My Specialty

She Said:

I watched the first season of "Worst Cooks in America". I wasn't going to. I don't like reality shows - at all! - but I thought that I might be able to pick up a few pointers. I missed the first episode the first time around but caught it in a rerun. The contestants had to cook something for the two chefs on the show. It was supposed to be their specialty. I wondered what I would make, put into that same situation. I'm not good without a recipe but there are two things that I can make in my sleep - with my eyes closed. This is one of them.

Pat's Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz. short cut pasta (elbows, penne, rigatoni, shells, farfalle, anything like that)
1/2 stick butter
1 small onion (or half of a large onion), diced
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cups skim milk
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

Cook macaroni according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 375℉.

In a saucepan, cook the onion over medium-high heat in the butter, salt and pepper until the onion is soft. Turn heat to low and add in flour. Cook and stir for a few minutes until bubbly and smooth (well, as smooth as it can be with bits of onion in it). Turn heat back up to medium-high and slowly add milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to bubble (I usually give it a burst of high heat to get it going). Continue to cook and stir constantly over medium-high heat for one minute until thickened. Turn off heat. Add 2 cups of Cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

Combine the cooked macaroni and the cheese sauce and the pour into a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake at 375℉ for 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.

And now my secret is out. You can throw all kinds of things in this: sliced and sauteed hot dogs, tuna and sweet peas, whatever you think will go in a tuna casserole. Use your imagination! We had it last night for dinner and just had steamed broccoli on the side. That was good, too!