EC Montreal will reopen on August 31, in less than two weeks! We can hardly believe it. We have been working from home since mid-March. We have spent two seasons at home; spring and summer. We have loved teaching our students online with EC Virtual, however, we have really missed being at the school. Everyone is talking about back to school plans. There are endless commercials with back to school deals and kids everywhere are planning their return to their classes. This fall is not going to be like any fall we have experienced before. There are a lot of people who are hesitant about going back. They are worried about the virus and are not sure if the government’s back to school plan is enough to keep everyone safe.
At EC Montreal, we have implemented quite a few safety measures to ensure our students and staff are protected. In addition to the blended learning format, we have changed the schedule to ensure that staff and students are not travelling on public transportation during rush hour. We have also installed hand sanitizer machines in several areas of the school and in all the classrooms. Mask wearing will be mandatory and we have also ensured that all desks are within six feet of one another and the teachers.
This week’s recipe is the ultimate comfort food. We look forward to comfort food when we welcome the autumn season and this year more than ever, we need something soothing to help us deal with any anxiety related to our back to school. I am delighted to share my macaroni and cheese recipe with all of you. It is sinfully delicious and the perfect meal to share with family and friends. For my version of macaroni and cheese, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 pound of butter
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 1 cup of warm milk
- 1 cup of cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup of asiago cheese, grated
- 1 cup of cream cheese
- 1 package of elbow macaroni pasta
- panko breadcrumbs
- a dash of dried parsley flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, bring salted water to boil. Add the package of macaroni and cook according to the package instructions. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour to create a roux. Add the milk and stir constantly until well blended and smooth. Add the three different kinds of cheeses and mix well until creamy. Add salt and pepper. Combine the elbow macaroni pasta with the creamy cheese mixture and place in an oven save casserole dish. Spread the macaroni well and top it with the breadcrumbs, parsley flakes and extra grated cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the breadcrumbs have browned lightly. This dish can be served as a side dish or as the main course. This is the classic recipe. You can get creative and add bacon to the sauce or shaved truffles for something extra fancy. You can also use a different pasta noodle. Miniature shells work really well.
We hope you will give this recipe a try and let us know how it turns out. We will be sharing the recipe on Microsoft Teams where you can access your English or French online classes.
Bon appetit!
