Marie's Burger Delight

By heck!!! We've sure had a miserable week here in the UK weatherwise these past few days. All's there has been is rain, wind and . . . well . . . more rain. It's been cold and windy and downright horrible.



It's all a body can do to keep warm and dry . . . and comfortable. Where, just a few short weeks ago, we were complaining about the AGA being far too warm and wondering if we had turned it on too soon . . .

Our chattering teeth and cold damp tootsies now convince us that it was a wise move altogether . . . and we pat each other on the back in congratulations for having had so much forethought.



We are thankful though . . . Our little cottage is warm and dry, and it is not under eight feet of water . . . our hearts, prayers and thoughts go out to those whose homes are . . .



These are comfort food days . . . *stick to your ribs* food days . . .



Home . . . warmth . . . comfort . . . food . . . love. Funny how all those words make your toes curl with pleasure, and your heart feel all warm inside.

Is love . . . food for the soul . . . or is food . . . love for the soul . . .

You decide.



*Marie's Burger Delight*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Yes, this is an unusual list of ingredients, but trust me when I tell you that this is fabulously delicious. Everyone loves this. You will too.

2 TBS sunflower oil
750g of extra lean minced beef
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 OXO beef cube
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
salt and black pepper to taste
418g tin of creamed corn
295g tin of condensed tomato soup
1/2 jar of Ragu spaghetti sauce
300g spaghetti noodles, broken in to bits (I'll tell you how to do
this easily and quickly)
200g of grated strong cheddar cheese, or an Italian cheese mix

Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet. Add the beef, onion, garlic, crumbled oxo cube and salt and black pepper to taste. Cook, and stir until the meat is nicely browned and the vegetables are softened. Stir in the corn, tomato soup and the spaghetti sauce. Mix together well, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Take your spaghetti out of the packet and roll it up in a clean tea towel, like a salami. Holding tightly onto both ends of the roll run it down the edge of the countertop from top to bottom several times. This will break your spaghetti into 1 to 2 inch bits. Drop these into the boiling water. Cook until al dente, according to your package directions. Drain well and then stir the cooked spaghetti into the meat mixture.

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F.

Stir half of the cheese into the spaghetti mixture. Lightly grease a 3.5 litre casserole dish. Pour the spaghetti mixture into this and then cover with the remaining cheese. Cover with a lid and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer, until nicely browned on top. Remove from the oven and serve.

Meatballs and Gravy

When I was a child, I hated minced beef. I think it was because my mother used to buy the cheapest mince she could find and there was always lots of bits of bone and gristle in it . . .



and the bone and gristle always found it's way to my plate . . . and into my mouth. I couldn't stand the feeling of it or the texture . . . it made me gag, to be perfectly blunt. I would be forced to sit there for what seemed like hours, long after the rest of my family had finished and left . . . with a plate of congealing mince in front of me . . . not allowed to leave the table until I had eaten my dinner . . .



As a result . . . I became an expert at routing out every piece of it . . . and hiding it, if I possibly could.

At first I tried hiding it under my plate. That only worked once . . . for obvious reasons. As soon as my mother lifted my plate to take it away . . . there was the minced beef sitting there . . . sigh . . . a better way had to be found.



Next I tried hiding it under the edge of the carpet. That worked several times . . . until my mother hoovered the room and found it all lurking there. Foiled again . . .

Finally, I discovered the perfect spot. Down the heating duct in the corner of the dining room. That worked for a long time. I don't think my mother discovered that hiding place until she went to do a heavy spring clean or summat like that.



At that point . . . my mother gave up trying to feed it to me, and it was a very long, long time before I tried to eat it as an adult. I have since come to quite like it. I always only buy the extra lean mince and so far (fingers crossed) I have been lucky enough that I've never come across any gristle or bone in it. Whew!

