...and now for something completely delicious.

...and I wonder why I can't seem to lose my lil' booze gut. Sure it's a little one but it ruins any chances I have of becoming America's next top model. Oh well, at least I have twenty portions of mac n' cheese in front of me. Ya know, if there was one thing I could've learned in culinary school it would've been how to cook for two people. I blame my bad portioning skills on my mother. Her and my grandmother had three rules when it came to food. 1) Everyone is probably hungry all the time. 2) Why just make a little bit when you can make more than enough to feed the whole neighborhood? 3) If you're not currently eating there must be a problem. I don't know how many times in my childhood I heard "Why aren't you eating? Are you sick?" Ummm, I just ate breakfast 20 freaking minutes ago. That's why I'm not hungry. Let a kid rest without a sandwich in their hand. Sheesh. So yes, I have become like her. I have adopted the very same rules that plagued me my whole life. I make too much food, all the time, and I can't moderately portion food to save my life. I just hope my aging, rusty metabolism keeps puttering along. I guess, in a way, it is comforting to know that there is always something comforting to snack on.

Baked Penne & Beecher's Flagship Cheese with Spicy Lamb Sausage -or-
Mac N' Cheese with Sausage (depends on whether you're feeling fancy or not)

16 oz. penne pasta
1/2 lb. spicy lamb sausage (merguez would work as well)
3 cups half and half
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp AP flour
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper tt
1 tsp pimenton picante
2 1/2 - 3 cups Beecher's Smoked Flagship cheese, grated (or mix it up with your favorites)
1 cup fine bread crumbs
1 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 12 baking dish. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked al dente. Set aside. Meanwhile, brown sausage whole in a skillet until just cooked through. Let the meat rest before slicing. Heat butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
Whisk in the flour making sure there are no lumps and cook the roux, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in half and half, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add pimenton. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheese until melted. Pour pasta into cheese sauce. Add sausage. Mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Combine bread crumbs and the Tbsp of melted butter. Sprinkle over macaroni and cheese. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown.