Super Tasty Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I love this recipe, as do all of my friends. Definitely a rich and tasty treat.

Macaroni and Cheese

1/2 Pound whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente ( macaroni elbows and fusilli seem to work best, but other smallish pastas are fine, shells, bowties, etc.)

1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups milk

3 TB Butter

3 TB Flour

1/2 Tsp. sea salt (more or less to taste)

a generous amount of fresh ground pepper

1/2 TB Coleman's mustard powder mixed with 1/2 TB water

1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs

2 TB butter, melted.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the pasta according to its package directions, drain and put aside.

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt the 3 TB butter, and mix in the 3 TB flour. Cook and mix until the flour is all bubbly and a beige-y color. Congratulations, you've just made a roux!
OK, now mix in the milk, a bit at a time, whisking and letting the sauce thicken as you add it. Now stir in the salt, pepper, and prepared mustard. Once the white sauce is lovely and thick and hot, add 2/3 of the shedded cheddar cheese to the sauce, and cook on a low flame until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is well mixed.

Now, dump the pasta and the cheese sauce into an appropriately sized casserole dish.

In a small bowl, mix the 2 TB melted butter, 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs, and the remainder of the shredded cheddar cheese.

Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the macaroni and cheese in the casserole dish, and bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.

Enjoy! :)


Variation-- Jalapeno Macaroni & Cheese-- Substitute the cheddar cheese with pepper jack cheese and leave out the mustard. Spicy!

Pasta Salad- perfect to bring to BBQs!

La's famous pasta salad

Dressing (OK I have NO measurements for this, I just sort of eyeball it)

equal parts Balsalmic vinegar & Olive oil, maybe like 3/4 cup each??

a few shakes mixed Mediterranean herbs ( I use the stuff from whole foods that's meant for fish)

lots of black pepper

a few shakes sea salt

a whole bunch of shakes of crushed red pepper

maybe about 1/2 teaspoon chopped basil (fresh, dried, from a jar, whatevs)

In a little bowl, mix the above ingredients together, let the dressing sit while you prep the salad ingredients below


Salad Ingredients

1 pound whole wheat fusilli, cooked and cooled

1 package grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes, halved)

1/2 pound fresh mozzarella (I like to use the marinaded braid one, if the store has it) cut into 1/2" cubes

1 little can sliced black olives, drained

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and cut into little pieces

Sliced sauteed zucchini is good to put in there, too.

In a big bowl, mix together the salad ingredients and toss with the dressing. This tends to taste better the longer the pasta and stuff have to absorb the flavors from the dressing, so you might want to make it the night before, or earlier in the day. Do taste it, though, and make sure it doesn't need more salt or vinegar. I'm always adding more of those two things...