Mac and Cheese Rocks!

"Mac and cheese rocks," declared my eight year old grandson when everyone gathered for family dinner on Sunday at my house. And it did rock! I'm having fun with Gourmet Today which I received as a birthday gift. I've made five recipes from it so far and each one has been a winner.

The updated mac and cheese from page 218 is really a Penne and Chicken Gratin. Sublime, silky Gruyere and Parmigiano - Reggiano laced sauce, the whole dish studded with chunks of chicken and topped with a crispy (mine might have been just a bit too crisp) bread crumb topping. I made things easy on myself by using a good quality store bought chicken stock and Trader Joe's "Just Chicken" - pre-cooked grilled chicken. I rounded out the admittedly rich dish with a bitter leaf salad of curly endive, slivered celery root, pomegranate seeds and slices of tart apple - dressed it with a vinaigrette of blood-orange flavored olive oil and aged balsamic.

There's a nostalgia about these comfort foods that featured large in growing-up years; memories of family dinners from days long past surface. My kids loved their mac and cheese and I rarely made a pre-packaged variety. I always found it soothing to make a roux, whisk in milk and stock and watch the magic chemistry take place by heating the mixture to produce a smooth, creamy sauce. I must say that the grownups at Sunday's dinner were equally fast as the kids to get up and serve themselves seconds.

Tuna Noodle casserole must be one of the more disparaged dishes of the Seventies. There is a recipe for an updated version in the book and I am going to make it.

Eat well -
Gerry