Macaroni & Cheese with Buffalo Chicken

Sometimes parents are met with a stark reality about their kids.  Things that you might have to come to terms with while parenting include the following.

Yes my kid picks her nose.  Yes my kid picks her nose and then inspects it with her mouth.  Yes my kid does this in full view of other people.  Yes I have to say out loud "Indigo please don't eat your boogers".  I think this is a right of passage for any kid and parent.  Basically I am saying that most likely you were a nose picker once, so why not your offspring?



Another thing to come to grips with...Apple juice.  Let me just say it "My kid loves Apple juice and I give it to her freely because it makes her happy and then I don't have to listen to her ask for it 15,000 per day."  Phew glad to get that off my chest.  I also have learned that bribing with chocolates is  like basically a golden ticket for her to do my bidding....I might use this method a few times per day.



So I have one more and it's the one that is most shocking.  You have to come to terms with the fact that your kid is not perfect.  After trying to teach Indigo to recognize the numbers 1-5 for about a week now I have come to the conclusion that :

A.  She is not perfect
B.  I have a short fuse, and I'm not perfect
C.  I make cute puppets out of numbers

There, now don't be shocked when these things happen to you!




INGREDIENTS
{Printable Recipe}
2 cups Milk
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/2 lb elbow pasta
2 chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup hot buffalo wing sauce (recommended: Frank’s Red Hot)
Salt & Pepper




DIRECTIONS

Place chicken breasts in bottom of a small, heavy-bottomed pot. They should fit in a single layer but fit quite snugly. Cover chicken with broth. Add the bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, then quickly reduce heat to low so that the water is barely at a simmer. Partly cover and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat completely, and allow chicken to remain in hot water for 15-20 minutes.  Shred Chicken and coat with Franks Red Hot Sauce.

Stir the milk and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir in the butter. When the sauce is thick, add the cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and the mixture is well blended.  Add in some salt & pepper to season a bit.

Place your cooked, drained pasta in a large bowl.  Pour cheese sauce over the pasta. Put serving sized portions of the pasta into bowls then toss in a little chicken for each bowl (minimal stirring).  The idea is to keep the buffalo flavor a little separated from the cheese sauce.  I find that if you have a whole cheese sauce that tastes "buffalo"  it's really overwhelming.  I prefer the chicken to be the only hot bites.  Crumble goat cheese over pasta.. Serve immediately.