Made-Up Mac and Cheese

Sunday night, I ventured to the Upper East Side to celebrate my one-month anniversary with Neil and Nate. A good Southern boy who loves pimento cheese, Neil had been intrigued by the pimento mac and cheese I made a few months back.

So, I thought this was a good chance to recreate it. (Check the March archives if you missed it.) Nate made us a divine salad with fruit, feta and caramelized pecans. I could have eaten just that! But we all chowed down and had seconds of the pasta.

I let the boys have the leftovers but brought home the remaining pasta. The next night, craving more creamy carb-rich comfort, I made myself a second batch using the leftover cheeses. This is the kind of cooking I want to do more of -- no recipes, just the basics. I melted butter, stirred in some flour and milk to make a white sauce, let it thicken a bit, then added Parmesan, cheddar and mozzarella. I tossed in the cooked pasta, threw in some fresh spinach, and added some salt and -- feeling kinda crazy -- red pepper.

It hit the spot! Kurt was happy to sample some when he got home.