I really believe in sharing recipes with others. If I have a friend who is suffering, and I can not be with her physically, I send her a recipe. Buttermilk Waffles, Coconut Rice, Crock Pot Chicken, Macaroni and Cheese-- those are all physical representations of love, hugs, and warm quilts, wrapped in the disguise of food. Is there anything more hug-worthy than home cooked Mac & Cheese?
Everybody has their own version of homemade Macaroni and Cheese, don't they? But, mine is special. It is special because it was given to me, shared with me by a dear friend who will now be referred to as JM. JM has a knack for good recipes. She is a foodie in her own right, but she truly appreciates down home cooking and the joy of comfort food. A few years ago, she put together a little book of favorite recipes which she gifted to family members and good friends for Christmas. I was lucky enough to receive her book. Though I own a fair share of cookbooks, from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking to the Disney Magic Kitchen Cookbook, JM's book is a bright star that shines on my shelf. S0 I thought I'd share the wealth with y'all. With JM's permission, here is her mother's Macaroni and Cheese recipe.
1 cube butter
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. chicken bullion (or 1/2 cube Knorr's chicken bullion cube)
2 cups milk
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. lowery's seasoned salt
dash of pepper
dash of nutmeg
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups gruyere (I've also used jarlsberg in a pinch and it was magnificent.)
Boil 16 oz. pasta (JM prefers shells because the cheese wells up inside. I tend to agree with her). While pasta is cooking, make your white sauce. In medium sauce pan, melt butter. Add flour and whisk for two minutes. Add milk, mustard, seasoned salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Continue stirring over medium heat until sauce is thickened.
In a casserole dish, layer: 1/2 pasta, 1/2 cheese, 1/2 pasta, 1/2 cheese. Pour white sauce over the top. Sprinkle 1/2 cup bread crumbs on top. Bake for 35 minutes at 350.
This dish is so comfortable that I am always bursting at the seams to share it with others. In fact, it is the "star" of my standard meal I take to mothers of newborn babies. It is the epitome of comfort food.
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6 comments:
Funny -- Dean made homemade mac & cheese just today (I think he winged it without a recipe.) He was looking for boxed mac & cheese but we didn't have any -- we never got the knack of keeping it around, since Ike's allergic to milk. Dean's version used shells, but he also added peas, which is a minus for me. It was still pretty good, but the kids picked out the shells and left the peas, so his attempt to add some veggie nutrition didn't really do the trick.
My love language is more in sewing tips or craft ideas than recipes, but I do like eating the results of the good recipes. My brother made a cheese sauce yesterday with regular cheddar, aged white cheddar, gruyere, and one other cheese I can't remember -- anyway, it was very, very good.
Zina, that sounds the good (your brother's cheese sauce...not the peas in mac & cheese). Thank you for reading my blog. I miss you!
Becca, you're amazing! What a thoughtful thing to send a recipe to an ailing friend you can't actually take food to. Your love language must be service. Mine must be words of affirmation since I tend to write notes for my ailing loved ones. Notes with food sounds like a good union of two languages!
I am going to keep this yummy looking recipe on file for the next time I need a good serving of comfort.
This sounds yummy.
Wow, Becca. I got this recipe just in time! I just made a few batches of this tonight to deliver to some friends in the ward who have either just had babies or are ill. This stuff is amazing! Anyway, gotta go hit the gym now.
Becca, I've come back to thank you for the recipe. I made a 9 x 13 inch pan for an extended Family Dinner and it was the only thing there to get completely devoured. So Yummy!!
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