White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese with Truffle Sea Salt

It's finally happened. Michael didn't complain about a macaroni and cheese recipe. STOP THE PRESSES!

You see....that crazy boy of mine is always all whiney about my baked mac n cheese recipes, saying they're not real mac n cheese and asking me why I can't just buy him Velveeta. #firstworldfoodbloggerhubbyprobs

I suppose I shouldn't have been SO surprised, this is a stovetop mac n cheese recipe, which means it's creamier and more what he's used to. And...well....it IS delicious!

....and maybe there's some truffle flavor in it for me. But not so much that Michael got overwhelmed by it (or...even noticed it, for that matter).

You know what another benefit to the stovetop mac n cheese is (aside from silencing crankypants fiances')?

IT'S SO EASY. And quick. I used one pot to make the entire thing. (hooray minimal dishes)!

You make some of your favorite shaped pasta, then whip up a super creamy, super dreamy cheese sauce (that I healthified a bit by subbing in fat free half and half, instead of the original recipe's heavy cream. The downside was the sauce needed some thickening via a cornstarch mixture. I'd take that over the calories any dayyy though!) with a healthy dose of addictive truffle salt. It's lovely. Mmmmm. Get yourself a bowl a-tothe-sap!

 White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese with Truffle Sea Salt

Adapted from Big Bear's Wife "Mushroom and Truffle Sea Salt White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese "

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. dry pasta
• 16 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 pint fat free half and half (or heavy cream)
• 1/2-3/4 tsp. truffle sea salt
• Optional: 1 tbsp. cornstarch + 3 tbsp. cold water or milk

Preparation:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Drain pasta and set aside.
• In a saucepan (or in the same pot you just used to cook the pasta, if you hate doing dishes as much as I do) heat half and half over medium heat until it is just about to come to a boil. 
• Reduce heat some and add grated cheese, stir until completely melted. 
• If the sauce seems very thin, add the cornstarch mixed with cold water/milk. Stir until the sauce thickens.
• Add truffle salt and stir. Adjust amount of salt according to taste. 
• Add pasta to the sauce. Stir and serve immediately!
• If reheating, add a splash or 2 of milk-it will become extremely thick when chilled.

...all this talk about Michael liking this macaroni is making me sad because he leeeeaves tomorrow! :'(

*sigh* I'll just eat my sorrows. And pack. And soak up my last few weeks of NYC.