Mac & Cheese ...and other goodies

This is an amazing version of the classic Macaroni and Cheese.  And this is our mac and cheese dinner last night.

 Ingredients:
1 onion
2 bay leaves
3 cups milk
15 oz macaroni pasta
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
7 oz sharp cheddar cheese
2 oz Parmesan cheese (we used Asiago)
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pan of water to a boil for the pasta.  While it is heating, cut the onion into large chunks then put into a large pan with the milk and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and immediately take off the heat.  Let infuse for at least 10 minutes.

For some reason, this picture flips sideways when I upload it...lol.  You get the idea though.

2.  Add the macaroni to the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes.  Drain the macaroni.  It should be slightly undercooked. 
3.  Once the milk has infused, remove the onion and bay leaves.  Add the butter and sift in the flour.  Cook on medium-high heat with a whisk for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thickened and smooth.  Stir in the nutmeg, 2/3 of the cheddar and Parmesan into the sauce until it is melted.

4.  Pour pasta into a baking dish and the sauce over top of it and stir well.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

The salad I made was a mixture of spinach leaves, mandarin oranges, cashews and asiago cheese. I made a dressing out of red wine vinegar, olive oil, orange juice and a tsp of Dijon mustard.  Tasty!

The home fries were cut up potatoes tossed in olive oil, Italian spices and a bit of chili powder.

And what better to do than listen to some old records while cooking! 

What a lovely evening :)