Because I am a grown up, I have to clean my own kitchen for hours at a time.
Sad.
Because I am a grown up, I can have macaroni & cheese for dinner with a glass of whiskey.
Yay!
Last night I treated the hubster and myself to some yummy, made from scratch macaroni & cheese after a hard day of scrubbing. My best friend in all the world is coming to visit this Friday for which I am beyond excited. However, having guests come to stay over is sort of like when, in crime shows, they spray luminol all over the floor and it lights up like a firework. You just look at your space with a much more critical eye and realize THAT ALL THE THINGS need cleaning. ALL. THE. THINGS.
So, I have been working overtime to do a deep clean on the whole house. Hence, macaroni & cheese.
It’s a simple enough recipe that could easily be made lighter with a few substitutions. Also, it’s basic enough that it begs for add-ins and experimentation!
Because it’s mac’n’cheese, and I have the mutant ability to eat ALL THE MACARONI, I served it up in individual ramekins to help with portion control, which I believe came out to about one-cup of cooked mac’n’cheese per ramekin, i.e. a serving size of 2 oz according to the Inter-webs.
Anyhow, enjoy the recipe! (Whiskey is optional but highly recommended.)
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni (made four cups cooked)
2 TBSP flour
1 cup milk
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
dash of nutmeg
salt & pepper to tast
1. Preheat oven to 220C.
2. Cook macaroni according to the package. Drain. Set aside and have ready. Try and make sure its still a bit warm for when you mix it with the sauce in step 4. Just makes things a bit easier.
3. In a large non-stick saucepan, whisk milk and flour together over medium heat. Whisk continuously to avoid getting any lumps. (Tip: have your cheese nearby and handy.) After a few minutes of whisking, you will notice the mixture will start to thicken. Like magic. Like sauce magic. Once this happens, add in your cheeses, dash of nutmeg, salt, pepper and keep whisking. You may need to add more milk if the sauce is too thick. It’s really about you and your preferences. You can add more cheese if you like it cheesier. You can add more milk if you’d like it a bit saucier. This is also when you could add in some fried up bits of bacon or perhaps some greek yogurt (which means you could probably cut down on the cheese or milk), etc. The world is yours! Stir until cheeses are well incorporated. Turn off heat.
4. Mix cooked macaroni into the sauce and make sure macaroni is completely covered.
5. Distribute macaroni & cheese between four buttered ramekins.
6. Put in the oven for about 20 minutes or so. The idea is to get some color on the top.
7. Take out and let cool for about five minutes. Be careful as they will be very, very hot.
8. Serve with something green!
9. Drink your whiskey! (optional)
This is a great recipe for a cold night or when you feel like wearing nothing but yoga pants because you are A BOSS. And, happy to report it got a thumbs up from The Hub who ate TWO ramekins of joy. TWO. How I envy his metabolism.
xoxoxo
G
Moments Overlooked 