Weekend Company {Guest Blogger Katrin}

Good Morning. Welcome to another weekend. We are enjoying a 3 day weekend due to Fall Break at Monkey's school, and for that we are very thankful!

Today's guest is a fellow blogger, and the first time I saw her Blog name I couldn't stop laughing. It's just too cute, and so incredibly clever! So, grab a cup of coffee, or hot cocoa, and please welcome Katrin to EMM~

Katrin, or Betty Martha as her close friends like to call her is the lady behind Running with the Deviled Eggs blog. Running With the Deviled Eggs is a food diary with everyday recipes for the novice to advanced cooks with a little tune to keep you dancing in the kitchen.

A recent newlywed and mother of 1 fabulous teenager (Little Ugh), Katrin spends her time in her kitchen dancing around to music from all genres while trying to prepare healthy and tasty dishes for her family. She tries to keep her ingredients as fresh and as local as possible, keeping frozen or pre packaged foods out of her cupboards.

When she is not in her own kitchen she spends her time at work, in another kitchen, baking cakes, cupcakes, and other various desserts.

Her mantra - Food for your mouth, Fuel for your soul!

Please feel free to check out her blog at your leisure or over on her fan page on Facebook.

Chicken and Broccoli Mac n Cheese

2 pre cooked chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 head broccoli cut into small florets
Small pasta shells
11/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar & 1/2 c. mozzarella
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 c. milk
1 c. chicken stock
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
2 tsp. cumin
salt & fresh cracked pepper

A few steps are avoided if you have leftover chicken breasts, you could use a quick pick up rotisserie chicken from the store too or simply bake some chicken off ahead of time.

Wash and chop your broccoli into small florets, you want them to be slightly larger than your shells.
Set aside.
Chop your cooked chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes (I find it easier to chop chicken if it has been chilled)

Next, have a large pot of water boiling and add a few pinches of sea salt.
Add in your pasta (I didn't give an amount because it is really a matter of how much you plan to make - the sauce will make enough to serve 4-6) and stir right away to make sure the pasta doesn't stick.
Note - since you will finish in the sauce you cook to the instructions on your package less 2 minutes.
About 4-5 minutes in you are going to add your broccoli to the pasta to cook alongside.

The sauce only takes a few minutes to prepare so you can start that step just before you add the broccoli to the pasta.
In a saucepan melt butter on medium heat. Whisk in the flour, which will then form a paste. Cook this for a minute or two to get rid of the flour taste. Add in the cumin and thyme. Slowly stir in half of the chicken stock (mixing with a whisk is easier than a spoon to achieve a smooth consistency) and the milk and bring to a boil - it will start to thicken. Add in more of the stock as you see fit - some like it really thick, some a more thinner sauce.
Finally add in your cheeses and stir to combine.
Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Drain pasta and broccoli and then return to the pot, spoon in the sauce and add chicken.
Serve hot.

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