Wonderful Wednesday Wrecipes...

In honor of the daughter unit moving her shit stuff back to Boston: one Ford Escape load (THANK YOU Joanne!!!!!!) and one Corolla load- yes- 2 trips in and out of Boston in one day! 100 miles of driving! Hot weather! No food until 4:00 at Ikea:

( I got the Swedish Meatballs)

here's today's recipe:

Macaroni & Cheese

• 1-2 cups dry pasta
• 3 TBSP butter
• 3 TBSP flour
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup grated or shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 6-8 Ritz crackers or 1/3 cup panko crumbs
• 1 TBSP butter
• Pam baking spray

Fill dry baking dish halfway with dry pasta to measure, set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 deg.

Set large pot of water to boil, and add dry pasta. Cook according to package directions (about 10-13 minutes) just until done, but not mushy.

While pasta cooks make cheese sauce:

Melt 3 TBSP butter in medium saucepan and add 3 TBSP flour. Stir with whisk over medium heat about 3 minutes, until flour is cooked and slightly turning golden and smells “nutty”.

Whisk in 1-1/2 cups milk until smooth. Continue whisking until sauce bubbles and starts to thicken. Simmer, whisking often, about 3-5 minutes more, until sauce is smooth & thick. Stir in salt & both types of pepper.

Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Whisk until smooth. Set aside until pasta is cooked.

Drain pasta thoroughly, and turn into large mixing bowl or back into cooking pot.

Spray baking dish with Pam spray.

Add cheese sauce to pasta- enough to taste to seem very cheesy & gooey. You may not need all the sauce. (Refrigerate any leftovers.)

Pour pasta & sauce into prepared baking dish. Sometimes I'll layer in a slice of American cheese, torn into strips. Top with crushed cracker or panko crumbs. Take 1 TBSP butter; break into bits and dot top of crumbs.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 15-18 minutes or crumbs are browned & pasta is bubbly.

Yay!