Mac & cheese.

   
  
My cousin, Heather, is one of my primary sources of inspiration in the kitchen.  Quite simply - she is a domestic goddess.  You know the type that can throw a dinner party without having even a tiny panic attack?  The gal who can 'shake up' some cocktails, top some homemade pizzas and toss 'em on the grill (oh, yes- she grills too), chat it up with her guests, toast the croutons, toss the salad, frost the cake... and remain cute, calm, and collective??  No Sandra Lee shortcuts for this gal.  She's stylish, confident, creative, and smart ... in the kitchen and out.

As of late, she has began perfecting a few of her dishes, Mac & Cheese being one of them.  She has tried several (and I mean, several) recipes, and variations of recipes and has truly reached perfection.  And this just so happens to be one of my favorite meals of all time, so I couldn't wait to test it out for myself, and pass it along to you.  It is deliciously rich, creamy, savory- with just the right amount of crunch and spice.  The essence of fall.

  
There are notes on the recipe below (click to enlarge and print), but I have one additional 'note.'  It may appear, at first that there is not enough pasta for the sauce.  The first time I made it, I thought she had made a mistake and added the whole pound.  It is definitely better with less pasta.  It will thicken as it cooks and come out of the oven perfectly creamy.   

...Heather is a 'math whiz' (and teacher) as well, so I thought graph paper would be fitting:).
    
Have a delectable weekend!
 

18 comments:

  1. Yum, this recipe sounds perfect! And can I be Heather's friend??
    :-)

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  2. ahhhh my fave! looks wonderful!! i will have to try this sometime (very soon!)

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  3. Oh my yum!! I am ALWAYS on a quest for the best mac and cheese recipe!! This will absolutely be made soon. Mac and cheese is my ultimate comfort food...mmmmm!!

    Have a great weekend, Torrie!!!

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  4. Your cousin is adorable and sounds like she might be my domestic idol. Why can't I be calm and collected when I have people over for dinner? Maybe I need more practice. That mac and cheese looks and sounds amazing. It's one of my favorite dishes of all time as well. I've recently been dying to try making lobster mac & cheese. Ummmmm boy. Have a great weekend, Torrie! I'm headed to the central coast for a family reunion. Excited to see the fam and spend some time with my niece and with Gabe since he hasn't had a weekend off in a month.

    xo
    Valerie

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  5. wow. this looks like the best mac & cheese i've ever. seen. oh my i think i have all the ingredients here already. so tempting.

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  6. If anyone tries it, let me know!

    One thing that I didn't add on the post. This reheats very well, and is one of those dishes that is better the next day- in terms of flavor (with mac & cheese, consistency/texture comes out best though right out of the oven).

    Heather leaves the Parmesan out of the usual recipe, because she feels that it makes it a little more oily/greasy when reheated. Since she is usually cooking for a small #, she ends up with lots of leftovers, and wants them (the leftovers) to taste good!

    Oh, and she's also tried adding some cheese (Fontina, or maybe even Mozzarella) in the center (after 1/2 of the mixture is poured into the baking dish) so that when you serve it, you get the 'gooey cheese effect'. I'll have to try that next time :).

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  7. ooo that sounds so amazing right now! the weather has heated up a bit, but i'll have to tuck this away for the next chilly night. have a great weekend! xx,jane

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  8. OK, I waited until I ate lunch to make my way over here, and still, I want to eat something yummy after reading your blog. This sounds like one doable recipe for me. The best part? I think my kids will enjoy it, as well. Hot weather be blasted. I still may just hop on over to our grocery store for ingredients to make this for dinner tonight!

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  9. I am so trying this. I LOVE mac n cheese and need a good recipe. I will let you know how it goes! Thanks for sharing!

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  10. Looks amazing! Bread crumbs in mac and cheese really takes it to the next level.

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  11. Ok I loved the blog before but now I really love it!!! my daughter could literally live on mac and cheese. I am definitely trying this out!
    naina

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  12. this sounds so good! I'm off of dairy/soy for breastfeeding the baby but will try this when I can.

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  13. OMG! This looks soooo goood!!

    http://ladulcivida.blogspot.com/

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  14. Just stumbled on your blog and that Mac and Cheese looks fabulous!! I might have to try that!

    xo
    jess
    http://CheapButChicClothes.blogspot.com/

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  15. yum! mac and cheese sounds so good right now!!:D

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  16. I can't wait to try this recipe. My kids and I love Mac and Cheese. I have been using a Tyler Florence recipe for mine. I love trying new ones though.

    Melissa

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  17. That is such a cute recipe card. How did you do that?

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  18. I want this right now. For late breakfast. No judgment.

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