From the ages of 15-23 I rarely ate any meat besides chicken.
And while I enjoy the occasional steak, and really enjoy seafood, I think being a vegetarian is something I could embrace.
Being vegan is a whole different story.
I can't imagine a life void of cheese.
I know cheese is not exactly a health food, so I try my hardest to eat it in moderation.
Except in this Baked Macaroni and Gouda dish.
I made it ever-so-slightly healthier by using skim milk and whole wheat pasta. I also use 4 tablespoons of butter and flour instead of 6.
But I didn't skimp on the 3/4 pound of grated Gouda.
A girl can only make so many sacrifices.
I started by caramelizing three yellow onions.
I cooked mine on a pretty low flame for almost an hour, and ended up with the 1 1/2 cups of onions the recipe calls for.
In the meantime I made myself a refreshing 'mock-tail'.
A little citrus seltzer, a squeeze of lime, and a splash of Simply Lemonade with Mango.
The mango lemonade is delicious!
Jerry even saw my drink and made himself the same (with a little gin).
Making a cheese sauce is a necessity for a good mac n' cheese.
I love how the Gouda melts right in.
I added a can of drained diced tomatoes in addition to the turkey sausage.
This takes a while to make, but is totally worth it when you have the time.
Check out that cheese!
I have made this mac n' cheese 5 or 6 times over the past few years, and I swear that every time I make it Jerry falls in love with me a little more.
He is very excited for leftovers this week. And it makes a LOT of leftovers.
If you happen to not like smoked cheese, you can sometimes find regular Gouda. Or a good old sharp cheddar would be great, too.
While I have decreased the amount of meat in my diet, I have no plans to go vegetarian right now.
Right now, I'll take more cheese, please.
We made this yesterday! It is soo good the onions are key and Brett added mushrooms :)
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