Our local butcher only stocks free range hereford beef, and it's very, very good. This is one of my favourite ways to cook it, amongst many. Todd really likes these with a nice big pile of mash, but sometimes he gets chips. He doesn't mind, as long as it's potato in one way, shape or form. He is truly a meat and potatoes kind of a guy.




*Meatballs and Gravy*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

My Todd is a real meat and potatoes man. He loves these tasty meatballs that I make, similar to Swedish ones, but not, if you know what I mean.

For the meatballs:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 slice white bread, soaked in a bit of milk and then squeezed dry
1 small onion, peeled and grated
2 tsp dried parsley
1 medium egg, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
a bit of oil for frying
For the Gravy:
the freshly grated zest of half a lemon
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 TBS drippings
2 TBS flour
8 ounces beef stock
8 ounces milk
1 TBS creamed horseradish

Combine all the meatball ingredients and mix together well. Shape into walnut sized balls, wetting hands as needed. Heat some oil in a large skillet. Add the meatballs and brown them all over. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate and keep warm until they are all done. Reserve 2 TBS of the pan drippings, disposing of the rest. Heat the pan drippings in the same pan, Whisk in the flour for the gravy. Cook and stir one minute, then slowly stir in the stock, milk, lemon zest, thyme and creamed horseradish. Cook and stir until the gravy is smooth and thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning adding salt and or pepper if needed.

pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Place the meatballs into a shallow casserole dish. Pour the gravy over top. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and browned. Serve hot and spooned over mashed potatoes, buttered noodles or steamed white rice. Delicious!

Not Your Mama's Spag Bol!

There's a bit of an ongoing battle in our house about Italian Food. Todd says he hates Italian Food, but what he really means is . . . he hates pasta, but then again . . . in another breath he is saying he loves tinned spaghetti on toast . . .

Does that make sense???



I thought not!!

Anyways, I am a pasta loving carbaholic, and I can only go so long without it. Every once in a while I just have to torture him with some. I can't help myself . . .



When I was growing up my mom used to make what she called "Italian Spaghetti" at least once every couple of weeks. That was as close to foreign cooking as she ever got . . . browning a pound of ground beef and adding a tin of Catelli Spaghetti Sauce. I hated it. I used to just eat the spaghetti plain, with a healthy shake of smelly sock. (That's what we called Parmesan cheese in my family. I know . . . TMI!!)

Once we got older, she discovered chili powder and oregano, and once a week (usually Saturday nights) she would treat us to her version of chili, which was ok, but . . . quite plain, although my dad loved it. The recipe came from the back of a tin of Tomato Soup . . . need I say more???



I love chili, and I love Spaghetti Bolognese. I think the British have quite adopted Spaghetti Bolognese, or Spag Bol as it is affectionately dubbed over here, as their own, and I think everyone here in the UK has their own secret recipe.

I don't believe in keeping secrets when it comes to cooking . . . I like to share!! This here is my version of Spag Bol . . . It combines two of my great loves . . . Spaghetti Bolognese and Chili. I guarantee, it's not anything like your mama's version!



*Not Your Mama's Spag Bol*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This is a different sort of a twist that I put on good old Spaghetti Bolognaise. In truth, I love this even more than regular Spag Bol! I just can't get enough of it!

1 TBS olive oil
16 ounces extra lean beef mince
1 small onion, peeled and grated
1 fat clove of garlic, peened and crushed
2 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 envelope of Taco seasoning mix
(I use Discovery)
1 (420g) tin of chopped tomatoes
14 ounces of beef stock
6 ounces tomato puree
1 (420g) tin of black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces of uncooked spaghetti
Toppings:
Sour cream, Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped or finely sliced red onion

Place the olive oil into a large saucepan and heat. Once it is hot add the beef mince. Cook and stir until it is completely browned. Add the onion, garlic, chilies, salt, cumin and taco seasoning mix and continue to cook and stir until the onion, garlic and peppers are soft. Add the chopped tomatoes, beef stock, and tomato puree. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Gently stir in the beans and cook for a further 5 minutes.

