What I Love This Week

I am one of those most fortunate of women- when it comes to food I married well. My husband finds cooking relaxing and enjoyable- two things I can’t always say about it. However, I find eating relaxing and enjoyable so it works out.

Shortly after we were married he suggested having macaroni and cheese with dinner and when I asked, “Oh, do we have some Kraft macaroni and cheese mix?” the look on his face was more appalled than if I had suggested puppy kebabs as the entrée. He could not believe I ate boxed mac and cheese as an adult (seriously, who doesn’t?) and went on to lecture me that the macaroni was the only natural ingredient in the entire mess. Thus began my love affair with the rich creamy warming deliciousness that is J’s mac and cheese.

It is a little misleading to call this my love of the week because it is a dish  I could eat every day. Sometimes, I crave it. I can also eat a stupid amount of it and I do not share. J gets a portion the night he makes it but ¾ of the pan is mine. He accepts this in the same way I accept he needs a car, a truck, and a motorcycle.

I’m not being my usual stingy self in not sharing the recipe- there really isn’t one. He is one of those ‘taste’ chefs who only uses as a recipe as a jumping off point. It starts with a béchamel sauce but from there it varies each time with 3 or 4 cheeses, whole milk, and a dash of cayenne pepper- a wonderful addition that gives it a little kick without overwhelming the cheese. Then its panko bread crumbs on top and into the oven.

I could have included a photo of a portion on a plate but that would have required too much restraint on my part (despite the fact that we even had guests!). YUM!!!