Mac and Cheese - Grain-free (Gluten-Free, Corn-Free, Grain-Free) - Recipe!

oooohhhh - I am SO anxious (in a good way). I realized over the weekend, I can eat sweet potato noodles and I can eat dairy, SOOO - I can make "macaroni and cheese". I made the sauce (a little strange in texture using chickpea flour and potato starch, but awesome flavor). I cooked the noodles. Now the timer has rung, and I get to see if I have mac and cheese or not. I have not had mac and cheese for 18 months. I am excited and worried and happy.... So - time to see if it turned out!

YAY!!! It turned out.  Needs some tweaking (more cheese, less noodles to be creamier...), BUT I HAD MAC AND CHEESE.  Oh yeah - that is a happy that is gonna last the rest of the day.  Happy dancing and all!

So - the recipe is (kinda sorta cause I was playing with it as I cooked):

Cheese sauce

2 tablespoons chick pea flour

1 tablespoon potato starch

Onion powder, Garlic powder, mustard powder, salt (to taste or 1 teaspoon of onion, mustard and salt, 1/2 of garlic)

1 stick of butter

12 ounces cheese - shredded (I used sharp cheddar and mild cheddar - would have been good with some Gouda, Swiss, Mozzarella, Feta, or extra sharp cheddar)

1 cup milk

2-4 cups water (this is where I have to guess - I was just going for a sauce texture!!)

Melt the butter in a pan with a heavy bottom.  Stir in the flour/starch/spices and cook until fragrant and slightly browned.  Mix in water by the tablespoon full STIRRING CONSTANTLY until there is about 1  cup mixed in.  Add the milk 1/4 cup at a time STIRRING CONSTANTLY.  Add another cup or so of water 1/2 cup at a time.  Cook until steamy (BUT DO NOT BOIL).  If you need more water to get a medium thick sauce, add it as you need.

NOODLES:

Bring a big pot of water to boil.  Drop in noodles.  Boil  the noodles for 12 minutes.  Drain.  Rinse WELL with COLD water until cold.  

I use these noodles: http://www.amazon.com/Oriental-Noodle-Ingredient-Potato-Starch/dp/B007AWOBLU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368472735&sr=8-1&keywords=sweet+potato+noodles 

But, I get them at the international market, where they are $3.59 for 1.5 pounds of noodles.  Amazon sells them at a much higher price!

Mac and Cheese:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a cake pan, layer the noodles.  Pour in the cheese sauce.  Stir until well mixed, and then smooth flat again

Bake UNCOVERED in the oven until is done.  I baked for 1 hour, but I am betting that at 45 minutes would be creamier.

Tweaking for next time - 

1 - CUT THE NOODLES. - these are LONG noodles - It would be easier to cut the noodles after boiling and have shorter noodles in the mac and cheese

2 - add some softer cheese to the mix - maybe swiss, gouda, or mozzarella

3 - Bake a little less than 1 hour.  Prob about 45 minutes.  

4 - Maybe add Broccoli, chili, tuna, or other stuff to make this a casserole and a full meal?  Or - maybe not. Mac and cheese by itself is wonderful!!