I'm actually obsessed with talking about the weather. BUT right now it's horrible! verrry windy, and lashing rain. And all the election posters are flying all over the place.


Anyway, tonight I'm going to be a good daughter and am cooking a roast for my Mum. And we're going to watch It's Complicated. Nancy Meyers makes perfect films for Mothers & Daughters, at least I think so! John Krasinski for me, and Alec Baldwin for me Ma (and me too, maybe).

Macaroni & Cheese might just be my ultimate comfort food.
And I don't mean that neon crap in a box. Curiosity lead me to trying that stuff in Canada and it was nasty.
No, I'm more of a homemade Mac&Cheese girl.

Here's my recipe: (I'm like to be rustic in the kitchen, so the measurements are a bit here and there)

1 slice of stale bread/end of a baguette
25g butter
25g plain flour
200g pasta (I usually use penne, but fusilli is great too)
250ml milk (If you have time, warm the milk with an onion studded with cloves, just remember to remove the onion when making the sauce!)
175g grated cheese (cheddar & parmeasan)

1. Blitz the bread til you have breadcrumbs and put aside
2. Cook pasta according to instructions on pack. Strain when cooked.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add flour. Stir until a 'roux' is formed. It should be biscuity in smell, and look like a ball of dough.
4. Add milk the roux, stirring continuously. The sauce will become thicker, like a bechamel sauce. Take the sauce off the heat and add the cheese. Stir in the cooked pasta.
5. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs
6. Bake at 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.

That's my failsafe recipe. Sometimes I add cherry tomatoes or a spoon of mustard!