Food for the Soul.

These are posts I am going to try to do fairly regularly in an attempt to build little Miss T a repertoire of recipes for when she has her own family to cook for (or when she want's to branch out from KD and hot dogs at university).

To me, these are more than just recipes though. These are the tastes and smells my childhood was made of, and I can only hope they become that for T.

I am going to start with an absolute staple in my family's home. My Mom's Macaroni and Cheese has always been the king of comfort foods in my eyes. It is the perfect ending to a blustery, fall day like today. And, as a side note, this freezes really well! Hurrah! (These are the things that excite me now that I am juggling a 10 month old with a 730pm bedtime and farm chores... yay for not eating at 10pm).

Mac & Cheese
(slightly adapted from my mom's version)

• 1 package elbow noodles (the amount varies on how saucy you want it)
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 1 clove garlic mashed or sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup flour
• ~ 1 cup milk 
• cheese... lots of shredded cheese(old cheddar works best but I generally add whatever I have laying around)
• chunks of ham
• salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce (or tabasco) to taste
• ritz crackers & extra shredded cheese for topping

1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add noodles and cook til done
2. In the meantime, melt butter in a sauce pan and add garlic and onions to sweat a bit. Ad flour, a little bit at a time until crumbly and cook for a few minutes. 
3. Slowly add milk to butter and flour until rice pudding consistency. Let thicken. 
4. Add cheese little bits at a time, stirring after each addition. 
5. Once sauce reaches desired consistency, throw in chunks of ham (if desired) and add salt, pepper  and worcestershire to taste.
6. Add noodles to sauce, mix thoroughly and pour into casserole dish.
7. Top with crumbled ritz crackers and shredded cheese and throw in the oven at 350F to brown. (If frozen, for approx 45 min - 1 hour). 

So Miss T, there it is! Your very first family recipe is in the books. I hope you learn to cherish these recipes and the memories that come along with them as much as I do.