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!