Everyday Food: Southern Mac & Cheese

In these last few weeks of winter, I've been combing through my favorite cookbooks and magazines for recipes to work my oven as much as possible before the weather warms and cravings for thick, rich macaroni and cheese are replaced by crisp, fresh salads and juicy chunks of watermelon.

In the March 2009 Everyday Food, I came across a feature titled "10 Ways to Love Pasta." I thought this to be a genius story - not only is pasta a quick weeknight meal, but it's budget-friendly, perfect for a time when many of us are tightening our belts. The one that stared right at me as the perfect meal for a chilly Sunday evening was Martha's Southern Mac & Cheese.

First, set aside two cups of elbow macaroni. While boiling the water for the macaroni, prepare the macaroni and cheese sauce. You can use pre-shredded cheddar cheese if you're pressed for time, but not to be out-Martha'ed by Martha, I grated 2 cups of cheddar cheese by hand.

Combine a cup of half-and-half, two eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and 1 clove of garlic, minced, in a large bowl. Whisk to combine; add cheddar cheese.

Just before pasta is al dente, drain and combine with cheese mixture. Divide into ramekins or spread into a shallow 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish.

The next step Martha suggests is to combine two torn slices of white bread in a food processor with two tablespoons of butter. I had some homemade rosemary-garlic ciabatta breadcrumbs on hand so I used those to top off the casserole.

Dividing evenly, top pasta mixture with 1/2 cup cheddar, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until mac and cheese is golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes in ramekins, 25 minutes in a baking dish. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.