Monday

Macaroni and cheese with spinach (recipe in the comments)
Baked tomatoes

Hot tea

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This was our first homemade mac and cheese recipe, made for the first time in 2003, and we LOVE it. It's very simple, but the addition of scallions, garlic, and mustard give the cheese sauce a zip most classic versions don't. Of course, I haven't even mentioned the spinach, which gives it color and adds veggies. I also think the spinach adds a wonderfully soft texture. This is yet another recipe in one of our most common January recipe category: comfort foods that manage to be on the lighter side. We always love baked tomatoes - a way of making winter tomatoes edible and it's easy to make right alongside the mac. Just stick them in about 10 minutes earlier than the casserole.

Prep Notes
Difficulty: Easy
Chopping: Scallions, garlic, Emmentahler, Asiago, spinach, tomatoes
Time: 50 minutes, including 15 minutes baking time
Make ahead: This is very good the next day.

Reaction
J: "This is the perfect mid-winter meal."
M: M is still thinking.

Sunday

Chipotle macaroni and cheese (recipe in the comments)
Salad with balsamic and bacon dressing

Orange chocolate cake (leftover from breakfast!)
Hot tea (variety of flavors for various participants)

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Michael and I both love comfort food and homemade macaroni and cheese is a favorite. That said, we are pretty health conscious. This recipe ranks as one of two macaroni and cheese recipes that we have adapted from Cooking Light magazine to become regular parts of our repertoire. Both are wonderfully delicious, a bit of a twist on the classic mac and cheese, and moderately good for you. I have to admit that we don't use reduced fat cheese (seems icky), so they're not as good for you as the magazine intended.

Prep Notes
Difficulty: Moderate
Chopping: Onion, bell pepper, chipotle peppers, garlic
Time: About 30 minutes + 30 minutes to cook
Make ahead: You can prep ingredients, but you should put them all together right before you bake.

Reaction
J: "Spicy cheese and pasta - does life get any better?"
Mn: "Comfort food with zip!"
M: "Chipotle mac : mac 'n' cheese :: a real bagel : Lenders OR
Chipotle mac : mac 'n' cheese :: Starbucks : that bitter brown water my office calls "coffee" * OR
Chipotle mac : mac 'n' cheese :: Ben'n'Jerry's : Walmart brand ice cream **

*noting, of course, that there are many better kinds of coffee than
Starbucks, but you get it...
**does Walmart have their own ice cream? I don't know, but I wouldn't
be surprised. And I bet it's not good. Not good at all."