food friday

it's friday. crap. tgif, but -tgif about all the crizzap i gots to get done. who ever said grad school was a good idea?

so friday = food friday around here. but, if you're anything like me lately, meals squashed in the middle of the week can only be described as "lackluster" at best. i usually dream up something horribly boring like avocado on toast, greek yogurt or my favorite standby chickpea salad with lemon and parmesan. the boyfriend and i usually try to drum up something somewhat creative on the weekend, but since metagenomics will be my boyfriend over the weekend, i'm left to my own devices. something sinfully inappropriate like ms. stewarts monstrously cheesy melted goodness...

Gratinéed Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes
from Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics

Ingredients:
16 ounces elbow macaroni
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more for dish
1 1/4 cups baguette, torn into small pieces
1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, diivided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 quart milk
5 tablespoons flour
1 pinch nutmeg
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
16 ounces fresh tomato, cut into 1 inch chunks
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish or a 3 quart casserole dish; set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, and pour over the bread in a medium bowl; toss. Add 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, toss.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Cook pasta until just beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes (it will not be fully cooked). Drain and rinse.
Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in high-sided skillet or pot over medium until foaming. Add the flour; whisk one minute. Slowly whisk in the warm milk. Cook, whisking, until bubbling and thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the remaining 2 teaspoons thyme, the nutmeg, and cheese to pan; stir until the cheese is melted.
Stir the pasta and tomatoes into the cheese sauce. Pour into the buttered dish; sprinkle with the bread topping. Bake until bubbling and golden, about 30 minutes. let cool slightly before serving.

Serves 6 to 8.

i'll let you know if i survive