People’s opinions on the seasons are split and the majority split is in favour of the summer and the warm weather. They come alive in the summer and start socialising, having BBQs, having days out and going to the beach. Whilst I am a great lover of the beach, I must confess to being one of the minority who are the complete opposite – it’s the autumn and winter that make me come alive.
I don’t know what it is – maybe the fact that I suffer the worst with Meniere’s during the hot weather, or the fact that I’ve never been a lover of heat? Maybe it’s the pretty colours of the trees in autumn or the picturesqueness of a snowy scene – no, that can’t be it as it only snows once in a blue moon in our corner of the UK!
I don’t honestly think I could pinpoint one specific reason why I love, adore and await the colder half of the year…but I do, every single year. The changing of the leaves outside, hot chocolates and cups of steaming tea snuggled up under a blanket on the sofa binge watching Netflix, the annual ritual of putting the duvet back in the cover for the colder months, the impending excitement and magic of Christmas….and of course, food.
Having been doing the Dizzy Dieter for coming up to a year now, I can honestly say that summer is a difficult time for food blogging. I think everyone understands that the kitchen is the last place you want to be on a hot day and for me, with Meniere’s, that’s amplified. Really, the ideal place for me on a hot day is in the bedroom with the fan on and curtains closed and certainly not cooking in a hot kitchen! But, there’s very little interesting food you can make without having to cook SOME element so you’re kind of stuck with it.
But when the leaves turn and the weather cools, the world (or at least the kitchen) becomes your oyster (no pun intended)! Gone are desperate attempts to make interesting salads, easy stuff like burgers that don’t require you to be in the kitchen too long and cold puddings. No, this is the time (for me at least) food creativity is flowing and I’m more than happy (Meniere’s permitting) to be in the kitchen experimenting.
Autumn is the time I start to think about comfort food – not because I’m unhappy but because it’s that kind of season and weather. Mac and cheese is one of my favourite comfort foods – simple, easy and quick but so good! Not very diet-y, I know but we all have our vices and indulgences and they have to be unleashed sometimes.
My mac and cheese recipe is really delicious as written but it’s also a great recipe to use as a base. I sometimes add some leftover or frozen vegetables into it; some sweated leeks or onions, or some peas and sweetcorn make nice additions. And let’s face it, if you’re a cheese monster like me then you’re probably already thinking of cheeses that you’d like to try (I know this because it’s what I’d be doing!).
So let me know what you think of my Mac and Cheese recipe – what did you add and what cheeses did you use (I’m always available to talk about cheese!). You can use the comments section or the Contact Me form on the site, or I’m also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and I love hearing from you! Enjoy DDx.
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Macaroni Cheese
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
What a classic – pasta coated in a creamy cheesy sauce. The ultimate comfort food – on your plate within about 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 250 ml milk
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 25 g butter
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 100 g mature cheddar, grated
- A pinch of dried thyme
- 200 g pasta (I like conchiglie)
Instructions
- Put the pasta in a pan of cold, lightly salted water and place over a high heat.
- Meanwhile, add the milk, flour and butter to a saucepan and put over a medium heat.
- Whisk to combine and then continue whisking until the sauce comes up to the boil – it will begin to thicken up.
- Let it simmer gently for another 2 minutes then add the cheese and stir constantly until melted. Add the paprika and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Drain the cooked pasta and mix with the sauce. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