In the meantime bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain well and divide amongst hot serving plates. Top each with a portion of the sauce and pass the toppings!!

And . . . just in case you were wondering . . . this is how the Toddster ate his . . .



That's right! On top of a huge pile of fluffy mash. Well . . . to each his own I always say!

Note - Waitrose is stocking this new grated cheese mixture by Simply Inspired. I used the spicy Mexican one here, it has cheddar and mozzarella mixed with red, green and jalapeno peppers and crushed chillies. Delicious!!! It was just perfect!

Tomato Lasagne

Sometimes you are in the mood for something simple and uncomplicated. Something that you can just throw together using bits and bobs from your larder and your fridge.

A tasty lasagne is just the ticket for days like that.



Simple and clean flavours. It needn't be too involved, or a work of art.



Just a tasty tomato sauce, some rich bechamel and layers of cheese.



You can throw in whatever you wish. If you want to add a layer of browned minced beef, then do so . . . or a layer of browned spicy flavoured Italian sausage . . .



Or some grilled vegetables and a mixture of a variety of cheeses. It can be as fancy or as simple as you are in the mood for. There are no firm and fast rules about what is needed, as long as you have the three basic barebones ingredients . . . a tasty tomato sauce, some lovely bechamel and lasagne noodles of course. I like to use the fresh ones, but you can use dried ones that you need to boil first. The rest is all up to you . . .



Sometimes it's the uncomplicated things that are the most comforting of all. All you need here is a tossed salad and perhaps some garlic toast on the side.

If mama's happy . . . everybody's happy.



*Tomato Lasagne*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

This is simple, uncomplicated, straightforward and delicious. A delicious tomato sauce, with some cheese, lasagna sheets and a good bechamel. You can dress it up by adding some different cheeses, such as goat's cheese, or a few dollops of pesto, or some grilled vegetables between the layers. What you have here is a canvas to write your own story upon . . .

For the Tomato Sauce:
4 ounces olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and mashed slightly
3 14-oz tins of chopped tomatoes in their own juice
(I like to use a good Italian brand)
about a dozen or so torn basil leaves
salt and black pepper to taste

For the Bechamel:
4 1/2 ounces butter
a scant 3 ounces flour
2 pints of whole milk, warmed
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and black pepper to taste

Also:
12 ounces of fresh lasagne sheets
3 ounces freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
6 ounces grated mozarella or a mixture of mozarella, cheddar, fontina, etc.
(In other words which cheese you are in the mood to eat, or what you have on hand)
butter



For the sauce, place the oil in a saucepan and heat it til fairly warm. Add the garlic and cook until it becomes quite fragrant. Add the tomatoes and a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes or so until it resembled a sauce. Add the basil and 1 cup of hot water towards the end of the cooking time. Puree until smooth with a stick blender, or very carefully in a regular blender. (You can either leave the garlic in, or remove it as you wish.) Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and some pepper if required.

To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a saucepan and then whisk in the flour. Cook for several minutes over low heat and then slowly whisk in the warm milk. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens and is smooth. Season with salt, pepper and a bit of freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or so on low heat, until you have a very thick and smooth sauce. Set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Butter a deep 8 1/2 by 12 inch baking dish. Drizzle the bottom with some of the bechamel. Put a slightly overlapping layer of the lasagne sheets over the bechamel. Dollop with some of the tomato sauce, spreading it out. Dollop another two hefty spoonfuls of bechamel over top and then a layer of the cheeses. Add another layer of lasagne, and then repeat with the tomato, bechamel and cheese as before, and then again, repeating the layers one more time, finishing with a final layer of lasagne and a few tablespoons of tomato sauce and a good portion of bechamel. You can sprinkle with some additional parmesan cheese if you desire, or dot with some butter. Place in the heated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until it is bubbling and golden brown on top. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

Salmon Cobbler

Quite often you can find some tasty recipes on the backs and sides of boxes of food . . . you know, like cereal boxes and such. It's not quite as common over here in the UK as it is back in North America, but it does happen from time to time.

