About Seasoning Mixes & Mac 'n' Cheese

Yesterday I spoke of my love for Pizza My Heart container peppers and how I used them to create a seasoning mix of onions, celery, parsley and peppers.

Seasoning mixes, like the one I created, have been staples in world cuisine for ages.  Some other variations include:

• Puerto Rico's sofrito containing onions, hot peppers, garlic, cilantro, culantro and plum tomatoes
• France's mirepoix containing celery or celeriac, onions, and carrots
• Italy's soffritto containing olive oil , water or wine, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, salt and pepper
•  Cajun cuisine's "holy trinity" containing onions, celery and bell peppers

In celebration of seasoning mixes, I want to share the recipe below that uses the seasoning mix I created.  Enjoy!

Turkey, Broccoli Mac and Cheese

serves 6

non-stick cooking spray
3 cups chicken broth
1 can (10 ounce) cream of broccoli soup
1 cup evaporated milk
1 packet (1.5 ounce) four cheese sauce mix
12 ounces dried elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 cup seasoning mix
1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1. Coat a 5 quart slow cooker liner with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Pour the chicken broth, cream of broccoli soup, evaporated milk and four cheese sauce mix into the slow cooker liner and whisk together until smooth. Add the elbow macaroni and shredded cheese and stir until combined.

3. In a microwave-safe 2 quart casserole dish place the ground turkey. Cover with a lid and microwave on HIGH for 5 to 6 minutes until the meat is cooked and the juices run clear. Drain off excess fat and break meat into clumps. Pour the cooked ground turkey into the crockpot liner.

4.  Add the broccoli, seasoning mix and garlic into casserole dish and stir until combined.   Microwave covered for 2 to 3 minutes until the broccoli is tender crisp.  Pour vegetables into the crockpot liner.  Stir to combine with the other ingredients.

5. Place the liner into the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, until macaroni is tender.

VARIATIONS: Try using cheddar cheese soup in place of the cream of broccoli for a stronger cheese flavor. Replace the ground turkey, with ground chicken, ground beef or vegetarian meat crumbles. No broccoli? Add some of your other favorite veggies, like carrot and/or zucchini circles, green beans, sugar snap peas, chopped greens, etc.