Cooking for Cancer

This week brother Mike sent me an article from USA Today about cooking and eating for the cancer patient.  Basically it is an extensive list of foods and recipes that provide nutrition and comfort (no nausea) for the patient battling cancer and the wretched chemotherapy treatments. 

I wasn’t surprised to read about the many recommended foods.  Heck, I’m now an expert at what works and what doesn’t work.  Can I just say I didn’t eat Mexican food for almost six months?  And sushi, once the love of my food life, wasn’t on the craving list either. 

Cream soups, chicken ‘n dumplings and mashed potatoes are a dream come true.  Deviled eggs, too.  And one of my all-time favorites – mac ‘n cheese. 

A friend of mine is currently going through the chemo regime, and just this week was asking for a recommendation for something good and hearty to eat without tempting the stomach.  My recommendation – the fabulous Lee Brother’s Macaroni & Cheese recipe. 

Tim and I loved this recipe long before the cancer diagnosis – my girls too, especially Anna-Lee.  But this decadent pasta with cheese took on a whole new meaning after February 17^th.  So, I’m sharing this recipe with my blog friends. 

Print it!  Make it!  Eat it!  You won’t be sorry, whether you have cancer, or not.  And you can’t go wrong with this fabulous cookbook either. 

Macaroni and Cheese

from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook

 serves 12 - total time: 1 hour

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 pound elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour3 cups milk

3 bay leaves6 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 pound)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste1 pound Gruyere or Swiss cheese, cut into 1/4-inch slices

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Fill a large pasta pot with water. Bring the water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pasta pot.In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir together until smooth. Stir for 3 minutes. Add the milk, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt and stir until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Add half of the cheddar cheese and stir until it is melted. Turn off the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked pasta and stir until the sauce is distributed evenly in the pasta. Spread half of the macaroni and cheese in the bottom of a 3-quart casserole dish and flatten into an even layer. Sprinkle half of the remaining cheddar on top, then cover with half of the Gruyere. Add the rest of the pasta, flattening into an even layer, then cover with the remaining cheddar then the remaining Gruyere.

Bake in the middle of the preheated oven until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. If desired, transfer to the top rack during the last 5 minutes to brown the top.  Serve immediately.