Leftover Heaven

One of the best things about making a large casserole for dinner is having the leftovers at school. For the last two days I have enjoyed home made macaroni and cheese for lunch, much to the envy of those around me with pbj's or (gulp!) t.v. dinners. I suspect Jeff gets tired of eating the same leftovers for everyday; however, I do not. I relish the comfort of a hot casserole steaming on my plate sending enticing aromas throughout the office. Perhaps he doesn't enjoy lunch as much because he eats alone while I am surrounded by a pack of cackling English teachers spouting grade-grubber and stupid-kid stories during our daily adult face time.

This batch of macaroni and cheese was particularly good, and has drawn admiration from several of my friends. Having recently discovered the flavorful properties of bacon grease in the Cracker Barrel fried apples, I decided to up the ante on my casserole with some of the good stuff. This was made all the easier because I've recently started cooking up a batch of bacon on Sunday afternoon to dole out for breakfast during the week. Thus, not only did some of the bacon grease make it into the casserole, but the some of the freshly cooked bacon as well, which came off the burner about the time my pot of salted water began to boil. When the large elbow macaroni went into the drink, I began the cheese sauce in the bacon pan. I used some of the bacon drippings to make a thick white sauce (aka gravy - since the only real difference between cream gravy and white sauce is the use of grease instead of butter). When my sauce was done, I added grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese and stirred until it was smooth and creamy. Meanwhile I drained the macaroni and stirred in a package of (defrosted) chopped mixed vegetables (I like cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli), a few pieces of chopped up bacon, and a little shredded chicken I had leftover in the fridge. After dousing all of this with the warm cheese sauce and adding a good dose of black pepper, it went into a baking dish and a 350 degree oven for about half an hour. When the timer went off, the casserole was soft and bubbly inside with just a hint of golden crust on top. Why would anyone choose a box over this? The brightly colored veggies nestled amid the rich cheese sauce and half-rounds of pasta are pretty and yummy, too. They make such a satisfying meal that I can't help looking forward to every bite. Ultimately, when I reheat my container of leftovers, I'm not just eating lunch. I'm inhaling the lovely aroma of Sunday afternoon. Ahh...