White Mac & Cheese and Greek Style Chicken Salad

Mac & Cheese Recipe:

1-1 lb box penne pasta
2-12 oz. cans evaporated milk
2 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
3 - 8 oz. pkg shredded italian blend cheese
2 - 5 oz. pkg. shredded parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Cook Pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

In a large mixing bowl combine evaporated milk, salt, pepper, cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Stir in cooked pasta until well combined. Spoon into prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, stir together reserved parmesan and panko. Spread evenly over top of pasta and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Below is the finished product. It was cheesy, ooey, gooey goodness - oh so yummy. This makes 8 - 10 servings.

Salad Recipe:

1/2 red onion, diced fine

1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt (in my store this is called "Fage")

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 2 tsp dried)

Grated peel of 1 lemon

Lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs

3 romaine hearts, chopped

1 English cucumber, chopped

1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved

In a bowl combine, onion, yogurt, dill, lemon peel, lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and put in fridge til ready to serve.

In a large bowl toss the romaine, cucumber and tomatoes, set aside til chicken is ready.

Preheat a grill (I have a small indoor grill that I used). Brush the chicken with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook on grill - about 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice.

Combine dressing with salad and mix well - this is a rather thick dressing but quite easy to mix - be patient. I decided not to combine the chicken and salad so that both would keep if there were leftovers. We served the salad and topped it with the chicken individually. Below is the salad with the dressing combined.


This was a yummy meal - we got our starch, our dairy, lots of veggies and some protein as well. The salad was a nice change. For anyone that enjoys Greek food - especially Tzaziki sauce - this dressing is a similar flavor along with a fresh splash of lemon. Hope you give it a try and enjoy.