Macaroni and Cheese with Ham and Kohlrabi

Way back at the end of October, I got a kohlrabi in my final CSA pickup. It intimidated me a bit, and sat in the back of my refrigerator for a solid month before I worked up the courage to tackle it. What the heck is kohlrabi, you ask? Well, per Wikipedia, it is a German turnip, part of the cabbage family. I admit that cabbage is not my favorite thing in the world, so I was still a little wary. I was assured by the internet that the flavor was very mild when cooked. I came across a recipe for ham and kohlrabi gratin, which seemed manageable. Ham, kohlbrabi, creamy white sauce; I can handle this. This morphed in my mind to macaroni and cheese with ham and kohlrabi, and that's how we got here. This falls into the category of "throw whatever vegetable you have around into mac and cheese so you feel better about eating it."

Macaroni and Cheese with Ham and Kohlbrabi

2 cups pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (or a blend of cheddar cream cheese)
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 onion, minced
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 pound ham, sliced (I used deli ham)
1 kohlrabi, peeled and cut into matchsticks
breadcrumbs

Start by peeling the kohlrabi. I used a y-shaped vegetable peeler, but a paring knife works as well. You want to remove all of the tough, outer layer. Cut into matchsticks or bite sized pieces.

Bring water to a boil, and cook the kohlrabi until tender, about 5 minutes or so. Drain. This smells like cooking cabbage, which isn't the most appealing. Power through.
In the same pot, bring more water to a boil to cook pasta.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 3 minutes.
Gradually whisk in milk.
Stir in onion and paprika and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened. About 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in pasta, kohlrabi, and ham.
Pour into a prepared baking dish, top with breadcrumbs, and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Comments

So Long, 1986 Kitchen

When we moved into this house, the kitchen was mostly functional, but ugly. Our house was built in 1986, and the kitchen showed everything that the 80s had to offer by way of style. Grainy oak cabinets, heavy hardware, beige laminate countertops, a white tile backsplash with little flowers painted on, and a weird tiny eat-in area that had been converted to a useless tile countertop that was impossible to keep clean. In the three years that we have lived here, I complained about the ugliness of the kitchen approximately 8,888,888,888,888 times. We discussed several iterations of this renovation ranging from taking down load-bearing walls, reconfiguring the layout, and gutting everything to just getting new cabinet hardware. This winter, when we had a few months without too many commitments, we tackled the renovation. Obviously, by we I mean that Jon did the bulk of the work, I complained about how many times I had to clean tile dust off th...

Peanut Sauce Spaghetti Squash Bowls

I know, it's been a while. Turns out wrangling three little boys doesn't leave a lot of time for recipe writing and food photos. We still eat, though, and pretty well! Mostly I share quick recipes and meals on my Facebook page At Home With Ann , so please follow me there! I love spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta. It's healthy, way lower in carbs and higher in vitamins. It's also easier to prep than zucchini noodles, and I think it stands up to hearty sauces better. I simply stab it with a sharp knife a few times, and roast it in a 400 degree oven for an hour, or until a knife easily slides through the skin. Let cool, cut open, discard seeds and shred with a fork. Spaghetti squash with meatballs is in our regular dinner rotation, but there is often a lot of leftover squash. This easy vegetarian dish is a perfect quick dinner or lunch, and if your kids don't go for the peanut sauce, there is plenty of cut veggies for them to eat. Peanut Sauce Spa...

My big sister and the egg sandwich that might cure her cancer

I usually like to keep things light hearted here At Home With Ann. Simple recipes, awkward jokes, toddler antics and kitchen fiascos. But we all experience times in life when we are thrown for a loop and face something that stops us in our tracks. I, like a classic control freak, tend to keep things to myself. Everything is under control, see? My house is clean, dinner is cooked, the dishes are done, I'm on schedule, I blow dried my hair, I don't need help. See? See? But this time it's not about me, it's not something I can control, and wishing it away won't actually make it go away. Me, my Mom and Sarah last Summer Three years ago my sister, Sarah, was diagnosed with a form of leukemia called AML (acute myeloid leukemia). My reaction was typical. This happens to other people. Not my 33 year old sister who lives by the ocean, gets tons of fresh air and exercise, and eats healthier than anyone who has ever entered Whole...

at home with ann

Search This Blog