34B's MacDaddy Mac-n-Cheese.

I've always sort of wondering how due credit is given to a particular recipe. I mean, was Aunt Clara's potato salad dressing really her own concoction, or stolen property from her mom or her mom's mom? I for one have never really had a recipe donned with my name... until now. I always get a chuckle outta folks who don't want to share a good one. Not me, not the 34B cup, and today I share my FIRST, and perhaps only, self made comfy food recipe. You read it right. I have been searching for a home made macaroni and cheese recipe good enough to win a blue ribbon. I've bought the expensive cheeses (Fontina, Gruyere, etc) and still my pursuit for the perfect cheesy casserole kept on. Triumphant with my own, "Ru-paul," and the basic shredded sharp cheddar I was. I thought Ru-Paul was a fitting name considering he/she had a few lumps to hide of his /her own if you know what I mean. You, as my loyal readers, have exclusive rights to try it out, and if you really love it, go ahead and claim it as your own. Here's how the cheesy-bliss happens:

4 C Milk

3/4 Stick Butter

1/2 C Flour

1 Pinch Ground Cloves (cuz, I hate dirtying teaspoons)

1 Pinch Ground Nutmeg

2 Pinches Dry Mustard

4 Bay Leaves

Fresh Ground Pepper-to taste (whatever that means)

Fine Ground Sea Salt-to taste (my guess is about 2-3 tablespoons)

1 Yellow Onion-chopped fine

2 C'ish Shredded Sharp Cheddar

1 lb Bacon (fried crispy and chopped into bite size pieces) (I bake mine in the oven at 400 to eliminate all the greasy splattering on the stove top) (Blot some grease off with a towel if it makes you feel better)

1 lb Macaroni

2 C B's Bread Crumbs (recipe below)

So I've never, "written," a recipe before so bear with me...

Butter the sides and bottoms of large casserole dish (or do two small so you can share one with a friend or neighbor). In a large sauce pan melt butter. Add 2 C milk and heat on low until milk bubbles around sides of pan. Add the flour to the remaining 2 C of milk and stir the hell out of it. The goal is to try and get all the lumps out. Add the milk/flour mixture to the pan. This, my friends, is what I call the, "Ru-Paul." I don't call it just roux because it is impossible for me to make a proper roux without lumps. My first go attempt ended up in the garbage disposal. Anyway get it as smooth as possible and then don't worry about it cuz all those diced onions with hide any little lumps. So you've added the onion and now go crazy with the seasonings. Stir in the cloves, nutmeg, mustard, bay leaves and salt and pepper. Turn the heat up till the Ru-Paul bubbles then reduce heat to low stirring constantly. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally. In the mean time boil your macaroni in salt water until al dente. Drain macaroni and add to baking dish-mix bacon in with the drained macaroni. Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir 1 C of shredded cheddar into the Ru-Paul. Spoon the Ru-Paul onto the macaroni/bacon and mix it all together. Sprinkle 1 C (0r so) shredded cheddar on top of noodle mixture and then top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 until bubbly (about 25-30 minutes in my convection oven). Observe how bad the test kitchen looks after this whole ordeal. Where in the hell are my soux-chefs???

B's Bread Crumbs

Thinly slice your fav sour dough bread

Drizzle with olive oil

Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper, fine sea salt and garlic powder

Bake at 400 until golden brown on both sides-turning once during baking (approx 30 minutes).

Put slices in a bowl or recently used sauce pan and smash to the be-geez-uz using whatever your preferred kitchen tool may be.

Enjoy!