Mac & Cheese

Hi, my name is Anna and I'm a recovering cheese-aholic. I used to have a very unhealthy relationship with cheese, once I opened a package I couldn't stop eating it. I didn't drink milk so I figured I had to get my calcium from somewhere. Very rational in my opinion.

It wasn't until I read an article that posed this very fine question, "Would you cut up chunks of butter and eat it with a cracker?" No, I wouldn't but that's exactly how I ate my cheese and they have about the same fat content. The image of piles of pats of butter on top of crackers made me kick the habit immediately. I had to stop adding cheese to my grocery list because I knew if I had it in the refrigerator, I wouldn't have the self-control to not eat it. I still have cheese on very special occasions, such as when John took the GMATs. (Hey, I didn't say it had to be MY special occasion.)

There's nothing more comforting to me than a bowl full of gourmet mac & cheese. I've attempted mac & cheese on a handful of occasions but that bechamel sauce has always eluded me. I found a Mac & Cheese recipe on one of my favorite blogs, rice and wheat. This is a recipe that is adapted from this recipe that is adapted from this recipe by Ina Garten. This time, the bechamel sauce came out perfectly without any clumps! A drizzle of truffle oil turned this mac & cheese into a luxurious treat! Rounded out the meal with a bed of arugula topped with tuna salad.

Buon Appetito!

Mac & Cheese
4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 handfuls of arugula, washed, spun dry, and leaves coarsely chopped
Panko Breadcrumbs

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cook the bacon in a skillet until nice and crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add oil, salt and the dry pasta. Slightly undercook and drain well. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and 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 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Take the pan off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni, arugula and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into a 3Qt baking dish.

Sprinkle the panko bread crumbs over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Tuna Salad over Arugula
2 5oz cans of chunk light tuna, drained
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 tbsp of whole grain mustard
2 tbsp of dijon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
A few dashes of tabasco sauce
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper to your liking
A handful of arugula per serving

Add the tuna & the avocado into a medium bowl and lightly smash the avocado into the tuna. Add the rest of the ingredients and lightly toss. Put a handful of arugula into a bowl and add a heaping spoonful (or two) on top of the arugula.

Makes 2 dinner sized servings or 4 appetizer sized servings