Comfort Food 101

This time of year always reminds me of macaroni and cheese.  Some of my earliest memories of the dish are from Halloween, perhaps because it was a special occasion for my brother and me. It was one of the things about the holiday I always looked forward to.  

When you think about comfort food, macaroni and cheese is generally atop most people's lists; it is definitely on the top of mine. I cannot help but order it every time I see it on a menu, if not solely to compare it to the last time I tasted it. This has given me the opportunity to try many varieties, like mac’n’cheese with truffles, as well as a fantastic lobster version (ooo-eee!). Also, it is one of the few things that I could never get sick of; I could eat mac’n’cheese until I felt ill. I believe it is one of the most delicious culinary inventions of all time- have I said enough already?



Surprisingly enough, it is a tricky business to choose the macaroni and cheese recipe that is right for you. I have tried everything from Emeril’s $45 concoction to the $3 boxed Kraft catastrophe. I kept trying recipes, looking for one I loved, and when after months the right one hadn't come along, I had to think back to the roots of the dish. That’s when Paula Dean popped into my head. Her rendition of the classic is simple to execute and has great flavor and creaminess. But best of all, the price is right! As opposed to the über-gourmet recipes that use numerous cheeses, keeping to one keeps the cost down.

I have brought this to a Thanksgiving dinner for 12 people, and I’ve made it for no one but myself. Its irresistibility allows it to fit in anywhere and I have given this recipe to more people than any other in my repertoire. It is my pleasure to share something I feel very strongly about with as many people that care to find out. Most of all, I believe its good for your soul—a true soul food. It leaves you feelings satisfied and warm inside, deeming it the ultimate comfort food.

So if you are looking for something to cook for yourself or your little ones, don't forget about this mac'n'cheesy goodness!

Happy eating,

Lindsay

Mac’n’Cheese
Adapted from Paula Dean's The Lady's Cheesy Mac

2 cups macaroni

2½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese*

3 eggs, beaten

½ cup sour cream

1 10.75-ounce can condensed cheddar cheese soup

4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

½ teaspoon salt, plus 2 tablespoons for pasta water (optional)

1 cup whole milk

½ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup crushed Corn Flakes or Panko

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13” x 9” glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a large pot, boil 6 cups of water over high heat. Just before adding the macaroni to the pot, add 2 tablespoons of salt to season the water. Add the macaroni and cook so that it has softened but not cooked through, about x-x minutes.** When macaroni is just undercooked, drain into colander.  

When the excess water is drained, return macaroni to pot. Add the eggs, sour cream, soup, butter, salt, milk, mustard and pepper. Stir well and set aside.

Pour macaroni mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle the crushed Cornflakes or Panko over the top in an even layer.  Bake for 40 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown.

* I use Tillamook extra-sharp cheddar cheese. It can be found at any grocery store and, in terms of flavor, you get the most bang for your buck.

** Cooking pasta so that it is very al dente is very important. Boiling the pasta so that it is fully cooked will produce mushy mac’n’cheese because it cooks more in the oven.  Careful to keep pasta from over-cooking by draining the pasta several minutes before al dente. Then when the pasta is cooked again with the cheese mixture in the oven, it will achieve the perfect noodle texture.