Classic Mac & Cheese

This was Classic Mac & Cheese with a big bowl of salad.

My plan was to use about 7 oz block of Baby Swiss in the refrigerator. And I had a box of elbow macaroni pasta. I knew J loves cheese and won't say no to Mac & Cheese. J requested cheddar although I simply wanted to use Baby Swiss. I ended up buying "Seriously Sharp Cheddar" for J and mixed it with Baby Swiss. Yes, there was a mile-high mountain of cheese after I finished shredding both cheese blocks!

Mixing two cheeses was a tip from Cook's Illustrated. Cheddar brings a strong flavor but rough texture because the fat separates from the cheese when it is melted. So the key to get both a rich flavor and smooth texture is to combining cheddar with cheese with higher-moisture like Baby Swiss or Monterey Jack typically come with mild flavor but provides great smooth texture because of its less fat separation. This theory exactly granted both my plan and J's request!

Topped with generous crispy bread crumbs, our Mac & Cheese was classic, dangerously cheezy and creamy. To try to be better, it was a clever idea to start with a big bowl of spinach, carrot, tomato salad with homemade simple vinaigrette so that we won't eat too much yummy M&C at once.