It's great as a side dish, and serves well as a light dinner or a satisfying lunch. It's a food that kids from 2 through 102 can sink their gums or teeth into. Besides having a high like ability factor, this comfort food and American staple has an interesting history that reveals a patriotic past.
It is said that macaroni, a curved tubular pasta made from flour that had its origins in China and was brought to Italy by Marco Polo, has been cooked and served with cheese in Italian homes, Inns and restaurants for over 500 years. By the eighteenth century, the dish, in one form or another, had become popular throughout Europe and colonists from England brought along their appetite and recipes for this cheesy treat to North America in the 1800's, recipes for various versions of macaroni and cheese appeared in many American cookbooks. And so, a legend was born.
As times changed and women began to look for the life beyond the confines of the kitchen, convenience foods were introduced into the marketplace. Since macaroni and cheese had already achieved status as a family favorite, Kraft decided the time was right to introduce a dinner in a box and called it Kraft Dinner in 1937. Kraft macaroni and cheese hit grocery shelves in the U.S. and Canada and soon it became a huge success.
The product got a big boost with the start of World War II. As part of the war effort on the home front, rationing went into effect. Meat was at a premium. Fresh milk and dairy products were in short supply. And since millions of men were away from home and serving in the armed forces, many women joined the workforce. After a hard day or night at work, Rosie the Riveters really appreciated the ease and speed of a ready-to-prepare macaroni and cheese dinner.
There are so many macaroni and cheese recipes out there and I was craving macaroni and cheese, simple to make and for not so many people. I found a basic macaroni and cheese recipe that is featured here that serves 4 main servings or 6 side dishes. It is wonderful, exactly what I needed.
This recipe comes from "The Really Useful Pasta Cook Book" by Paulo Episcopo with more than 100 recipes. It can be found on my amazon storefront at www.amazon.com/shops/oneofakindcookbooks .
Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 4
10 oz. macaroni
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Cheese Sauce
2 1/2 oz. butter
1 1/2 oz. flour
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 pint (or 16 oz.) milk
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
freshly ground black pepper
Cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain well and turn into a large, greased, ovenproof dish.
Preheat the oven to 350F. To make sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and mustard and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and whisk in milk. Return pan to heat and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens. Stir in cheese and black pepper to taste.
Pour sauce over pasta, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbling and top is golden.
My findings and exchanges: I tried this with lactose free milk and it took longer to come to a boil and thicken-about 10 minutes for me, but it worked!
Happy Cooking!
