Lazy Mac n Cheese

For the first time in my life, thanks to the influence of the American celebrities I follow on Twitter, I was inspired to celebrate the Americans on their Independence Day by cooking something American. I was thinking burgers then decided on Mac and Cheese. Only to realize after reading up later that what I thought was an American original is not exactly all-American at all! The Italian and the English can both lay claim to it, although President Thomas Jefferson, in the same article, is said to have served it at the White House. Since he was integral in crafting the US Declaration of Independence, I guess I can still argue that it's a pretty good menu choice for the day.

Since I was busy all day running errands for the final day of Rockwell's Food Trip, I needed a quick recipe. So I just read around five different recipes off the net and made one up myself. So today I declare my cooking independence: free from strict ingredients, measured only by personal creativity and taste. This runs the risk of not being universally acceptable but like the Americans, on this platform there is only me to please, hehe. Bahala kayo sa buhay niyo, basta ito gusto ko. Anyway I think, in the end, as God has blessed America, my Mac and Cheese turned out ok.

The ingredient that made the difference was the ground cayenne pepper. Then again there has always been a non-American ingredient at various instances in history that brought America to life; Hollwood alone is full of imports. That's America for you. Happy Independence Day!


Ingredients:

300 g elbow macaroni
4 oz unsalted butter
Flour
Ground Cayenne Pepper
Ground Nutmeg
1/2 cup evaporated milk (Alpine)
Cheddar cheese
Cheez Whiz (because I am still Filipino)

Cook the macaroni al dente as instructed in the pack.
Drain.
In a bowl, mix the milk, a handful of flour, a dash of the cayenne pepper and nutmeg.
In the saucepan used to cook the macaroni, drop in the butter and mix until it's liquid. I prefer LOTS of butter. I keep remembering Catherine Zeta Jones in No Reservations saying the secret to French cooking is butter, butter, butter.
Put the mac back into the saucepan with the butter. Add the mixture and mix in very well with the pasta.
Once done, move to a bowl, put as much grated cheddar cheese (no Gruyere here - we're being American, remember) as you want and a tablespoon of Cheez Whiz (not too much as its taste can be overpowering; you don't want this to become a Mac n Cheez Whiz!) on top.
Finally, since we're being LAZY, instead of baking it in a preheated oven, MICROWAVE for 45 seconds.
Add another dash of ground cayenne pepper on top.
Oh say can you see?

There is no sincerer love than the love of food. - George Bernard Shaw