Cooking the Bucket: Fresh Bucket, Papa Fishie, Macaroni, and Tears

It's Wednesday! Wednesday is bucket day. I love taking inventory on bucket day- it inspires new ideas. This week's bucket included lettuce and turnips, green and purple onions, broccoli, pea shoots (delicious in salad!), spinach, basil, fresh oregano, and something called "braising mix." I'm going to have to look up what on earth that is.

Anyhow, tonight's menu sounded great to me- fresh Lake Superior whitefish from Thill's Fish Market (which Bryce has dubbed, "Papa Fishy," homemade macaroni and cheese, steamed broccoli, and salad with a variety of lettuces, radishes, and homemade ranch dressing. Little did I know the drama it would cause.

Bryce's all time favorite thing is garlic. Strange for a picky kid, I know, but for him the garlicky-er, the better. The boy loves garlic hummus, garlic bread, and even fresh sliced bulbs of garlic. But, his favorite garlic dish is pasta with butter, garlic salt, and Parmesan cheese. He saw me taking noodles from the pantry, and assumed it was a "garlic noodle" night. When the macaroni and cheese appeared on his plate instead, a meltdown ensued. As the parent I have the battle in my head- let him eat something else or go to bed hungry?

Bryce carried on for a good while, and the rest of us had enjoyed our dinner and dessert (Bailey getting dessert without him was the icing on the cake). But, there is a happy ending to the drama. After a bath and pajamas, Bryce decided to give the macaroni a try. Guess what? He liked it. Silly boy.

Here are the recipes!

Broiled Dill Whitefish- coat the broiler pan with cooking spray and put on the fish fillets. Top with:

a few pats of butter- fish is one of the few things that calls for real butter!
Garlic Salt
Penzey's Black and Red
Dill (last summer I dehydrated dill from my farm bucket and it's still good!)
A few sprigs of fresh oregano

Broil for about 10-15 minutes until the fish is done!

Macaroni and Cheese

Cook the pasta in a separate pot- I used whole wheat chicole, which is like a very large elbow macaroni

In another pot, melt a few tablespoons of butter substitute ( I love Earth Balance buttery spread!)
stir in Wondra flour until it creates a thick paste
add milk, salt, and pepper
stir constantly until the sauce begins to thicken, add more milk until the thickness is right
add shredded cheddar cheese
add a handful of Penzey's dehydrated onions
(secret ingredient) about 1/2 cup of pureed cauliflower

When the sauce is finished, drain the pasta, then mix the pasta and sauce together. Pour the pasta and sauce blend into a casserole dish. Pop into a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. During the last five minutes of cooking, remove the casserole lid and top with a sprinkling of shredded cheddar, crumbled feta, and panko bread crumbs.

I've had hits and misses with homemade macaroni. This was honestly the best one ever! I think that the cauliflower added a wonderful, mild flavor. Delicious- even for my most stubborn critic!

Ranch Dressing