The Virtues of Mac & Cheese

Homemade Mac & Cheese is the best thing, ever!

I love making macaroni and cheese at home, I experiment with all sorts of variations (and leftovers). Today I picked up a rotisserie chicken and some cauliflower and broccoli on sale at the local food mart. Added all to the basic mac & cheese recipe (after putting a little steam on the veggies to soften them a bit) and headed to absolute tummy heaven.

Basic mac & cheese (I'm pretty sure this is a Betty Crocker type basic, I've been using this "recipe" for years but I know that I didn't make it up myself):

1 box of pasta (I like to use whole grain for extra heartiness)
1/4 cup of butter (of course you could substitute any number of imitations to reduce fat)
1/4 cup of flour
big pinch of salt
small pinch of pepper
small pinch of mustard powder
dash of Worcestershire (I bet you could use paprika or nutmeg here instead for some rockin' taste variation)
2 cups of milk
2 cups of shredded cheese

Cook your pasta and drain. Melt butter in saucepan. Once melted whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce. Continue whisking until smooth, then stir in the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring (or it will stick). Once it boils add the cheese and stir until melted. Then mix the cheese sauce with your pasta (and any other additions) and pop in the oven until the top is just how you like it (about 20 minutes for me).

By the way, I was thinking earlier today, that if dogs had disposable income I could make a killing selling an opposable thumb. I know my dog would thoroughly enjoy the ability to work doorknobs, particularly now that we live in a house where the doors actually close.