Macaroni and Cheese, Mississippi Mud Pie
Food has a powerful ability to awaken memories and feelings of nostalgia. As we get older, we often yearn for the dishes that mom used to make, for the treats of the good old days. When I was a kid, my mom made the best macaroni and cheese, and my brothers and I scoffed at the neon orange boxed stuff that our friends' moms served. Those poor kids had no idea what they were missing.
When I moved to Sweden a few years ago, my periodic bouts of homesickness almost always came with food cravings attached, and one of the things I missed most was macaroni and cheese. I pored through cookbooks and scoured cooking websites for a good recipe, and ultimately put together this one. Enjoy!
Macaroni and Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups macaroni
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 3/4 cup milk
- 8 ounces American cheese*, cubed
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs (optional)
Cook macaroni as directed on package. Drain and set aside. Stir together margarine, onion, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat until onion begins to soften. Stir in flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbling. Remove the pan from heat, and stir in milk. Return to stovetop, and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir milk mixture for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted and mixture is smooth.
Put macaroni in an ungreased baking pan. Pour cheese sauce over the macaroni and stir to blend well. Bake uncovered in a 350°F (175°C) oven for thirty minutes. If desired, sprinkle bread crumbs over the top near the end of baking and remove casserole when crumbs are toasted golden brown.
*or any flavorful cheese that melts well
Mississippi Mud Pie
Another old favorite of mine is Mississippi Mud Pie. There are a lot of different recipes for this cake floating around out there, but the one my mom made will always be my special favorite. It's a rich, chocolate-y, butter-loaded indulgence, and it's just the thing for those chocolate cravings that won't go away. I usually make it only a couple of times a year, but I crave it quite a bit more often than that!
- 1/3 cup cocoa
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 pound butter
- 4 eggs
Mix the above ingredients, adding the eggs one at a time. Grease a 9x13 cake pan and spread the batter evenly in it. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes, until cake is done all the way through. Spread one 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme over the hot cake.
- 1/4 pound butter
- 1/3 cup cocoa
- 3-4 Tbsp. evaporated milk
- 1 one-pound box powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Heat the above ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Pour the mixture over the cake and let cool.
I guarantee this cake will make you famous!