Originally published for paying subscribers November 20, 2022. Unlocked now!
My dad and I went to college together.
He was in his grad program while I was in my undergrad program. Every other week during my first two years of college, he drove down to the city, picked me up from my dorm room, and took me grocery shopping. Then we’d walk across the street to Whole Foods and fill a brown, paper box each from the buffet. We’d eat like kings for $9.40 total.
I got my undergrad at Colorado Christian University where I had Fridays off and sat in small and well-lit classrooms and talked about literature. The professors sometimes brought tea for us to both enliven and calm our conversations.
My dad went to the Naval Academy for his undergrad where they gave him freezing cold showers, a thin blue blanket, and a “drop and give me twenty” every twenty steps he took.
And he got a kick out of reminding me of this.
We’d walk into Whole Foods, me telling him about the compliments I’d gotten from the professors on my essays, him telling me about the number of times he’d had to run around the entire Naval Academy in nothing but shorts and a t-shirt, the damp Maryland air stinging his skin.
The Whole Foods buffet had marvelous things. They had roasted beets and carrots, spicy lentils and sweet potatoes, tomatoes topped with fresh basil and drenched in olive oil. But most importantly, they had mac and cheese.
It was simple. Creamy yet crispy.
We’d take our food out onto the patio. They had heaters and a big, glass garage door that they kept open in the early fall. There were potted plants everywhere and three bins for compost, recycling, and trash all with pictures on the sides that only succeeded in adding to our confusion. Did the compostable-looking fork go in the compost bin or the garbage? Both bins had a picture of a fork on them.
We’d eat our mac and cheese and talk about our classes, compare homework loads. Talk about our classmates. I’d tell him my idea for my economics essay. He’d tell me about the group project he was doing.
I didn’t have a car until Junior year. These Whole Foods meals were some of my only times away from campus those first two years of undergrad. And they felt like going home. I got to sit across from my dad, who smelled of soap and shaving cream just like he always had. I got to tell him stories, watch him throw his head back in his great guffawing laugh. I got to hear about the people I missed from my one-stoplight home town.
It was simple. Low-key yet life-giving.
Each of those meetings was a Thanksgiving for me. Like going home to be surrounded by warmth, good food, and good company. After each visit, I counted down the days until our next trip to Whole Foods.
This Thanksgiving, I wanted to make a mac and cheese bake to remind me of that time, and I added a little kick to it to mix things up. I hope you enjoy this dish with thankfulness in your heart and family by your side.
Green Chile Two Cheese Mac
You will need:
1 (16 oz) box macaroni
1/2 cup butter, plus 2 Tbsp
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup green chiles (I used half hot and half mild)
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp cumin
Pinch of salt and pepper
What to do:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium pot, cook the macaroni until softened but still firm (it will cook the rest of the way in the oven!) Once the macaroni is cooked, drain and put into a greased baking pan.
While the macaroni is cooking, melt 1/2 cup butter in deep skillet or shallow pot on medium heat. Once the butter is melted, slowly add flour to the melted butter, whisking constantly to create a rue. Let this cook for a couple more minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth, thickened, and slightly browned.
Slowly add the milk to the rue, whisking constantly. Let simmer for another couple of minutes, until lightly bubbling and heated through. Slowly add both kinds of shredded cheese, whisking constantly. Let simmer another couple of minutes until fully melted into a thick sauce. Add green chiles to the cheese sauce and stir until well-combined.
Pour cheese sauce over the macaroni, stir gently to combine.
In a skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter on medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly to coat all the breadcrumbs in melted butter. Cook until breadcrumbs are browned and mixture is fragrant. Sprinkle evenly over macaroni.
Bake macaroni for about 30 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs have browned more and the cheese sauce is thickened.
If you’re looking to read more of my work, you can check out my book, “No Regrets,” which follows the children of two immigrant families in Chicago from the 1930s to the early 2000s, was published through an Independent Publishing House in NYC last year. It’s available through Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Bookshop, and so many other places! If you’re like me and prefer audiobooks, you can find the audiobook version of “No Regrets” on Audible.
Thanks, as always, for reading,
Juliana
PS —
Have you guys heard about Bookshop?
If you love supporting smaller, brick-and-mortar bookstores but love shopping from the comfort of your home (or, like me, you live in a teeny tiny town with a lovely but sometimes limited book selection) you’ve got to check them out. 10% of their sales go to local book stores, and 10% goes to their affiliates (like me!) every time you buy a book. They’ve got all the selection of a big online bookstore, and they’ve donated $20 million and counting to bookstores!
I now have a little “storefront” on their site, so if you’re wanting to see or buy some of my favorite books, head on over to my Bookshop site! Right now, my Bookshop lists include my Cookbook Collection, My Work, My Top 10 (always changing), and My New Foray into Scary Books.
You can find a favorite cookbook of mine, “Half-Baked Harvest: Super Simple,” there!
Who doesn't Love Mac and Cheese. I will surely try your version. I love the idea of A bit of the chili taste with the cheeses
Your story is superb, please keep writing..
Definitely a good father daughter relationship. I love it
Next Sat dinner!