Mommy Girl's Mack n Cheese

My friend Raeanne's macaroni and cheese... a much simpler recipe and oh so good!

1 lb. elbow macaroni
1 quart milk
8 T. butter
½ c. flour
22 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (roughly 7 c. grated)
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
S&P to taste

Cook macaroni according to the box directions in salted water, set aside. Heat milk over med. Heat (don’t boil). Melt butter in a pan, add flour and cook until nutty. Pour in hot milk and take off the heat. Wisk. Add almost all the cheese (save some for the top) and stir until melted. Add the mustard, Worcestershire and S&P. Fold in the macaroni. Place into a large, buttered, glass baking dish and cover with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 30 min to get a nice crust on top. Enjoy!

White Bean-Tomato Risotto

I found this recipe at www.parents.com and adapted it a bit.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 can (19 oz) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup arborio rice
1 can(14 oz)vegetable broth, heated
1/2 cup water or dry white wine
1 can (14.5 oz)diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley

In a 3 qt sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender. Add rice and cook while stirring for 1 minute. Add beans and water or wine and stir until liquid is absorbed. Add broth one cup at a time, adding more as liquid is absorbed. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes.

Add tomatoes, cheese and parsley. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 10 minutes before serving.