The Creamiest Macaroni & Cheese

Rainy nights like tonight are made for comfort. I've lit a fire and cozied up on the couch, but only after making the creamiest macaroni and cheese.

I made it on the stove top for my son, and will be baking the casserole portion of it tomorrow afternoon, for my boyfriend. The recipe is surprisingly easy, no roux required, and it tastes too good to be true.

Here's the recipe. I hope you enjoy it.

Take a 1 lb. box of your favorite noodles (I used rigatoni) and boil. While the noodles are cooking, brown 1 cup panko bread crumbs in a pan with melted butter (about 2 T worth of butter). Once it turns golden, remove from heat, salt to taste, and add a little bit of paprika for color.

Take small casserole dish and coat the bottom of the dish with melted butter. Pour the panko over the top to form the bottom crust of the mac and cheese.

Butter fried panko coats the bottom of casserole

Once pasta is cooked, drain water and return to stove top. Add about 2 cups of freshly shredded sharp cheddar, and 6 slices of deli sliced yellow American cheese (the American cheese binds the cheddar and makes it creamy). Stir until creamy. You can add a little milk, salt, and pepper. I add about 1/4 cup milk, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.

Cheesy rigatoni

Spoon cheesy pasta into the casserole dish, being careful not to disturb the panko crust. Pack it tightly to the top, then put remaining butter fried panko over the top. Take a small square of wax paper, put it over the top, and press to flatten. Discard after using.

Ready for the oven

Bake in the oven at 350* for 10 minutes. Serve warm and fresh.

Dirty Girls

Recently, I started running. I began to run because my dog, Rocco, has endless amounts of energy and running with him was the only way that I could tire him out. And then, of course, my boyfriend runs, my friends run, and the weight I've been wanting to lose will come off faster if running is involved.

So today, when my friend Lina, posted a question (something to the effect of Dirty Girl or Spartan?), I knew I had to run the Dirty Girl race. It's a mud run that is only for women, but men are invited to watch and offer moral support.

Moral support and kisses.

Aside from the fact that the name is just fabulous, Dirty Girl is a 5K for people of all levels and abilities. They have named the water section H2OMG, and another one PMS, pretty muddy stuff. If you want to avoid an obstacle, you can (no burpees as payment). You can run in a tutu, a bikini, whatever you'd like. It's all girls. Pink is the main race color.

This Dirty Girl goal forces me to get my act together and get back in shape (it is also just two weeks before my beach vacation, so it cracks the whip just in time). I'm so excited about this race that I've started a team, hoping to run with lots of fun women. To join my team, Dirty Domestic Goddess Girls, register using Team Code: VHLVW. Everyone who runs with us gets a specially made Dirty Girl candle. Just for our team!

A huge thank you to the beautiful, fit and motivating Lina Catanzaro, for putting it out there and getting the wheels in motion. Run, girl. Run.