I recently bought a box of oats and there was this tasty recipe on the back for a Ham and Sweetcorn cobbler. It sounded quite good.



I mean . . . how can a recipe with the word cobbler in the title not be good, really???

I didn't have any ham though, or sweetcorn, and I didn't want to faff around with running to the shops to get any.



I decided to use salmon and peas instead.



A most tasty combination. I also adapted the flavours in the sauce to reflect this change. Dill and lemon go wonderfully with salmon.



The end result was a delicious casserole dish that I would and will make again. (Next time I will either use a larger casserole dish or place a pan under the dish though, as it did run over.)

We both really loved this.



*Salmon Cobbler*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is wonderful. I have used salmon and peas here, but the original recipe called for ham and sweetcorn. You could also use tuna and sweetcorn.

40g butter ( 3 TBS)
1 medium onion, peeled and small diced
40g plain flour (6 1/2 TBS)
600ml millk (2 1/2 cups)
1 418g tin of wild salmon, or the equivalent amount of leftover cooked salmon
(drain, remove and discard any bone and skin, and flake the fish) (2 cups)
1 teacup of frozen petit pois, thawed
1 tsp dried dill tops
the juice of half a lemon
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
dash of tabasco sauce
Topping:
275g self raising flour (2 3/4 cup)
1 tsp baking powder
75g butter (1/3 cup)
75g porage oats (15 TBS)
2 ounces strong cheddar cheese grated
75ml natural yoghurt (1/3 cup)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 large egg, beaten
a bit of milk, if necessary
Pre-heat the oven to 220*C/425*F. Butter a 2 wide casserole dish. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Whisk in the flour. Cook for one minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook and stir until the mixture thickens. Season to taste with some salt and black pepper, the lemon juice, and the dill tops and tabasco sauce.

Place the salmon and peas into the casserole dish. Pour the sauce over top evenly, covering it all. Keep warm whilst you make the topping.

To make the topping sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the cheese and the oats. Beat the egg, Dijon mustard and yoghurt together. Add all at once to the flour mixture and mix to a soft dough, adding a bit of milk if necessary. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and pat out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a 2 inch cutter. You should get between 12 and 14. Place on top of the hot salmon mixture.

Place in the heated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping has risen well and is golden brown.

Cheesy Mushroom Omelettes

Sometimes I just like to cook a simple supper for Todd and myself. Nothing too fancy, or involved . . . using simple ingredients and cooking methods . . .

Omelettes are the perfect simple supper and very economical in these credit crunch days.



They also very adaptable as you can fill them with pretty much whatever you have to hand . . .

chopped fresh herbs, peppers and spring onions . . .

chopped tomatoes and little bits of leftover ham and bacon . . .



broccoli and cheese . . .

you name it, pretty much anything goes . . .



Today it was some lovely sliced chestnut mushrooms, chopped chives and a good farmhouse cheddar cheese . . .



with a delicious side salad and some buttered toast it went down a real treat. Sometimes I think the simplest meals are the best and tastiest of all, don't you?



*Cheesy Mushroom Omelettes*
Serves 1
Printable Recipe

I have given the proportions here for one omelette. I find it much easier to cook one at a time and keep them warm on plates in a low oven until I am done them all. Mind you . . . with there only being two of us, I only ever make two. These make a delicious, economical and surprisingly filling supper!

1 1/2 TBS butter
a generous handful of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
25g good quality strong cheddar cheese, grated
(I used a good farmhouse cheddar)
1 TBS freshly chopped chives
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large free range eggs



Melt 1/2 TBS of the butter in a small nonstick frying pan. Once it is sizzling add the mushrooms. Allow them to sit without stirring them, for several minutes until they begin to brown. Cook, like this, shaking them occasionally, until they are nicely browned. Too much stirring brings out too much liquid and it is best to agitate them as least as possible. Scoop them out onto a plate while you proceed.

