"Grown Up" Mac 'n Cheese

Happy THREE DAYS after Thanksgiving!!  Mine was AWESOME...hope yours was too!!

As I get ready to launch back in to work, I found that I'm in need of "comfort food".  Found the following recipe online, and made it tonight...YUM!!!!

Martha Stewart's Macaroni and Cheese

Adapted slightly from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook:  The Original Classics (Clarkson Potter, 2007):

4 T. unsalted butter, plus more for dish
3 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed, torn or dices into 1/4 - 1/2 inch pieces
2 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 1/4 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese, or 3/4 cup Romano cheese
1/2 pound elbow macaroni

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter an 8 x 8 inch baking dish; set aside.  Place bread in a medium bowl.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter.  Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss.  Set breadcrumbs aside.  Pull out 3/4 cup of grated cheddar, and 1/4 cup Gruyere or 1/8 cup Romano, and reserve.

Fill a large pot with water; bring to a boil.  Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone.  Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk.  In same pot you used for boiling the pasta, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat.  When butter bubbles, add flour.   Cook, whisking, 1 minute.

While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk.  Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

Remove pan from heat.  Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, and 3/4 cups Gruyere or 1/2 cup Romano.  Stir macaroni into the cheese sauce.

Pour mixture into prepared dish.  Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Gruyere or 1/8 cup Romano, and breadcrumbs over top.  Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes.  Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

WOW!  Really creamy...really flavorful...I HIGHLY recommend this the next time YOU need a little "comfort"!

Here's hoping YOU tried a tasty recipe recently too!!!!!