Mac n' Cheese success

[Jenise]

The other day my husband requested macaroni and cheese. He was ill and it was the first thing in three days, besides soda crackers and 7-Up, that he thought he could keep down. So I cooked the pasta and separately made a cheese sauce before realizing that I didn't have anything to bake said Mac 'n Cheese in. I didn't keep out stuff like that when I packed for the construction that was only supposed to last four months. Along the way I've bought some disposable aluminum baking pans for certain occasions, but I didn't have any of those left.
Rifling through the rack in our bedroom, I found two options: a Pyrex pie plate and a teflon lined metal bundt pan, one I'd bought for the bouilliabaise terrine I made for Bill Spohn's annual terrine event last August.

Conventional instinct said use the glass, but the playful side of me remembered the ring-molded foods in my mother's 50's era cookbooks, so I chose the bundt pan.

I wish I'd taken a picture. After being served his fat slice of macaroni and cheese, with it's lovely arc of browned and crispy cheesey goodness, Bob said "I don't want you to ever make macaroni and cheese in any other pan again." Deal. If he hadn't said it, I would have.

If your favorite part of the macaroni and cheese is the crispy top part, and if you have a teflon-lined metal bundt pan, use that on your next macaroni and cheese and get that wonderful effect on all four sides.

Hey, you made a one layer timpano!

(Isn't that what they called the great pasta dish that Secondo made in the movie Big Night?)

In any case, sounds really good, Jenise.

Hey, you made a one layer timpano!

(Isn't that what they called the great pasta dish that Secondo made in the movie Big Night?).

Do you mean this? http://www.thefoodinmybeard.com/2009/07/timpano.html

It looks revolting.

At least the version that this fellow made.

Hey, you made a one layer timpano!

(Isn't that what they called the great pasta dish that Secondo made in the movie Big Night?).

Do you mean this? http://www.thefoodinmybeard.com/2009/07/timpano.html

It looks revolting.

At least the version that this fellow made.

That looked like it had already been eaten once. Or twice, even.

That looked like it had already been eaten once. Or twice, even.

Indeed. And what's worse, I just re-checked the website and plenty of comments were raving about how good it looked.

I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder..

I liked this admonition from the author...

If you are making a timpano, don't just throw a bunch of crap in there.

He may wish to take his own advice next time.

Hey, you made a one layer timpano!

(Isn't that what they called the great pasta dish that Secondo made in the movie Big Night?).

Do you mean this? http://www.thefoodinmybeard.com/2009/07/timpano.html

It looks revolting.

At least the version that this fellow made.

That looked like it had already been eaten once. Or twice, even.

The close-up photography did not help in the least.

I'm still stuck on the sliceable mac and cheese. I like mine gooey.

[Jenise]

I'm still stuck on the sliceable mac and cheese. I like mine gooey.

I cut back on the goo in order to reduce the fat and calories (it gained back a lower calorie moisture content by getting topped with chopped green chiles with oregano in a light vinaigrette), and the pasta wasn't elbows but a narrow-gauge rigatoni called something like rigatini, which made it even firmer.

Hey, you made a one layer timpano!

(Isn't that what they called the great pasta dish that Secondo made in the movie Big Night?).

Do you mean this? http://www.thefoodinmybeard.com/2009/07/timpano.html

It looks revolting.

At least the version that this fellow made.

That looked like it had already been eaten once. Or twice, even.

OMG, that looks like some sort of body part with maggots.

[Jenise]

That is absolutely awful looking. And how unintentionally hilarious, with all the admonitions about taking care with one's ingredients.