Mac 'n' Cheese

Everyone’s Favorite Comfort Food Heads on Down to the Farm

Winter is the perfect time for the scent of baking casseroles wafting through the house as we warm ourselves after a day of outdoor activities. “Mac ’n’ cheese,” the ultimate comfort food, is beloved for many reasons, including its affordability and its accessibility. More often than not, even when you have nearly nothing in the refrigerator, you still have the ingredients on hand to make macaroni and cheese from pantry and dairy staples—even in a snow storm.

Then, there’s its versatility. The possibilities are nearly limitless. Here, one version features roasted, mashed butternut squash and the other includes turnips and Lacinato kale, though a slew of winter vegetables also lend themselves to pasta casserole treatment.

• Add sautéed or oven-roasted mushrooms and sautéed leeks.
• Add sautéed or oven-roasted fennel or kohlrabi and yellow onion.
• Add cooked and crumbled sweet Italian sausage.
• Cheese is the most expensive ingredient in mac ‘n’ cheese. Keep an eye out for sales, and stock up on hard cheeses, like cheddar or Narragansett Creamery’s Atwell’s Gold, that store well in the refrigerator.
• Be on the lookout for pasta bargains. Store brands tend to be less expensive than brand names, and 10 for $10 sales pop up fairly regularly.