When I was an elementary school student, we lived in London, Ontario. My mum and dad both worked and so on days when we didn’t have school – like a snow day or some other sort of holiday – my sister and I would go to my Uncle Harvey and Aunt Sharon’s house.
It is true that we loved going to their home. My Uncle was loads of laughs and my Aunt a really good cook. Plus she was my first piano teacher and possibly my hero. I remember that their house on McKay Street always smelled yummy. It was a gentle, sweet aroma that made promises of the good things to come.
One of my favorite things that Aunt Sharon made for lunch was Kraft dinner. That’s right! Macaroni and Cheese was my food-love back then and it is to this day. Back then we had our Kraft dinner with slices of hot dog mixed in it and sometimes some salad on the side. Once in a while she followed it with a two layer yellow cake frosted with chocolate icing. But, nothing satisfied my comfort-food-craving-heart like that mac and cheese.
Since then my tastes have matured a bit – and with the knowledge that maybe bright orange cheese powder in a packet might not be the healthiest, freshest way to make the dish – I’ve been trying a new recipe now and again.
I’ve been down many mac-n-cheese roads involving exotic cheeses, bacon, hidden veggies, eggs, whipping cream and well, probably more bacon, not to mention all of the assorted shapes and sizes of pasta.
Which brings me to the glorious event of tonight. Tonight I made the simplest version of homemade macaroni and cheese – I actually had all of the ingredients on hand. And guess what? It was heaven in a 9×13 pan! I know all you southern cooks have your mama’s recipe to use, and it is the best and all – but, I do not. My mum doesn’t believe in eating carbs. Just kidding! (sort of.)
I feel it is only right to share the recipe with you here, in case you’re one of my Canadian relatives who also needs the blessing of a good homemade macaroni and cheese recipe- or maybe you want it because you’re a serious comfort food – carb lover like me. (This is my version of baked macaroni and cheese, taken from the Rachelcooks blog.
MACARONI AND CHEESE (believe me, it IS the cheesiest!)
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 pound (4 cups) shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (I used some yellow, and some white.
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup of 2% milk, 1 cup of whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons butter
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray or grease a casserole dish or a 9×13 pan.
- Cook macaroni as directed on the package in salted water until tender.
- While macaroni is cooking, combine 2 and 1/2 cups of cheese with dry ingredients (flour, ground mustard, salt and pepper).
- Combine cheese and dry ingredient mixture with hot macaroni and pour into the greased pan. Pour milk over macaroni. Top with remaining cheese and dot with butter.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until firm and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes or so. Try not to eat it right away out of the pan!
You should definitely make this soon!
daily portion 