MAC N’ CHEESE

I tried mac n’ cheese for the first time years ago while I was on a date with my husband-to-be at a hip West Village restaurant. He ordered a dish with three varieties of gourmet mac n’ cheese, but I wasn’t impressed at the time. However, over the years I have come appreciate the dish as one of the great comfort foods – it can be really amazing if it’s done right, and I think garnishing to add color (such as the green from parsley) is an important touch.

I usually eat fairly healthy, so I only really indulge in mac n cheese once or twice a year. It’s an annual staple for Thanksgiving.

INGREDIENTS (makes 8 servings):

• 8 ounces elbow macaroni
• 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 12 ounces cottage cheese
• 8 ounces sour cream
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs (make your own to avoid artificial ingredients, see recipe here)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F (175⁰C).
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add pasta and a little salt, and cook until done and then drain.
3. Stir together macaroni, shredded cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper. Add mixture to a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish, or to eight individual 4-inch diameter baking dishes
4. In a small bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs followed by the Parmesan cheese over the macaroni mixture.
5. Bake 30- 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and crisp.
6. Sprinkle the mac and cheese with parsley and serve.