It only seems appropriate to kick off this blog with one of those foods that created this obsession in the first place. Those foods we grew up on, the standbys the ones Mom used to make that gave you that warm feeling inside and the most wonderful taste sensations on your tongue.
We all have old favorites from our childhood and new favorites in our adulthood. This is one of mine .... a lovely, oven baked pasta casserole with just a few simple ingredients. The kind of comfort food that makes me keep on eating just for the delicious taste and texture long after I am full. A simple pasta casserole cooked just right - a little 'al dente' with some sweet tomatoes and bathed in a lovely light creamy bechamel like sauce - but far easier to make.
The crowning glory - well what else - a lovely blend of your favorite melty salty cheeses, cooked until the cheese is gently caramelized and sweet and gooey and crispy around the edges.
Comfort food at it's simplest but you don't have to be a god to enjoy it ...
Decadent Macaroni and Cheese
This is Rose Murray's recipe (wonderful comfort food recipes and more to) with a bit of variation to suit my tastes. This recipe is in almost all of her cookbooks - a testament to how much it is loved. If you tend to like your food salty you will definitely want to add more salt than noted. Also - don't be tempted to add extra pasta.
This is a finely tuned recipe and if you add more pasta you will wreck it. So don't.
6 oz. macaroni (measure 3 1/2 c. when cooked)
1 1/2 - 2 c. grated cheese, half old cheddar & half mozzarella
1 - 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
3/4 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. yellow mustard
3/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
dash pepper
1 small egg
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp milk
Cook macaroni until al dente. Drain & pour into greased 8 c. casserole.
In small bowl shred cheeses & mix together. In another bowl stir together undrained tomatoes, sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, thyme, salt & 1/4 of the shredded cheeses. Pour over the pasta in the casserole dish & mix. Sprinkle cheeses on top. In small bowl stir egg w/ milk. Pour egg & milk mixture over top of cheese. Do not stir. Step away from the casserole. Tut! Tut! I see you - put that fork down & step away .... farther ... a little farther. ( far·ther –adverb 1. at or to a greater distance). Okay.
Now slip it into the oven & bake it at 350 Fahrenheit for 30 - 40 mins until caramelized & delicious looking. Let rest 5 mins. out of oven & enjoy with a lovely green salad.
Delicious and very comforting...how can you go wrong with cheese?!
ReplyDeleteOne good recipe deserves another - from my Grandmother's kitchen!
ReplyDeleteOld Fashioned Pea Soup:
A French Canadian Classic
2 c. dried yellow peas
2-3 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
8 c. cold water + water to soak peas
1 tsp. salt
2-3 pinches savory
1 ham bone with a bit of meat on it
1 c. carrots, sliced
In cold water, cover the peas and soak for 2 hours. Discard the water.
In large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onion. Add drained peas, 8 cups of water, salt, savory, and ham bone. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.
Add carrots and simmer for an additional 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender and the peas are mushy.
Serves 6-8.