#33 Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese


Ingredients:

1/2 pack uncooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup whole milk

Directions:

1. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Omit the salt and fat.
2. Once cooked, drain and do not wash.
3. In the same (hot) pan, return the drained pasta, parmesan cheese and whole milk.
4. Add cooked meat or bacon on top if desired.

My daughter does not like the taste of ready-to-mix packaged macaroni and cheese. So we always make it from scratch. I also make it with ground beef for added protein.

Macaroni and Cheese originated in the United Kingdom. First recorded in a 14th century English cookbook as "makerouns". Did you know that up until the 18th century in Britain and Italy, it was considered an upper class dish? I also found this cool history of "mac & cheese" in America:

"Maccaroni" with various sauces was a fashionable food in late 18th century Paris. The future American president Thomas Jefferson encountered macaroni both in Paris and in northern Italy. He drew a sketch of the pasta and wrote detailed notes on the extrusion process. In 1793, he commissioned American ambassador to Paris William Short to purchase a machine for making it. Evidently, the machine was not suitable, as Jefferson later imported both macaroni and Parmesan cheese for his use at Monticello. In 1802, Jefferson served a "macaroni pie" at a state dinner.
Since that time, the dish has been associated with the United States and especially the American South. A recipe called "macaroni and cheese" appeared in the 1824 cookbook The Virginia Housewife written by Mary Randolph. Randolph's recipe had three ingredients: macaroni, cheese, and butter, layered together and baked in a 400 °F (204 °C) oven. The cookbook was the most influential cookbook of the 19th century, according to culinary historian Karen Hess^..


I hope you enjoy this dish!