Homemade Mac -N- Cheese

 Mac -N- Cheese...it's synonymous with 'comfort food'. After a long day or a long week, you're not thinkin' about carrot sticks. You know what I'm talkin' about. It's pasta and a lot of dairy products.  But wait, isn't "comfort food" just another way to say "emotional eating"?  So why is comfort food so good and emotional eating so bad? Let's pretend I didn't just type that and eat this homemade mac-n-cheese anyway. We could make ourselves feel less guilty by serving it with a gigantic salad.

When I am making this for just our family, I cut the recipe in half. This recipe makes a great side dish at a party or bbq too. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste(optional)
• fresh ground black pepper to taste--I like a lot 
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups half and half   
• 1 lb. Cavatappi pasta cooked--or whatever tube pasta you have in the pantry (pictured with Penne)
• 16 oz shredded super sharp cheese* (4 cups) reserve 1/2 to 1 cup for the top
• 2 cups supre sharp cheese
• 1 1/2 cup parmesan
• 1/2 cup asiago

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 
2. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter.
4. Stir in flour whisking until smooth. add salt, pepper, cayenne (if using), half and half and milk.
5. Stir over medium heat until smooth and very warm.
6. add cheese. stir until melted and smooth and thickened. 
7. Pour over cooked Cavatappi pasta and toss to coat
8. put in a buttered 9x13 casserole dish and top with reserved 1/2 to 1 cup cheese
9. bake for 30 minutes at 350
10. serve immediately. 

*I like to use sharp cheese imported from Ireland
It's so good to mix in a couple different kinds of cheese too like parmesan and asiago, but you can just use whatever combination of whatever you have on hand. be creative!

Vodka Penne Rustica

I gotta say, I don't have anything remotely resembling a "liquor cabinet" but I do always have some vodka on hand and it is precisely for this dish. I've been making it for well over 10 years. I got this recipe from my friend Dawn and it's become a family favorite. It's one of those go-to recipes when I don't have a lot of time, because all of the ingredients are things I usually have on hand.

slightly adapted
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup vodka
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lb. Penne pasta, cooked and drained
• fresh grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese 

Directions:

1. Melt butter with olive oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 8 min.
3. Add tomatoes and cook until slightly thickened about 5-8 minutes stirring frequently.
4. Add cream, vodka and red pepper and boil until thickened to sauce consistency – about 2 minutes.
5. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Toss the cooked penne with the sauce, and sprinkle with grated cheese if desired.

w/chicken optional *This is also very good with chicken added. To make  with chicken you will need about 4 small boneless skinless breasts.

Cut up into bite-size peices and cook in the butter and oil [in step one of the directions] until center is no longer pink and juices run clear. Add the onions about half-way through and continue with the directions as they go.

Serve with hot crusty Italian bread and a nice Caesar salad

*pictured with chicken