Fresh Approach Cooking

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I believe there is something awry in my world when I can't convince any of my friends that they want to eat this. I just can't figure it out.

Look. I make food, I eat food, I go to the gym to work off said food, and then, I come home, and lo, there is still more food. Staring out at me from my fridge. Waiting to be consumed. Pleading with my guilty conscious not to be thrown out, or worse...but I am just one girl! A girl who cannot possibly eat as much as my eyes would have me. And yet...

So I offer the food to friends. I invite them over with alarming frequency. And when they show up, I ply them with tasty vittles. Or I drop it off at their homes. I'm just nice that way. Nice Rachael.

And they seem to like it.

But then came this. Ooey-gooey baked elbow pasta with cheese. Your basic North American food.

Scrumptious, calorie laden food. And I didn't even fancy it up! Oh no. No ham. No tomatoes. Not a sprig of thyme to be found nestled in its hallowed layers. Just pure carb and fat decadence.
Akin to blowing off a few meetings and going to the spa on a weekday to get a Swedish/Shiatsu combo massage from a blind man who leaves you so blissed out you forget dinner plans and end up... (Oh wait, I did that. And I ate the pasta...bad Rachael.) I mean...it's just really good.

Now if you were here in town, wouldn't you love to take a bite of this dish? Wouldn't you heed my call? Can't you just close your eyes and revel in its simplistic perfection? Seriously, wouldn't you want some? (And yes, Mr. Ombudsman who "passed," on a home delivery of this exact piece, I am talking to you. Training for a marathon? Bah.)

But sadly for me, you are reading this on line and we don't know each other well enough for me to be dropping food off on your doorstep...so instead I must encourage you to try this recipe. Try it, and devour it, and lick and smack your lips and know that you have done good. And next time I make it...maybe I can Fedex some to you...

1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk (this may vary), room temp is best
2 cups shredded cheese
salt and pepper
bread crumbs

Preheat your oven to 350F

Butter a 8x8 baking dish

In a saute pan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Whisk in the flour and stir to combine. Continue to cook for a minute or so. Add 1/8 cup of the milk, stir to combine. Repeat with another 1/8 cup of milk. Continue doing this, all the while stirring to make a creamy paste. When you have a thick, almost pudding like consistency, add the cheese and stir to melt. Stir in the pasta and pour into the baking dish.

Top with bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve.

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And yes, I know I said this was the best mac n' cheese ever...and it is, but I amend that to be in the "fancy" category. So there. (Actually, I totally forgot about that recipe until just now. Doh!)

Why did Yankee Doodle name the feather in his hat Macaroni? Macaroni was what they called the fancy trim popular on the hats of military officers then, like the stuff on the visor of naval officer hats now. Eduqna.com

Chicago-area real estate broker Tom Seefurth said he has created a pizza-flavored beer. Walter Payton's Roundhouse in Aurora, IL. will serve the pizza beer as long as the supply lasts. - KPTV Beaverton

Labels: Pasta, Side-Dish, Vegetarian