H’s Swap: 9-14 “Fancy Mac-n-Cheese”

KIDS’ COMFORT FOOD FOR FIRST WEEK BACK TO SCHOOL

Shalinee~~

So, the big kids start school this week. I’m so happy our kids all go to the same crazy school! My contribution to this week’s swap is comfort food for our kiddos’ first week. What could make a kindergartner happier than mac-n-cheese for dinner? My meal was on our table for our “Back To School Dinner 2010.”

The mac-n-cheese:

I haven’t made homemade macaroni and cheese for at least a couple of years. This is mainly because K & O love Annie’s so much, that it makes life simple to just buy the boxes of the stuff (and boxes and boxes and boxes!!!). But I’m so glad I made this mac-n-cheese from scratch because it is amazing!!!!!! Seriously the best mac-n-cheese we’ve ever had. In the past, if making homemade mac-n-cheese I always made my mom’s recipe (which is great in its own right). But I knew about this recipe in Barefoot Contessa Family Style (Ina Garten’s cookbooks = my absolute favorites), and had always wanted to try it. One word: Gruyere. That should say it all! It was awesome, and just different enough to make it worth the while. We had never had tomatoes on our mac-n-cheese before, but it seemed like the perfect September (back to school and tomato season!) thing to do. K & O have officially named it “Fancy Macaroni” — I hope you guys love it as much as we do! To prepare the mac-n-cheese:

• I’ve put the actual mac-n-cheese in a tupperware so that it doesn’t spill. warm it in microwave a bit just to ‘melt’/soften it, and then dump it into a shallow baking dish. (or, split into two dishes and freeze half for another time– there is a LOT).
• slice tomatoes and lie on top.
• sprinkle *generously* with the bread crumbs (the amount I’ve given you is the amount that the recipe calls for).
• Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes ’till bubbly and gooey and mac-n-cheesey!

Here’s the recipe, from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Family Style:

kosher salt

vegetable oil

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 quart milk

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup flour

4 cups grated Gruyere cheese

2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 pound fresh tomatoes

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

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Preheat oven to 375. Boil pasta until al dente then drain well. Heat milk in small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt 6 Tbs butter in a large pot, add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the cheeses, 1 Tbs. salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add cooked pasta and stir well. Pour into baking dish. Slice tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt remaining 2 Tbs butter, combine with bread crumbs, and sprinkle on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and browned on top.

The salad:

This french salad dressing was my favorite when I was a kid. My mom used to make it all the time. I have no idea where it originated. It is now my kids’ favorite (this and store-bought ranch!). I didn’t know if you wanted to make an actual ‘salad’ or if your kids would like it better as a dip for veggies… so I just gave you a few salad ingredients and you can do whatever your kids (and you) will like best. FYI– my favorite way to eat this dressing is drizzled on a big salad with diced sharp cheddar cheese and a scoop of tuna salad on top; Owen’s favorite way to eat this dressing is as a dip with plain cheese quesadillas (instead of sour cream and salsa) –weird mix, but I gotta say: the kid’s got taste!–it actually is a great combo.

Here’s the recipe:

1 cup vegetable oil (not olive oil)

1/4 cup vinegar

2/3 cup ketchup

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp paprika

1/2 of a medium sized white or yellow onion

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Mix all together in Cuisinart or blender until completely combined and emulsified.

The bread:

Braydon’s from-scratch-sourdough! He’s on another bread-making-kick! and you’re on the receiving end with us!

ENJOY!

* * *

from Heather

to Shalinee
date Thurs, Sep 16, 2010 at 10:16 AM

subject  noodles & dumplings

well, your dinner was one of our favorites yet.
Meera kept saying “More Bawk-Bawk!” (i.e., “more chicken”—-  ‘bawk bawk’ = the sound a chicken makes)  Kyle was enthralled with the rice. I think he had 5ths or 6ths of it….  with spoonfuls of “sauce” (the sauce from the chicken dish) on it.  Owen couldn’t get his mind off the mac-n-cheese and just kept begging for leftovers of that! LOL!
Honestly, Braydon and I *love* and *appreciate* everything Indian that you make us. We feel like it is such an incredibly special thing for us to get to have that…  I can’t even explain how much we love/appreciate every bite.
xo
hbj