Wake Up Call

There is something to be said about waking up early. I have always been a night owl myself, staying up late, often doing nothing on the internet, and eventually going to bed because I know I should, not because I'm necessarily tired. The mornings are the time when I'm not talkative, but I'm never really grumpy. Lately I haven't been sleeping as well or as long. I woke up this morning sometime between four or five when an ambulance drove down my street. I tried watching a movie, thinking I would fall back asleep, instead watching it through and feeling awake. So I got up, got ready and headed to the grocery store. Walking in the city at 7 am on a Sunday is this crazy thing. The street that is normally filled with speeding cars is still and silent. It feels almost like it all belongs to you, as you feel like the only one around for miles. As the sky lightened the crows called out to me. Even the grocery store felt different. When I arrived the store the employees were stocking the shelves, and I felt almost as if I shouldn't be there. I always associate early mornings with travel, as it seems to be the only time I wake up early. So mornings to me are filled with adventure, unsure of where the day is going to take you.

My plan when I went to the grocery store was to get ingredients for macaroni and cheese. I wanted to make a recipe I knew and something I could make ahead of time and then put in the oven without me having to fuss over it as I was going to watch the Academy Awards with some friends. I've taken them pretty seriously over the years, filling out my ballot for who I want/think will win. I tear up when I watch certain acceptance speeches, and watch them on youtube for fun sometimes. So yes, the Academy Awards are a big deal to me. There are many similar homemade macaroni and cheese recipes out there, mine is adopted from Ina Garten's. I was especially excited to make it this time because Trader Joe's just started selling a Cheddar-Gruyère Mélange.

Ina Garten's Macaroni & Cheese
(Serving Size: 4-6)
Ingredients:
1/2 lb macaroni
1 pint whole milk
5 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
4 oz extra sharp cheddar, grated (or use 10 oz. of the mélange)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp salt
4-5 slices of fresh white bread crumbs.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Boil pasta. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small sauce pan, until it begins to steam, don't let it boil. Melt 3 tbsp of butter in a large pot and then add flour (also known as a roux). Cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, whisking. Continue to stir while adding in the hot milk, cooking for a minute or two more. It should be smooth and slightly thickened. Take off heat, add cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well, coating all the pasta. Pour into glass baking dish. Melt the remaining butter, combine them with fresh bread crumbs, slightly browning. Sprinkle on top and bake for 30-35 minutes. If made ahead, add the breadcrumbs right before baking, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or so.