Comfort Food!

When my kids were in college, I would get regular phone calls. "Mum, can we have a mac 'n cheese night?"  (We had waffle nights, too.)  And before long they'd show up, sometimes a dozen or so hungry college students.  Mac 'n cheese night involved lots of butter and cheese and pasta...lots of it.  I think they just would get cravings for some homemade comfort food and we were more than happy to have them here!

No college kids around anymore.  (Sad.)  But I still have days when I crave comfort food.  Today is one of those days.  No college days mac 'n cheese though.  This instead.  It's a broccoli mac 'n cheese with half the amount of pasta.  And here's how I make it.

Make a white sauce.  Do it however you wish, but can I recommend using skim milk?  I make mine with 2 TBLS of butter. (Yes, butter. Not margarine.  I really don't like using margarine.)  Melt the butter and whisk in 2 rounded TBLS of flour.  (I prefer unbleached flour for everything.)  Cook it for just a minute and then whisk in 2 cups of skim milk.  Add a bit of black pepper and a healthy pinch of nutmeg.  Once it thickens a little, add 6-8 ounces of cheese, shredded or just cut up into small pieces if you're like me and too lazy to dirty the grater.  I usually use a low-fat Celtic cheddar from Trader Joe's, but today I only had some TJ's cheddar-gruyere.  (Pretty darn good too!)  Let it melt and you have sauce!

Meanwhile, cook 2 cups (dry) of whole wheat pasta.  This is the brand I like, not because I am an organic freak, but because it tastes good!  And I like rotini for a dish with a sauce.   When the pasta is almost done, toss 3 cups of broccoli florets right in with the pasta.  I had frozen, so I used frozen.  But fresh works really well too.  Cook for another minute or two and then drain.  Add the sauce and pour into a casserole dish.  

I used to top my mac 'n cheese with lots of buttery, toasty bread crumbs or crushed Saltine crackers.  But I like this just as well.  I whiz about 1/4 cup of almonds in the food processor and sprinkle on top.  It's crunchy, nutty (obviously) and adds a bit of protein.  And it's good!

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.  Let it set for a few minutes before serving.  And what do we eat with our mac 'n cheese at Mamma Church's?  Beets!  

A note:  I have no idea where I got them but I happen to have a bunch of these small glass pie plates.  They're about 6" across and 1" deep.  You could divide the mac 'n cheese into these and have really lovely individual casseroles.  

 Enjoy!  I know I did!