Gourmet Mac and Cheese: a fast and flexible one-dish meal

The broccoli retains its rich color but otherwise melts away

Gourmet Mac and Cheese with Langoustino and Broccoli

Prep time: 3 minutes
Cook time: about an hour

Tools needed:

1. micom rice cooker (it might work in a simple on/off rice cooker, but I haven't tested it yet)

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Dreamfield's Penne Regata pasta
2. 1 cup chicken broth
3. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or cheese blend
4. 1 cup frozen broccoli florets
5. 1 cup langoustino (aka crawdads, aka crayfish)
6. 1/4 cup milk (optional)

photo line-up of ingredients

Directions:

1. Put chicken broth and pasta into rice cooker bowl
2. put the broccoli on top of them and the langoustino on top of the broccoli
3. cook on white rice setting
4. There are two ways to finish this dish. A) If you happen to check your cooking before the cycle ends and find the pasta is done and there is still liquid left, mix in the cheddar cheese and you're done. B) If you let the cycle end and all the liquid is gone, add 1/4 cup milk along with the cheese and start another white rice cycle to warm the meal until the cheese melts

Ingredients are ready for the rice cooker

Some speedy measuring tips:

1 cup Dreamfields pasta weighs 112 grams. It's about four "fistfuls," once you calibrate your fist
1 cup chicken broth weighs 223 grams
1 cup shredded cheese weighs 84 grams
1 cup broccoli florets weighs 85 grams. It's about 2 and a half fistfuls.
1 cup langoustino weighs 170 grams