I ❤️ Macaroni

Please note: This macaroni is not my macaroni. It LOOKS like my macaroni, but my macaroni was made while my telly was too loaded down with pictures of Haven to hold one more teensy image. ((Mommy confession.))

I try to make healthier non-breadish, non-sugarish, non-unhealthyish food most of the time; but my darling husband holds each and every one of  these very categories in high esteem. I've been trying to broaden the poor fellow's palette. We've had a few successes. He eats salad purely out of love for me, and has learned that fruit is actually some pretty decent stuff.

We're still working on it.

But sometimes a lady just likes to please her man - so instead of salad, a sweet potato, or some lovely sautéed green beans, I rustled him up some homemade macaroni and cheese for tonight's side. (You're welcome, Hun.)

Aside from the happiness of seeing a whole mountain of macaroni disappear from his plate, and the overjoyed reaction that I received: THIS IS A MAKE-AHEAD DISH! Which can be made while the baby is sleeping in the morning, to enjoy while the baby is awake and in no mood to be put down for thirty minutes of supper prep = WINNER FOR ME!!

And speaking of babies, here's my little dumplin'. *She weighs 9 lbs and 13.5 oz now, for those who'd like to know.*  Auntie Kara bought her that little silk dress...it's hard to believe she fits in it already. 

But, back to the macaroni.

Here's how I did it. 

2 cups uncooked macaroni

1 TBLSP  salt

Four TBLSP butter

Garlic Powder

Smoked Paprika

3 TBLSP flour

2 1/2 cups milk

1 cup of sharp cheese

1 cup of mild cheese 

1tsp of salt 

Add the pasta and TBLSP of salt to a pot of boiling water. Cook until al dente. Drain.

In same pot, heat butter until foamy. Add garlic powder until it smells good (like...a teaspoonish..) and smoked paprika until the butter is a nice orange-y color. (like...2 1/2 teaspoonsish...) The paprika will make the color more appealing.

Whisk in the flour and let the mixture bubble and get slightly thicker.

Whisk in the milk, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until the consistency of heavy cream is reached.

Remove from heat and stir in the grated cheeses. *taste to make sure you have enough smoked paprika, add your salt. Nothing worse than bland Mac and cheese. 

After everything is melted, pour all that cheesy happiness over your noodles.

Dump it all in an 8x8 pan and cover with foil.

Refrigerate.

When you're ready to heat it, put it in a cold oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Stir periodically until warm enough to serve.

Happy not-rushing-around-before-your-husband-comes-home!!!!!!!

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I ❤️ Macaroni