A creamy comfort dish for the chilly days ahead
If you have some fresh cream on hand and your emergency supplies include evaporated milk, macaroni and various cheeses, you can whip up this popular dish without much time, skill or trouble.
The time-saver is not needing to boil the pasta, which cooks with the other ingredients. Summer vegetables may be included; substitute a cup of the cream for a cup (250 mL) of puréed carrots, cauliflower or butternut squash, suggests veteran U.S. cookbook author Raquel Pelzel in her userfriendly cookbook about cooking in a sheet pan (also known as a cookie sheet with a rim).
Her book’s 100 recipes show the speed, efficiency and “very forgiving method” of spreading ingredients in a wide, shallow pan and baking them.
This recipe from her Sheet Pan Suppers Meatless (Workman/ Thomas Allen, $25.95) could pair with a grilled steak or fish fry and a salad.
SUPER CREAMY MAC AND CHEESE
Serves: 6-8
4 tbsp (60 mL) butter
2 cups (500 mL) dry bread crumbs or panko crumbs
1 cup (250 mL) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) milk
1 can (354 mL) evaporated milk 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 mL) dehydrated onion (substitute: 2 dry shallots, finely chopped)
1 tsp (5 mL) garlic powder (substitute: 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped)
1 tsp (5 mL) kosher or coarse salt
8 oz (226 g/about 2 cups/ 500 mL) freshly shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz (226 g/about 2 cups/ 500 mL) freshly shredded fontina cheese
1 package (16 oz/500 g) elbow macaroni, uncooked
1. Place rack in centre of oven, and preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Grease a rimmed sheet pan with half the butter and set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Melt the remaining butter and stir it in. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, evaporated milk, cream, onion, garlic powder, salt and the cheddar and fontina cheeses. Add the uncooked macaroni, stirring to blend.
4. Pour mixture evenly into the buttered sheet pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil, crimping it to seal. You may need two sheets to cover pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
5. Remove foil and stir mixture. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly on top and bake for another 25 minutes.
6. Heat broiler to high and broil just until mixture is goldenbrown and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Let pan stand, covered, for five minutes before serving.