Don't be a hater macaroni and cheese for a friend

A friend and neighbor of mine lost a loved one this week. I never know what to do to help in this circumstance so I always turn to food. Then I wonder if the food will be more of a pain in the butt or a help. So, I thought of Mac and Cheese because worse come to worse I knew that she could feed it to her kids and that would be one less thing to think of.

Now comes the embarrassing part where I have to justify this recipe. Here it goes in once sentence: It is the one that my mother always made and so it is comfort food to me. Everyone that has ever tasted it has loved it (or so they say which they shouldn't if they don't mean it because then I will make it again).



A roux is made with butter and flour and then the cheese is added.



Then it is all mixed together and sprinkled with cornmeal and dotted with butter. Into the oven it goes.



Yummy goodness comes out of the oven.

Um, what was that? I forgot to mention the cheese? Uh.....



Don't hate me. It is my mothers fault.

16 ounces macaroni (uncooked)
1/2 cup butter + some to dot on top
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
16 ounces Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks
salt and pepper
cornmeal


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni according to directions and drain.

Melt buttyer in a large saucepan. Add flour and whisk together. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat until mixture starts to bubble and thickens. Stir constantly. Add Velveeta to the mixture and allow to melt. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pour macaroni into a 13x9 oblong baking dish. Pour sauce over macaroni and combine well. Sprinkle cornmeal on top and dot with butter.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.


Ok lets move on to my more "natural side" My homegrown tomato side. My folksy canning my own stuff side.



Dr Food wanted me to can some salsa (a modified cooked version of the recipe that I posted the other day). So, I turned on the grill and roasted the tomatoes that I picked just that morning.



So after they roasted I let them cool off so that I could peel them.











I know what she is thinking. She is thinking "Tomatoes Stamatoes... You still made Mac and Cheese with VELVEETA.