Don't Side-Step the Side-Dish

A few weeks ago my cousin's little boy, Carter, came for a sleepover with my kiddos.  A wild time was had by all!  But this adorable little imp, makes me smile every time I see him!  He's our little miracle baby, and to see the way he's growing up just makes me happy!  

When we picked him up to bring him home with us, I told him "you can anything you want for dinner!  What can I make for you?"  He only wanted one thing...macaroni and cheese.  That was it.  I really tried to get him to commit to something else.  I offered him spaghetti, meatloaf, fried rice, well...anything!  But mac-n-cheese was it.  And he was sticking to his guns.  So macaroni and cheese is what I'd make!  Anything for sweet Carter!

So often, though, we focus on our main dish and forget about the sides.  Just remember...a side can be super simple and not take away from your main course, but it's an essential part of your total meal.  Sometimes, I make wild and crazy sides.  But usually they're easy and straightforward.  

I decided for Carter's special dinner I'd actually focus on the side dish, and do easy for the rest.  I had a ham steak in the fridge and some frozen broccoli...but the mac-n-cheese was all me!  

For the macaroni and cheese I used 2 cups of heavy cream, 1 cup of butter, 1 package of elbow noodles, 8 to 12 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper (or less), and 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg.

First, while the pasta is cooking, heat your heavy cream and butter in a sauce pan, just until the butter is melted.  You don't want to boil it, so keep the fire low.  I recommend using salted butter for this also, because if you don't, you'll find that you need to add salt.  And that's just not necessary.  Don't forget to salt your noodles while they cook! Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

As soon as the butter is melted, add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  I don't always put 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper, because it can overwhelm the flavor.  But I do like at least a little, so try just a shake first.  Now, start pouring in your shredded cheddar cheese, stirring as you add it.  Most of the time, what I have in the house is actually Colby jack.  But you can use whichever works for your family and taste.  You can use as much cheese as you need, add more if for some reason your sauce looks too thin.  Basically, you can't have too much cheese.  Let this heat on low until it's smooth.  Then after straining your pasta, add the creamy goodness to the pan with the elbow noodles and stir.  You're almost done!

Pour this entire mixture into a 9 by 13 baking dish and sprinkle more cheese on top.  Pop it into the oven and cook just until it bubbles and the cheese on top is perfectly melted.  

I must admit...this particular meal didn't impress my kids.  They'd rather have Kraft (insert forehead slap here).  But Carter loved it! And all of us adults scarfed it down!  

This is so easy, and you can vary it greatly to make just about any other creamy sauce for noodles.  I use a combination of Italian white cheeses and fettuccine noodles to make fettuccine Alfredo.  It's almost fool-proof!

I'll be doing a series on side-dishes.  Let me know if there's something particular you'd like to hear about.  Even if I've not made it...I'm game to try!