Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese is one of my favorite comfort dishes.  Pasta coated with a creamy cheese sauce.  A very satisfying and delicious meal. 

This recipe uses 3 different cheeses in the sauce - sharp cheddar, Swiss, and my personal favorite Dubliner.   The sauce is seasoned with some cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, and salt.   Once the sauce is made, the cooked pasta is added.  Once all ingredients are mixed well, the mac and cheese is poured into a casserole dish and baked until bubbly. 

MM, deliciousness in every forkful. 

Mac and Cheese
From Kerry Gold  Irish Mac and Cheese adapted by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 pound macaroni, penne or ziti, cooked tender and cooled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup onion, small dice
Pinch of sugar
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup Swiss Cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package instructions and set aside to cool. In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, add onion and lightly season with salt. Add a pinch of sugar and cook onion until translucent.
Add flour and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not cook long enough to color. Whisk in milk and cream and incorporate totally. Bring mixture to a simmer; add bay leaf and cloves.
Reduce burner to low heat. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and remove bay leaf. Whisk in 1 cup each of the  Cheddar,  Swiss, and Dubliner Cheeses, until incorporated. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. In large bowl, combine pasta and cheese sauce. Spoon into 2 1/2-quart casserole dish.  Top with  remaining 1/2 cup grated Dubliner cheese. Bake at 375° F for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly.  


Makes 6-8 servings

Almost Famous Cheddar Broccoli Soup

The other night, I made a hearty, creamy, broccoli soup.  It was velvety smooth and had  a rich flavor of cheese and a mild broccoli flavor.  Perfect for a light and quick dinner.   The broccoli and carrots are cooked in some broth, half and half with some onions and seasoning.    Once the broccoli and carrots are tender, you puree the mixture.  Being I was using a stand blender, I let the soup cool for about 15 minutes.  I then continued on with the recipe.

The recipe suggested you serve the soup in bread bowls.  I did not do that.    I made some olive cheese bread to eat with the soup.

Almost Famous Cheddar Broccoli Soup 
From Food Network

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 7 -inch sourdough bread boules (round loaves)
4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
1 large carrot, diced
2 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp white and yellow cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions


Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the bread bowls: Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the top of each loaf, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Remove the bread top, then hollow out the middle with a fork or your fingers, leaving a thick bread shell.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.)

Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into the bread bowls and garnish with cheese.

Makes 4 servings