Comfort Food Saturdays: Macaroni & Cheese

From Gourmet magazine, August 2007

Ingredients:

For topping

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 2 cups panko (coarse Japanese bread crumbs) or 3 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from 6 slices firm white sandwich bread)
• 1/4 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

For macaroni and sauce

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 cups whole milk
• 1 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (6 cups)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 pound elbow macaroni

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.

Melt butter, then stir together with panko and topping cheeses in a bowl until combined well.

Make sauce:
Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes, then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in cheeses, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth. Remove from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper.

Make Macaroni:
Cook macaroni in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 4 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain macaroni in a colander. Stir together macaroni, reserved cooking water, and sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to 2 buttered 2-quart shallow baking dishes.

Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.

Notes: · Topping can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
· Half of dish can be baked in 10 (6- to 8-ounce) ramekins for children (with remaining half baked in a 2-quart baking dish for adults).

This makes a huge amount of mac ‘n’ cheese so I actually split the recipe and still had a ton. The result of cheese-y and creamy with wonderful golden topping, easily left out if you so prefer.

Comfort food is a great thing. :0)

I give this recipe 7.5 chips out of a bag of 10.

Comfort Food Saturday: Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 cups leftover cooked white rice
• 3 cups milk (I use 1%)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• pinch of  salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg

Directions:

Combine rice, milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to simmer while stirring in vanilla.  Cook for approximately 30 mins., until almost all the milk is absorbed.  Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon and nutmeg.  Serve warm or chilled.

I needed some comfort this week.  My Uncle L. passed away from bone cancer and while I wanted to go home for his funeral, circumstances would not allow it.  This dish reminds me of home,  when my Mom used to make it for me, and when life was much less complicated than it is now.   The rice is creamy and sweet with the delicious notes of cinnamon and the more subtle nutmeg in the background.  Feel free to add raisins to this dish when you add the vanilla.  I didn’t have any on hand the day I made this but I know it would make a great addition.

I give this recipe 8 chips out of a bag of 10.

Comfort Food Saturdays: Quick Brownie Pudding

Lately I have been craving the comfort foods of my childhood and one thing I can distinctly remember is my Mom standing over the stove making homemade chocolate pudding.  While this isn’t my Mom’s recipe (it’s actually by Lisa Slater), this is a real treat.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you when you find yourself licking the bowl!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
• 2 tbsp.  (30mL) cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. (30mL) cocoa
• 1 cup (250mL) milk
• 3.5 oz. (100g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tbsp. (7mL) butter
• 1/2 tsp. (2mL)  vanilla extract

Place sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and milk in a medium sized heavy saucepan.  Whisk to blend.

Add the chocolate and salt.

Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring gently but constantly as it cooks.

Simmer for 1 minute or until it is thickened and glossy.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and vanilla.  Stir until smooth.

Pour the pudding into six 4-oz (125mL) serving cups.  Serve warm or cool.

I love this recipe!  So easy and quick (only takes about 15 mins. to do from start to finish!) and tastes wonderfully chocolately.  I only had about half the bittersweet chocolate required in the house so I substituted the rest with chocolate chips.  Yummy, yummy, yummy!  My 6 year old daughter reports that it is even better than the bought pudding cups that we normally get.

I give this recipe 8 chips out of a bag of 10.