Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese

My Mother-in-law is famous for her Baked Macaroni and Cheese. It frequently makes appearances at family functions because everyone loves it so much. This is not your typical creamy, stove-top mac and cheese, but rather one that has pockets of melted sharp cheddar cheese throughout. The recipe is extremely rich, but oh so worth it. Mr. 20-something literally ate half the pan all by himself… and I had to whisk away the last little bit in order capture a quick photo before he finished it off. When you make this recipe (and trust me, your family will be forever grateful), be sure to use good quality sharp cheddar cheese that you grate yourself!

Old Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese

makes a 9x13-inch casserole dish

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni

• 8 tablespoons salted butter

• 1 cup half and half (or evaporated milk)

• 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (avoid pre-shredded)

• 1/4 cup shredded or grated parmesan or pecorino cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center position.

2. Butter a 9x13-inch casserole dish and set aside until needed.

3. In a 5-quart or larger stockpot, cook pasta in salted water until al dente, drain and return to stockpot; add butter and stir until completely melted.

4. Stir in freshly shredded cheddar cheese, half and half, and black pepper; stir until cheese is evenly distributed.

5. Pour mixture into prepared pan and sprinkle parmesan or pecorino evenly over the top.

6. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes (place directly under broiler for last 2-3 minutes for an extra crispy top).

7. Remove from oven and rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Block cheese that you shred yourself melts much better than pre-shredded cheese.

• Although it doesn’t matter if you use white or yellow cheddar, I prefer the finished appearance of this recipe when yellow cheddar is used.

• Traditionally, evaporated milk is used, but we prefer to use half and half - either work equally well.

Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

For me, there are few things more enjoyable than a simple bowl of pasta topped with the most delicious sauce made from ripe, fresh garden tomatoes. You can use just about any kind of tomatoes that are sweet and ripe, but I prefer Roma tomatoes because they contain a lot of tomato pulp and very little liquid. No need to peel or de-seed the tomatoes before cooking - a food mill will make quick work of that after cooking, and it’s so much fun to use!

Roma tomatoes are also called Italian plum tomatoes, sauce tomatoes, or paste tomatoes. As I said before, they contain a lot of tomato pulp and little liquid, making them a fantastic option for tomato sauce. The ones I most often find at grocery stores are oval-shaped, but farmer’s markets frequently have pear-shaped beauties. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Roughly chop the tomatoes (no need to peel) and cook them with the ingredients listed in the recipe below, stirring frequently, until soft and mushy (7-10 minutes).

Once the tomatoes are cooked, allow them to cool and then process them through a food mill to remove all the tough bits of skin. This is a step my kiddos used to love helping with. Throw those skins in the compost bin when you’re done.

I like my fresh garden tomato sauce to be on the thinner side, but you can certainly reduce the sauce on the stovetop to reach whatever consistency you desire.

The recipe written below will result in 3 to 3 1/2 cups of sauce. I like to store it in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it for longer storage.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• food mill https://amzn.to/33iBQYG

• garlic press https://amzn.to/3tkedtq

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Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

makes approximately 3 1/2 cups

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds ripe Italian Roma (plum) tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• splash of red wine (or red wine vinegar)

• optional: sprig of fresh basil

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook chopped tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and red wine (or vinegar), stirring frequently, until tomatoes soften completely and you can mush them with a wooden spoon (7-10 minutes).

2. Turn off heat and stir in optional basil sprig; allow tomatoes to cool enough so that they’re easy to handle (20-30 minutes).

3. Remove basil sprig and process tomatoes in a food mill to remove all the skins.

4. If your sauce is too thin, you can reduce it over medium heat until it reaches the consistency you like, otherwise, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week (or freeze for longer storage).

Notes

• For a little extra luxury, stir 1 tablespoon butter into hot sauce before serving.

• To freeze in glass jar, be sure to use a wide-mouth jar and leave 1 inch of headspace before freezing. Plastic freezer bags are also suitable - freeze them flat so the sauce will thaw quickly when needed.