Improving Childhood Recipes Part 1: Mac N Cheese

Mac n' cheese out of a box was a weekly staple in our home growing up. Easy and quick to make, it was our go to meal when friends stopped in, or to hold us over after school until dinner. Now a meal I keep on hand in case of emergencies and power outages, occasionally I get that craving and I have begun to come up with a myriad of ways to adjust the boxed dinner to the adult palate.  To start I use Annie's organic shells or the Trader Joe's version. Even though you can skip the butter in these recipes, I prefer the richness it contributes so I use my Earth Balance spread. I attempt to balance out the fat content of the mac n cheese by adding a veggie packed with antioxidants: sauteed spinach. To help add a new dimension of flavor I threw in some caramelized shallots and topped it off with a sprinkle of reduced fat shredded cheese (there goes that balance). Another version I made recently combined canned tuna, sauteed broccoli, and minced garlic. My husband's favorite is to just add some tomato sauce. What is your favorite way to make mac n' cheese?

Patriotic Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries

I've had steel cut oats before, but I have always bought them at my favorite coffee shop, Greenberry's. I always let them do the hard work, cooking the steel cut oats for half an hour in a huge black kettle. When I saw them in the store I decided to cheat and get the "Ready in 5" box, I could've cheated more and bought the "almost instant."I topped off my oats with sweetly fragrant sliced strawberries and New Jersey grown plump blueberries. No added sugar needed, the natural sweetness of the fruit perfectly complemented the oats. What are you eating that is Red, White, and Blue this week?