cheese sauce, then top with panko mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, then broil a few minutes until top is nicely browned.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @bestwithchocolate or tag #bestwithchocolate!

roasted caesar broccoli;

Broccoli tossed with caesar dressing and roasted to crisp in the oven

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Oven Temp: 400°

Servings: 4

Author: bestwithchocolate.com

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Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli
• 1/4 cup lite caesar dressing

Instructions

• Cut broccoli into small florets and place into a medium-sized bowl.
• Add caesar dressing and toss together.
• Lay broccoli out on a lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until desired crispness.

Notes

I use Ken’s steak house dressing.  If using another brand, make sure it contains some oil.  If not, add a splash.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @bestwithchocolate or tag #bestwithchocolate!

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