Beat the eggs together with a fork, until the white and yolk are totally amalgamated.

Melt the other 1 TBS of butter in the same frying pan. When it begins to sizzle, tip in the eggs and swirl them around the pan to cover the bottom. Cook until almost completely set. Season with some salt and pepper and sprinkle the chives over top. Scatter the grated cheddar over one half and then then sprinkle on the cooked mushrooms. Fold the other half over top of the mushrooms and cheese and slice the omelet out of the pan onto a warm plate.

We like to have this with some buttered toast and a salad.

Chicken Kiev

I think Chicken Kievs have to be one of the most popular foods with children over here in the UK. The freezer section of most grocery stores are well stocked with little cartons of the same, and you can buy fresh and ready to cook versions as well.

But how really tasty is a piece of ground up chicken that has been reformed around a dab of garlic flavoured fat (is it really butter?) and then rolled in some egg and bread crumbs and fried??? Most end up dry and tasting of nothing but garlic . . . any semblance to the real thing having been somehow lost in the translation from, what was once a delicious entree, into a pop culture fast food!



Making them from scratch is not really all that hard, and doesn't really take that long. Boned and skinned chicken breasts are wrapped around a delicious pat of frozen seasoned butter and then coated with egg and crumbs.



Fried just until golden brown, these bear no resemblance whatsoever to those pale imitations in the shops. By the time the chicken is done the butter is just melted and will gush out when you cut into it, bathing your noodles or rice, or whatever with a delicious buttery and herby sauce.

It's the real thing . . . Why settle for anything less . . .



*Chicken Kiev*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This delicious dish hails from Russia back in the time of the great Czars. Chicken breasts wrapped around a delicious garlic butter and then breaded and fried, it is a real family favourite.

Herb Butter:
4 ounces butter, softened
1 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tsp dried tarragon leaves
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast portions
1/2 cup of seasoned flour
2 large eggs, beaten
8 ounces of seasoned dry bread crumbs
oil for frying



In a small bowl, with a rubber scraper, thoroughly mix the butter, parsleyk tarragon, garlic, salt and pepper together. Lay out a piece of foil. Shape the butter mixture into a 3 inch square. Wrap up and freeze until firm.

In the meantime, trim the chicken breasts of any fat and sinew. Place each piece,one at a time, smooth side down on a sheet of cling film. Cover with a second sheet. Very carefully pound the chicken out until it is 1/4 inch thick, being very careful not to break the meat. Cut the frozen butter into 6 equal pats. Place a pat of herb butter in the centre of each piece of chicken. Bring the long sides of the chicken over to cover the butt, folding the ends over and making sure that no butter is showing. Fasten with a toothpick to keep shut.

Roll each chicken piece in some seasoned flour, then dip into the beaten eggs. Roll into the dried bread crumbs, coating evenly. Place on a tray, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.

Heat some oil in a large heavy skillet. Once it is hot add the chicken pieces, 3 at a time and cook, turning with tongs, until browned all over. Drain and then place into a warm oven in a large pan that has been lined with some paper towels. Cook the remaining 3 kievs in the same way. Serve hot with some rice or noodles.

Glazed Chicken Bites

We are great lovers of meatballs in this house. Tasty little bites, usually accompanied with sauce or gravy, they always go down well.

I have a real cracker of a recipe for Spaghetti and meatballs that I have been making for years. Todd hates pasta though, so I only very rarely get to make it, although I have used the sauce and meatballs to make a meatball sub casserole before to rave reviews.

I often make Swedish or Norwegian Meatballs, which we like to have with fluffy piles of mashed potatoes to help sop up all that lucious gravy.



