Lets Get Comfy: Comfort Food

I am weirdly in love with warm starchy things. I also am in love with those days at home where it is raining outside, and you are inside cozy in sweats and a sweatshirt, and watching CSI reruns with your cat. But then your perfectly cozy moment with your super lazy cat on your lap is ruined because you begin craving something really yummy and really warm. Usually on those days you really don't want to go anywhere to buy food because you are in your cheetah print pajama bottoms and an old ratty t-shirt. With this blog post my goal is to let you stay hanging out with your cat in your not public appropriate attire and make your own comfort food. So let the helping start with this cheesy beginning:

Macaroni and Cheese:

Once upon a time, I was craving macaroni and cheese VERY badly but was in zebra pajama pants and a tshirt that has probably been around longer then I have been, so to say the least I was not going anywhere that day. That was the moment I decided to enter the world wide web and discover the secret recipe of the macaroni god Martha Stewart. I did make some revisions to make is faster and less confusing but here is the oh-so-magical recipe:

• 1 pound macaroni      
• Coarse salt
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (sometimes I might add a LITTLE more)
• 4 cups milk
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (these two things I never add but you could try)
• 3 cups shredded (12 ounces) sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1 cup finely grated (2 ounces) Parmesan cheese
• (With these cheeses I always use whatever cheese I have (like cheddar) and I always put more cheese then it calls for because I am a cheese addict)
• 3 cups very coarse fresh breadcrumbs
•  (In the picture I didn't put breadcrumbs on, but I have before and I was really good. I do both ways depending on how lazy I am)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water 1 to 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain, rinse with cool water, and return to pot. (it is ok if its really tough because it gets softer when baking)
2. Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons salt; bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes.(it always takes more time then that for me so after like 5 minutes I give up and move on) Whisk in cheeses until smooth (dump as much as that stuff as you want). Pour over pasta; toss to coat. Divide among baking dishes (or put in a giant 9 by 13 one)
3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter; toss with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over pasta.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. bake uncovered until golden and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.

This is the best recipe for homemade mac and cheese I could find on the world wide web.

 

Now to live up to my Spud Queen title:

 

Stuffed Baked Potato Casserole:

I am a potato pimp and this is one of the best recipes ever! It is sooo easy and super quick after you boil the potatoes. So here it is:

 

• 3 1/2 - 4 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters (I used Youkon Golds)
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided (or however much you want)
• 8 slices bacon, cooked, chopped, divided (I used microwave bacon to minimize mess and it gets crunchier I discovered)
• 1/2 bunch green onions, sliced

Preparation:

Place potatoes in saucepan with salted water until covered. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Cook until tender, then drain well.

Preheat oven to 375° degrees F.

Transfer potatoes back to the saucepan. Mash with a potato masher until almost smooth. Add cream cheese, sour cream, butter, milk, salt and pepper.

 

Continue mashing until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese (or however much you want) and half the bacon. Spoon mixture evenly into a lightly oiled 3-quart casserole dish. 

 Bake for 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese, bacon and green onions.

 

Bake for 5 more minutes to melt cheese. Serve immediately.

 

 

Thank you for discovering the ways of the comfort world with me...YAY FOR COMFORT FOOD!