Willie Mae’s Scotch House’s Macaroni and Cheese

No visit to New Orleans is complete without a stop at the soul food institution Willie Mae’s Scotch House, where this zippy version of mac and cheese is a favorite.

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups elbow macaroni

2 cups yellow mild cheddar cheese,

shredded

2 cups white American cheese, shredded (available in H-E-B deli departments) pound melted unsalted butter quart of heavy cream 1 cups evaporated milk 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon of white pepper teaspoon parsley flakes dry or fresh teaspoon of garlic powder 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

Instructions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil and then add the salt and pasta to the water. Boil as instructed on the package until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta, saving 1 cup of pasta water.

Immediately return the pasta to the pot, and over low heat, add the cheese, milk, heavy cream and butter. Stirring frequently until the cheese is melted. Add the cayenne, pepper, parsley, garlic and flour, and drizzle in the pasta water as needed while stirring.

Place the mac and cheese in a large, ovenproof dish and bake for 15 minutes. Garnish with a sprig of parsley, if desired, and serve.

Makes 8 servings

Instructions: Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum.

Continue to cook the sauce until