Thursday, November 6, 2014

Culinary Adventures: Creamy Stove Top Mac n Cheese

Last night, I wanted to make a super quick, super easy dinner.  Chief had already fallen asleep and it wasn't even 6:00 yet (she woke up a couple of hours later, but she just nursed for dinner and then went right back to sleep), so I knew that Mr. Geek and I had the luxury of eating something that was not-so-healthy- something that would be extra delicious with a glass of wine on the couch while we watched some Cutthroat Kitchen on the DVR.

Enter: macaroni and cheese.

I found Alton Brown's recipe for a stove top mac 'n' cheese and used it as a sort of guide- I didn't have evaporated milk or dry mustard, for example, and I'm anti-hot sauce, so I improvised with ingredients that are most definitely NOT the same thing, but the result was an ooey-gooey delicious pot of creamy macaroni and cheese which looks exactly like the stuff in the blue box, but tastes even better!

*personal photo*
Stove Top Mac n Cheese
Adapted from Alton Brown

-1/2 lb macaroni pasta (I used bowtie pasta)
-4 Tbsp butter
-2 eggs
-1/4 C heavy cream
-1 tsp dijon mustard
-salt and pepper
-8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded

-Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil; cook pasta according to package directions (mine was 8-10 minutes for al dente)

-Drain the pasta and lower the heat to low.  Melt the butter in the (now empty) pot; add the pasta back to the pot and coat with the butter.

-Mix the eggs, cream, mustard, and salt and pepper in a bowl.  Remove the pot from the heat momentarily and stir this mixture in.  Once it's thoroughly coated, return the pot to the heat and stir in the cheese.  Keep stirring until all the cheese is melted and the sauce looks nice and creamy.

If this were a side dish, you could probably get 4 servings out of it.  We managed to finish the pot as an entree :)  I think next time I might add a dash of paprika- because while hot sauce may not be my thing, this dish could probably use a little kick of something.

It's definitely not the healthiest thing I've ever made, but it was quick, easy, and exactly the sort of indulgence I needed midway through the work week.

What's your favorite weeknight comfort food?

Much love,
The Geeks

**my apologies for the crummy cellphone photo- I had no intention of sharing this recipe (which was really just a "I want some mac and cheese...this looks interesting...what if I add a little of this...") but when I shared the picture on social media, a couple of people actually asked for it!  So here you are!

2 comments:

  1. Interesting, I've never heard of putting eggs into Mac N Cheese! It reminds me carbonara. :) I recently discovered a recipe for Mac N Cheese that brings me back to my childhood and I make it every year for Thanksgiving since there's so much left over! Here it is: http://www.kitchentreaty.com/the-best-macaroni-cheese-ever/

    It really is, the best macaroni and cheese ever.

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    1. The eggs make the sauce rich and creamy- you're right, it's kind of like a carbonara. And that recipe does look delicious, I'll have to try it!

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