When it comes to cooking, I’m not the best. I’m not even close. In fact, if a recipe calls for anything I don’t recognize or don’t know where to find at the closest grocery store, I quit reading. This is even if someone says, “It’s so easy”. I still don’t technically know what a shallot is.

My point: This recipe is easy.

I don’t get to spend Christmas with my mom or my family this year (effing finances) so I’m doing everything I can to create a feeling of home at my house. There will be plenty of cookies and ham and turkey in the coming days but I wanted a little bit of comfort.

Here’s how you can bring a bit of my mom home with you, too.

Ingredients:

• Cheese (I use sharp cheese – would prefer Tillamook). Get at least a good size block of it. Don’t get pre-shredded.
• Macaroni noodles (Get the real kind. Let’s be honest, with this much cheese, there’s no way you’re going to make this sucker healthy by adding wheat noodles).
• Evaporated milk (the smallest can)
• Salt & Pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Instructions:

• Boil your noodles according to the box. Usually boil for around 10 – 13 minutes.
• Grate your cheese. I do the entire block. Yeah, I said it. If you have a Tillamook baby loaf, about 1/2 or 3/4 is good.
• Open your evaporated milk or pierce an opening in the can. You won’t be dumping it in.
• Spray a little cooking spray in a glass baking dish.

Once you have drained your noodles, pour 1/2 into your greased baking dish. Salt and pepper your bare noodles and then sprinkle 1/2 the cheese to cover your bare noodles. Grab that partially opened evaporated milk and drizzle some over the top. Don’t get it too soupy because, well, that’s just gross. Repeat the process for the second layer using the rest of your noodles and the rest of your cheese (add salt and pepper). Drizzle (slightly) your evaporated milk and cover your dish with aluminum foil. Pop it in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Once you see your milk bubbling from the bottom of your pan, take off the foil and bake for about 10 minutes longer or until all cheese is melted on top.

Take out and gorge.

Summary:

• Oven at 350 degrees
• Total bake time: 30 minutes
• Feeds: An army
• Nutrition facts: Don’t even bother with this.