Food Network/Cookbook Week: Nancy

As you may have gathered, I am in love with Alton Brown. His quirky humor, his smarty-pants thoughts on the science of cooking, his genius recipes, and his adorable receding hairline and nerdy style are the complete package, as far as I am concerned.

But before I continue praising the wonders of Alton, You should know that I don't come by this opinion lightly. I watched A LOT of Food Network in order to come to that conclusion. For example, I know that Bobby Flay just isn't all that he is hyped up to be, I mean, maybe he's can grill a few things, but he doesn't get the real art of cooking, and everything he does is the same, with the chilis and the fruit blended together. Giada has a big head. Too big for her body. So big that I can't actually take her seriously as a chef, because anyone who actually makes and eats all that pasta would have a body more porportionate to her head size. And Emeril is also just a bunch of catch phrases and recipes that never actually work out. And please don't even get me started on Rachael Ray. But Paula Dean could be my new best friend if she wanted to (I even have an autographed cookbook, thanks to the quick thinking skills of my brother when he met her in an airport, she told him to give me "all her love" in her adorable drawl), and the Iron chef Chairman is dreamy, and the Barefoot Contessa is a genius with her herb garden and even the nasty mean judge Kerry Vincent on the cake challenges has some good points to make.

But Alton is better than all of them. I still remember the first episode I ever saw, when he talked about the chemistry of using eggs (they are an emulsifier, in case you needed to know) and hhe explained the science of every step of making something wonderful, and then he did it! And with the science and the explaining, he taught me how to vary things to make them my own too. Oh Alton. Be still my heart.

So here is my very favorite Alton recipe. Now mind you, just because it says its mac and cheese, and its not from a box, doesn't mean its scary or takes a ton of time. It's really quite simple, takes only as much time and effort as the whole from-a-box stuff as far as I am concerned, but its worlds better. And you should play around with the spices so you get something you love. His are great, you can't go wrong with this recipe, but if you don't have them, just throw in some that you do have and love. I don't use the bay leaf and paprika anymore, I prefer herbs de provence and garlic.

I'm telling you, this stuff is amazing. (the crust on top is my favoritest. yum. Now I have to make this tonight.)

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon powdered mustard
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 large egg
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper

Topping:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.