Ahh...Macaroni and Cheese

Last night we ate in. This isn't really astounding for us on a Saturday night. In reality, we are far more likely to have dinner at home, since we aren't pressed for time. Upon scoping out the fridge and freezer at about 4 p.m., my son requested frozen pizza for dinner. While it was tempting to agree to toss those puppies in the oven at 6 p.m., my husband pointed out that we should save them for the middle of the week. So, to assuage my son's disappointment over the pizza, I made a perennial favorite - macaroni and cheese from scratch (Ah, comfort food!) and fried mushrooms.

Homemade mac and cheese is one of those dishes that is soooo easy, yet many people don't seem to make. Food like this hearkens back to my childhood - an idyllic time of coming home to a house permeated with the scent of yeast rolls, of slurping Kool-Aid popsicles on the patio while taking turns staring through the family telescope, of grabbing a handful of cookies before running outside to play all day. As I recreate comforting staples from my youth - like homemade mac and cheese - my spirits lift. I am reminded of the gifts in my life including the luxury of a stay-at-home mom who kept a spotless house, contributed to every school fundraiser, volunteered for every field trip, and brought homemade cookies and cupcakes to class on my birthday. My friends were envious, and I was oblivious. It took many years of watching other families to realize how lucky I was - but, I digress.

Last night's mac and cheese went over particularly well. Probably because I didn't add vegetables (which always annoys my son - the purist - "It's not called macaroni-vegetable casserole, Mom."), and I did add some chipotle sauce which gave the dish a satisfying depth. I also had a few odds and ends of grated cheese in the fridge, so I used those instead of industriously grating a new block (or bothering to open a new package of pre-grated. How lazy can I get?) Ultimately, the point is that comfort food works in many ways: it is usually easy to prepare; it brings back memories of a happy childhood, and it brings my family together adding new memories to conjure next time I take a bite of creamy cheese sauce with a hint of warmth and a little crunch from the crusty top layer.

Jenny's Macaroni and Cheese
Prepare a 16 oz package of pasta as directed on the label. (I like large elbow macaroni, but any shape will do. If you are going to add vegetables, or serve this to guests, you might consider bowtie pasta.) Use a large pan, since you will be adding the cheese sauce to it and need room to stir. If you plan to add vegetables, frozen peas and carrots work well. So does a mixture of frozen broccoli or cauliflower. Of course, if you have veggie leftovers, they're good too. Just defrost (if frozen) the veggies and add to the pasta water a couple of minutes before it is ready. Then drain with the pasta and continue.)

While the pasta cooks, make the cheese sauce.
4 Tablespoons butter
5 Tablespoons flour
2 cups of milk (If you have buttermilk or half and half, it will make the dish richer - a good
way to dress it up for company.)
8 ounces of cheese (Pick one you like, or add a mixture. Last night I had about 3 ounces of
sharp cheddar, 3 ounces of provolone, and 2 ounces of mozzarella.)

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth and golden (1 to 2 minutes). Add the milk all at once and stir continuously until the mixture becomes thick and bubbles. Remove from heat and add the cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and is evenly incorporated.

Drain the pasta (and veggies if used) and return it to the large pot. Add the cheese sauce and mix it gently, but completely. Add salt and pepper to taste. (I prefer less salt, more pepper.) Now is the time to play with seasonings. If you added Italian vegetables, why not throw in some basil, oregano, parsley, and garlic. If you added peas and carrots, try some paprika. Last night I didn't add any veggies, so I added some chipotle pepper sauce. This is not really a hot sauce, although you will find it on that aisle in the grocery store. The flavor of the chipotle is smoky and warm, but it doesn't have the mouth-tingling fire of Tobasco, so you can add quite a bit even if you are timid. I probably used 1.5 teaspoons before I was finished.

After adding any desired spices, turn the mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle the top with a little more cheese (I like parmesan) and toss it in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. The top will turn a light golden color and form a crispy crust that contrasts nicely with the creamy sauce.

Jenny's Fried Mushrooms
16 ounces of fresh mushrooms
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon of flour
1 cup of beer
Chili powder to taste
Vegetable oil for frying

Clean the mushrooms and pat them dry. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of flour over the mushrooms and toss gently to coat.

Mix the remaining 1 cup flour and 1 cup beer in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add the mushrooms to the batter and turn with a spoon until well coated.

Drop into hot (350 degrees) vegetable oil. (I use a fondue pot for this, since it has high sides to prevent splatters as well as a good temperature control.) Fry mushrooms until golden brown (about 4 minutes). Don't crowd in too many at once, since the temperature will drop and the mushrooms will be soggy. Drain on a paper towel lined baking sheet. (If you are making a lot of these for a party, pop the baking sheet into the oven to keep the mushrooms warm and crisp between batches.)

Serve with honey-mustard or your favorite dipping sauce.

These, too, have a lot of variations. Try adding Asian seasonings to the batter and serving with sweet and sour sauce. Another good one is adding Cajun seasonings to the batter (spice it up, baby!) and serving with a mayo, ranch, or sour cream dipping sauce to cool it down.