Happy 2015! I was so ready to see the old year go, and I
have high hopes for this new one.
To celebrate, how about a warm dish of comfort—homemade
macaroni and cheese! I know for those of you with weight-loss resolutions this might
not be the recipe to start off the year. For me, when the cold January winds
are blowing and the glow of the holidays starts to fade, I want comfort food to
warm my winter meals.
The great thing about mac and cheese is the flexibility of
the recipe. Pretty much any melting cheese and seasonings will work. Just
follow your taste buds. I made this one with Gruyere and extra-sharp cheddar,
but in the past I've used Fontina, provolone, and Monterey
jack. This one also has dried English mustard and a touch of cayenne pepper,
but sometimes I add a little nutmeg, too. I recently saw a TV chef add cooked
kale to a mac and cheese, and I plan to try adding some cooked spinach to my
next one. Ham, bacon, and grilled chicken also make great additions. Once you
have the basic recipe, you can play around with it however you like.
New Year Mac and Cheese
Serves 6 to 8 people
1 pound elbow macaroni
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
1 quart whole milk
3 cups grated Gruyere cheese
3 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar
1 to 2 teaspoons ground English mustard, to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add some salt to the
water (enough so it tastes like the sea), add the macaroni, and cook until just
done—tender but still a bit firm. Drain and set aside.
Using the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk
in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Once the flour-butter
mixture is combined with the milk, switch to a spoon and stir until the mixture
thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses
until melted and combined. Stir in the flavorings and then the cooked macaroni. Mix until well combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30
to 35 minutes, or until bubbly and browned on top.
To make ahead, cover the dish of macaroni and cheese before
baking and place into the refrigerator of freezer. When ready to bake, remove
the dish and place it into the preheated oven. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or
until browned and bubbly. (If the mixture is frozen, cover with foil for the first 30 minutes of baking, and then remove to brown.)
3 comments:
Comfort goodness at its best, Linda. Happy New Year to YOU!!!
YUM! I have to laugh. My birthday was just a few weeks ago and for my birthday meal I made mac & cheese ... loaded up with pimentos, onions and cayenne pepper and made with smoked Gouda and sharp Cheddar. You are so right when you say the possibilities are endless for good mac & cheese comfort food!
I came to post almost the same thing as Louise -- Your mac 'n cheese looks like comfort food at its finest.
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