Simple Pleasures - Macaroni Monday

I have a confession: I love Kraft Dinner. I blame it on my mother.*

It's not that our family never ate macaroni and cheese. We did. Every few weeks, Mom (read 'Mum') would buy an authentic Kraft kit. Of course, it wasn't the classic version with the unmistakable school-bus yellow cheese powder and straight noodles, but rather the deluxe kit containing veritable elbow macaroni and sauce à la Velveeta in a can. It was not so much the upgrade I had issue with; it was the corruption: she flatly refused to serve it without mixing in ground beef and stewed tomatoes. Oh, the horror!

So now I'm a grown woman using sketchy importation practices to maintain my private stash of KD in Switzerland. Supplies permitting, these delectable, almost phosphorescent noodles are on the menu every Monday midi. At least half the children of Corsier vie to be on the guest list on this, the ultimate lunch day at chez Miller. And here it is served as KD was meant to be eaten--with all vegetables and rogue sources of protein on the side. (Evelyn sometimes adds ketchup--it gives me chills.)

For the past three weeks, the girls have had to endure my homemade version, complete with minced onions and Gruyère--recipe below. Poor souls. They've braved it well. Then yesterday, under the guise of a late Christmas present, our stash was replenished. Alleluia!! We're good for another couple of weeks, at least.

So there it is, my first electronic confession. I feel better now...and a bit hungry. Too bad it's not Monday.

Melissa's Macaroni and Cheese
serves 4

2 tsp butter
2 tbsp minced onions
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp each dry mustard, salt, and paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/4 cup milk
3 ounces shredded Gruyère
1 ounce shredded pecorino romano

8 ounces macaroni noodles cooked according to package directions

• Melt the butter in a sauce pan.
• Sauté onions until sweet and soft but not coloured.
  
• Add flour and spices and cook, stirring, for 1 minute
• Whisk in milk and heat until bubbling and thickened.
  
• Add cheeses and stir until melted.
• Toss with cooked pasta and serve with a side salad.

*Just checking if you're reading, Mom! Oh, could you send me some more KD, please? I love you! : )))