How To Impress Your Friends Without Trying

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Feb 21, 2006 4:30PM

(Thank you, Caroline!)

We've all had that moment where it seemed like a good idea to invite 4-10 of your closest friends over for dinner…and then the subsequent realization that you now have to cook a meal for 4-10 hungry interlopers. Terrified, you realize that ordering pizza is no longer an option in your social scene. You strongly consider calling them all back and uninviting them, but that would be childish so you take a big breath and try to cope. The next step becomes looking through countless cookbooks, recipe websites and finally becoming so overwhelmed that you end up watching a Meg Ryan romantic comedy and wishing the world would just end.

Chicagoist is here to give you a real solution to your dinner dilemma. It may not be duck confit with a side of vinegar glazed mandarin orange slices nor can it be considered (on any planet) 'health conscious', but this dish is a winner. We know this for sure, people in more than five states have told us so. You're panting with anticipation aren't you?

What we're talking about is “adult macaroni and cheese”. No strange orange powder allowed. And here's what you need to do:

1. Shred a lot of cheese. We usually use at least five different varieties. For instance a mix of sharp cheddar, gouda, mozzarella, havarti and (if we're feeling exceptionally fancy) a blue cheese (Roquefort if you're rolling in money).

2. Boil an entire box of macaroni (one and half for more than ten people).

3. While the pasta is boiling put about a cup of half and half and half a stick of butter into a saucepan over low heat.

4. Allow the butter to melt and mix with the half and half but don't allow it to boil.

5. When the pasta is cooked and strained the fun begins. Put about an inch worth of macaroni in a large (and deep) casserole dish (sprayed with Pam or coated in butter so the pasta doesn't stick). Then put a liberal spread of the shredded cheese over this layer of pasta. Repeat this process at least three times, each time using an inordinate amount of cheese.

6. Once you've reached the top of the dish put another large helping of cheese on top so you can hardly see the pasta. Then pour the half and half/butter over the entire thing…this gives the dish its true cheesy wonderfulness.

7. Stick it in the oven, preferably covered, for about twenty minutes or until the cheese on top starts bubbling.

8. Serve it up with the options of salsa, ketchup, Tabasco and of course salt and pepper.

Variation 1:
If there are no vegetarians in your party cook up some bacon (about six strips) until crispy. On one internal layer of pasta and cheese put three strips then again on the topmost layer.

Variation 2:
If you want to make this a bit 'fancier' make some basil or cilantro pesto and add it to the half and half/butter.

Variation 3:
This is really just an addendum to Variation 2. If it's around Thanksgiving and you have a lot of left over turkey you can make this dish even more exciting by putting turkey on every layer along with the cheese. This is exceptionally good when combined with the pesto.

A nice salad can balance the guilt one can experience from such a cheesy form of gluttony. Believe us, if you make it they will come…and eat it all, leaving you only dishes to deal with after they leave.