It’s one of my favorite foods on the planet (besides chocolate). Whenever it’s cold outside or I need some comfort or I’m hungry or it’s a day that ends in ‘y’, I turn to mac & cheese. I’ve had to impose mac & cheese limits on myself to keep from eating it every day of the week. I love it so much I would run away with mac & cheese and never look back.

Can you believe that until maybe 3 or 4 years ago I’d never cooked anything other than the boxed kind? Believe it. The first time I tried to make bechamel-based mac & cheese, it was a total failure. Clumps everywhere. But I love mac & cheese so much I kept trying, and you know what? It’s not hard. And the homemade stuff tastes way better than the box kind.

Let me be clear: This is stove-top mac & cheese. (Oven baked mac & cheese is dead to me.) It’s a creamy, cheesy mac & cheese with broccoli (to make it healthy) and just the right amount of spicy kick from the pepper jack cheese to warm you from the inside.

It’s perfectly delicious and satisfying comfort food that will solve all your problems and bring about world peace.

OK maybe not that last part, but it’s definitely delicious.

Broccoli & White Cheddar Mac & Cheese

Printable Recipe
Serves 2-4 as a main dish, 4-6 as a side

Buy blocks of cheese and grate it yourself. It makes a world of difference! The pre-shredded stuff just doesn’t melt as smoothly. Plus, the more calories you burn shredding cheese, the more mac & cheese you can eat.

Ingredients

3 cups frozen baby broccoli florets
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cups milk
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
2 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated
salt to taste

Directions

Microwave broccoli florets in a large, microwave safe bowl according to package instructions until tender (usually 4-5 minutes). Drain off any water and set aside.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add elbow macaroni. Boil according to directions until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to form a paste (roux). Cook 1-2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste. Slowly pour in milk, whisking briskly to remove lumps. Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk mixture thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in shredded cheese. Add salt to taste.

Add drained macaroni back to pot. Pour cheese sauce over macaroni, add broccoli, and stir to combine. Devour.

My biggest problem with cooking, especially with cooking dinner, is that I run out of patience. I have a hard time putting all the ingredients together and then waiting for it to cook while I stand by getting hungrier and hungrier. By the time it’s done I’m so ready to eat that there’s no stopping for photos.

Well, most of the time anyway. Last week I made one of my favorite Giada De Laurentiis recipes and took the extra minute to photograph it because it looked so pretty. Also, I wasn’t quite starving yet.

This is one of my favorite week night meals because it’s quick, easy, and packed with flavor. The sauce comes together in minutes and the slight sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes is a perfect compliment for the tangy goat cheese. Paired with a green salad and some fresh garlic bread, this pasta dish is even nice enough to serve to your guests.

Angel Hair with Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
Serves 4

While this recipe isn’t complicated to begin with, I take a few shortcuts to make it even easier: I purchase my sun-dried tomatoes julienned (so I don’t have to mess with chopping them) and my goat cheese pre-crumbled (because I’m lazy). You can use spaghetti or any other shape of pasta you have on hand, but I prefer the short cooking time and lightness of the angel hair in this recipe.

5 ounces (half of a 10oz jar) sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped (oil reserved)
1 small onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2/3 cup dry white wine
8 ounces (1/2 pound) angel hair pasta
2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled
Salt & pepper to taste
Basil leaves (for garnish)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt, then add the pasta and cook until al dente, usually between 4 and 6 minutes.

Saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes using a large skillet over medium heat. Once the onion is tender, stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. (Be careful not to let it burn!) Add the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and whisk until combined. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes until the liquid has reduced by half. Salt to taste.

Once al dente, remove the pasta from the boiling water (reserving the water) and add it right to the skillet. Toss to coat. If the sauce seems dry, add some of the pasta water to moisten. Sprinkle with goat cheese and basil. Toss and serve.