Meatball stew and soup also make it onto our menu once in a while. Mince meat is quite economical and needn't be fatty and un-healthy. I always try to buy lean minced beef and pork. Buying cheap mince is using false economy as most of it disappears down the drain in fat anyways. When you think about it, buying meat that is 1/3 fat means that you are paying 1/3 more in the long run, as you are paying for something that you are not actually going to eat. (Well at least you SHOULDN'T be eating all that fat. It's not good for you!)


I had never been all that fond of making meatballs out of turkey or chicken mince though. They usually ended up dry and tasteless, until I discovered this little secret.

Mincing up equal amounts of dark and light meat. You get a really tasty and moist mixture that doesn't dry out.




You're going to really love these. We do.

*Glazed Chicken Bites*
Makes about 40
Printable Recipe

These meatballs are tangy and delicious and moist. They make excellent appetizers and are lovely as a main course as well. I serve them with a rice pilaff, and everyone loves them. I have made them with ground turkey as well, although I do admit the chicken tastes better though. I usually make my own chicken mince, using a combination of thigh and breast meat.

500g minced chicken
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chinese five spice
1 TBS chopped chives
1/2 cup of stale bread crumbs
For the glaze:
1/2 cup red currant jelly
1/2 cup mango chutney
the juice of half a lemon

Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. LIne a baking sheet with baking parchment and grease the paper. Set aside.

Place the chicken, egg, coriander, chinese five spice, chives and bread crumbs into a bowl. Mix well with your hands. Shape level tablespoons of the mixture into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until well browned. Drain on absorbent paper if need be.

Place the glaze ingredients in a medium skillet. Stir low heat until melted and combined. Add the meatballs and heat through, simmering, uncovered until lightly glazed. Serve hot.

The Ultimate in Macaroni and Cheese

One of my absolute favourite dishes of all time has been macaroni and cheese. This is the ultimate in comfort food to me.

I have tried many, many different recipes. I love it done the old fashioned way which is pure and unadulterated, nothing but cooked macaroni, milk, chunks of cheese and lots of butter. Seasoned with salt and pepper and baked until the milk is almost absorbed by the macaroni and there are gooey patches of delicious cheese scattered throughout . . . it is simple, old fashioned, and really, really good.



I love the boxed ones. I know a sacrilege to some, but lets face it, they can be quite comforting as well and make a great lunch in a pinch. I have a distinct preference for Presidents Choice White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese mix, which I can only get in Canada and I can't wait until next year when I can go over and stock up on the stuff.

I love to add a tin of chopped tomatoes when I am making the boxed stuff, or some Heinz chili sauce. This takes it beyond the ordinary and turns it into something special. I could eat the whole box all by myself, and when I was younger, my husband and I often ate a box of it for an evening snack before we went to bed. (ahh youth . . . )



When I really want to indulge though, this is the version I make. There is no better way to make a good macaroni and cheese, and I have tried quite a few different versions. This is the culimination of years of testing and trying and this is what I have come to think is the ultimate in Macaroni and Cheese. A rich and cheesy sauce, and lots of it in comparison to the macaroni, and topped with buttery crisp bread crumbs.



You need look no further. This IS the absolute best.



*Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This, to me, is the absolute best macaroni and cheese recipe ever. Rich, yes. Lucious, yes. Cheesy, yes. Fattening, who cares . . . The best, ultimately.

8 ounces dry macaroni
2 ounces butter
2 ounces plain flour
1/2 pint milk
1/2 pint double cream
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ounces strong cheddar, shredded
2 ounces Red Leicester cheese, shredded
2 ounces Parmesan Reggiano cheese, shredded
4 ounces fresh bread crumbs
1 ounce melted butter



Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Butter a casserole dish and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring for one minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and the cream, whisking constantly. Add the salt and pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Stir in the cheeses, mixing in until they are melted. Set aside.

Cook the macaroni in lightly salted boiling water to cover until done, according to the package directions. Drain well. Stir the drained macaroni into the cheese sauce. Pour the complete mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Mix the melted butter with the bread crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over top of the macaroni. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Let sit a few minutes before serving.