Comfort Foods

When I think of comfort food, I think carbs. Breads, pastas, all the good stuff that if taken too far (rich sauces on top and lots of butter), and too often, can land you in a really fat place, if you are not careful. One of the dishes I think of most, when I think of warm and comforting foods, besides memories of my dad’s spaghetti, is macaroni and cheese. (My dad’s pasta and his homemade sauce deserve their own blog entry).

Macaroni and cheese was a dish I was raised on, simply because of the cost, (lets face it feeding five kids was not easy) but my parent’s macaroni and cheese was always wonderful. Looking back, I can remember that if times were good, there was a little meat added to the dish, but if times were not so good, there was no meat, and even less cheese. But no matter how tough times were, our little tummies always left the table satisfied. My memory reminds me there were various forms of the dish made by my parents, and all of them filling and comforting.

There are many adaptations of this American comfort food. In fact, if you are looking for a way to prepare the dish, you might feel overwhelmed by all the recipes that are out there (excluding the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese © variety). I have found a recipe that was placed in the New York Times, a couple years back, and have shared this with various people and now wish to share with all of you. The dish is easy to make and incredibly delicious. And the best part...no need to cook those elbows before hand.

When sick, or tired, or far from home, everyone seems to yearn for the gastronomic equivalent of a warm sweater, a kiss on the forehead, a special moment in time, or a favorite blanket. I am blessed to have many favorite memories of delicious foods made by my parents and grandparents. I only hope that I have been able to recreate some of those same memories for my children, which not only satisfied their palettes and filled their tummies, but will warm their hearts when reflecting back on growing up. (Even my chicken and rice dish). =)

New York Times Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cottage cheese (not low fat)
2 cups milk (not skim)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg *(if Cait is around, I skip this)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound elbow pasta, uncooked.

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and position an oven rack in upper third of oven. Use 1 tablespoon butter to butter a 9-inch round or square baking pan.
2. In a blender, puree cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and salt and pepper together.* Reserve 1/4 cup grated cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine remaining grated cheese, milk mixture and uncooked pasta. Pour into prepared pan, cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes.
3. Uncover pan, stir gently, and sprinkle with reserved cheese and dot with remaining tablespoon butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes more, until browned. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

FYI: The term "comfort food" was added to the Webster's Dictionary in 1972.