With the exception of my mom, pretty much everyone else likes mac and cheese. Unless you don’t like pasta. Or cheese. Otherwise, for all you pasta and cheese lover people out there, here is a simple and easy mac n’ cheese recipe that I whipped up for lunch. It contains onions and garlic, so I guess it isn’t “pure” in cheesy creamy goodness. But I love both of those things, so there they are.
Serve with a fresh salad, just for kicks, or to balance all that fat and carbs.
Cat’s Mac n’ Cheese
makes enough for 4 servings
8 oz. dried elbow macaroni pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 c. milk, warmed in the microwave
2 c. grated sharp cheddar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Fill a pasta pot or a large pot half full with water and bring to a boil. In the mean time, melt butter in a saucepan. Toss in the onion and garlic and let them sweat on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and cook until soft and lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for a few more minutes. Add the milk and quickly whisk until smooth. Add the nutmeg and mustard. Heat until bubbly and thick. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Eat some sauce with a spoon. Season again with salt and pepper. Do not under salt.
Cook the pasta until al dente, following the directions on the package. Drain well and toss in the cheese sauce. Serve hot and happy.
And oh yes, it is worth mentioning here too that my laptop has died. And strangely enough, it chose the precise moment when I sat down in front of it to leave this earth. Like it wanted me to watch its demise. The poor thing probably hated me right till the bitter end.
The KitchenMaid 