Toddler Meals: Mac n’ Cheese “Muffins”

I’m so excited to be doing a recipe blog post. It has been SO LONG.

Anyway, this weekend was complete and utter chaos. J and I (ok, it was mostly my doing) committed to WAY too many things this weekend. I find, when you have a little one, it really helps to get out and do things (especially when your little one is as busy as O is). This weekend though, we for sure bit off more than we could chew. A couple birthday parties, a Euchre tournament and dog sitting. Anyway, I was sitting in the kitchen with O Saturday morning thinking about all that we had to do and I thought “You know what, I should do something else. I should make some freezer meals for O”

Because, logic?

Anyway, I’m super glad I did. While O was eating breakfast I did all the prep work (and cooked the pasta) and then made the cheese sauce while O was pulling on my pants and crying. He was fine, he was just pissed that I wouldn’t let him touch the stove.

Moms…amirite?

Anyway, these lil mac n cheese cups are perfect for making ahead of time and either freezing or tossing them in the fridge for later. Plus, I snuck some veggies in and O was none the wiser. They’re not just for toddlers either. Jon and I had some because they were so good.

Easy Toddler Meals: Mac n’ Cheese Muffins
Original Recipe: Real Food Real Deals

Servings: 8-12
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25-30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat macaroni noodles (I used Catelli Smart Vegetable Pasta)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour (use whole wheat if you want added nutrition)
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup (or more) shredded cheese (I used Old Cheddar)
• 1 cup small uncooked broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup shredded zucchini (pat dry) or frozen peas
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin tins with butter OR with muffin liners (next time, I would use cupcake liners to make it easier to remove).
2. Cook pasta according to the instructions on the package (you know…boil it). Leave a bit al dente as the pasta will absorb some moisture while it bakes.
3. In a large skillet, melt the butter and slowly whisk in the flour. Fun Fact: This is called a “Roux” pronounced “Roo” – most cheese sauces start out with a roux.
4. Turn temp to medium. Slowly add the milk while whisking (trying to avoid lumps). Stir for about 5 mins or until sauce is thickened (this is important!)
5. Once sauce has thickened, add in MOST of the cheese. Also, use more than a cup. Cheese is awesome. Test your sauce to see if you need salt, pepper or more cheese.
6. Add in the pasta, zucchini and broccoli and combine.
7. Taste again and see if there is anything else you might want to add (i.e. cheese)
8. Spoon mixture into muffin tins and top with more cheese (are you sensing a theme here?)
9. Bake for 25-30 mins or until the tops are golden brown (or in my case, you need to get out of the house because your toddler is going stir crazy)
10. Unless you’re serving right away, let it cool for a bit. I found it easier to remove them when they weren’t piping hot. It was still a mess though, so next time muffin liners for sure.

That’s it! Here are some more pretty pictures in case I haven’t convinced you yet how yummy these are!

Do you have any go-to toddler/make ahead meals? If so, leave the link/recipe in the comments!