Spotlight - The Pasta Family 5: Macaroni In Space by Michael Ciccolini

84 Pages

May The Sauce Be With You!!!

A short time ago in a galaxy very, very close to this one....the Pasta Family goes cosmic! When little Annaleenie tries to save her family's Sunday dinner with store-bought sauce, she goes where no Macaroni has gone before -- into an outer space adventure of fun, action, spaceships, jet-boots and giant, menacing meatball monsters! Will Annaleenie be able to stop the world-destroying plan of space villain Verma Chelly?
Will she face her fears to save the galaxy?

Will she learn the value of the friendship of her loyal crew before it's too late? The answers await in this, the most epic, most spectacular, most futuristic and sci-fy-est adventure of The First Family Of Macaroni

About the Creators...

Lifelong Newark, New Jersey resident, 77 year-old mother of five and grandmother of two MARGUERITE CICCOLINI has created and published the delightful illustrated children's books series "THE PASTA FAMILY", an all-ages continuing adventure of a little girl's life, dreams, family, friendships and triumphs.

With humor, warmth, wit, charm and action, THE PASTA FAMILY books impart simple life lessons and morals, and make family values fun.

Written and rendered from the very heart of one of the East Coast's oldest and largest Italian-American neighborhoods, the stories have the authentic feel of an Italian-American Sunday Dinner.   All the characters are based on the numerous array of pasta shapes you'll find in many households.  Macaroni comes to life -- and a new way to experience illustrated storytelling is here.

The Pasta Family Children's Books can be purchased online!

The Pasta Family Trailer on YouTube!

Here's a pasta favourite that my family loves...

Simply Baked Mac & Cheese

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (7 ounces)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded or cubed Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Cook macaroni in salted boiling water until almost soft (al dente). Drain well. 

While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constanly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.

Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

To make buttered crumbs:
Combine 2/3 cup of bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of softened butter and mix.

Extras:  Some nights we throw some bacon in with the mix and other times sausage, chicken, turkey...servers about 4 to 8 people depending on portions!