Top Spot for Mac and Cheese

french toast, sausage gravy, levitate

by McKinney, Wanda

Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville serves up some of the best comfort food in the South.

I blame my last five pounds of weight gain on Oprah Winfrey. That's right-Oprah. It's all her fault.

I just happened to catch the show where she listed the top restaurants in the country that serve the perfect macaroni and cheese. Well, Io and behold, there was Lynn's Paradise Cafe.

Known far and wide (and in my case, I do mean wide) for her bounteous breakfasts, Lynn has stuffed me with French toast ($6.25) and biscuits light enough to levitate if not eaten quickly or drenched in sausage gravy (so I do both). Her lunch menu features a meat loaf ($9.50) that smacks of comfort, and I've lost myself more than once in her fruit cobbler ($2.25). But I had never tried the macaroni and cheese ($2.25). Obviously, a serious mistake, according to Oprah.

So I took myself to Louisville, sat down in a cheery booth, and ordered the famous dish. I was joined by Lori Pritchett, general manager of Lynn's. "Oprah sent me," I explained. "She said your mac and cheese is one of the best in the country."

"Yes, we were so excited," Lori said. "It was a challenge getting the food shipped to Chicago for the studio audience to try, but it was a lot of fun."

Soon the aromatic delicacy originated by executive chef Sara Gibbs arrived at my table, alongside an order of Walnut-Crusted Chicken ($9.50). I took one bite of cheesy goodness and knew my Dr. Phil Weight Loss Challenge was temporarily lost. The cheese and macaroni had just the right consistency and flavor, and the topping made the difference between good and great. "This is pasta-rifle," I shouted, scraping up every Cheddar-filled elbow. "Would you share the recipe?"

"Oh, sure," said Lori. "We give it out all the time."

So here 1 am, another size larger and deeper in debt (multiple Cheddar cheese runs can really crank up the old grocery bill). Dr. Phil would say that I should take responsibility for my actions and not blame Oprah for my gluttony. Or maybe I should be mad at Lynn's Paradise Cafe for serving such addictive food. But I trusted Oprah, and now I'm lost in a noodle nebula. By the way, I wonder when the show that names the best chocolates is airing? just curious. WANDA MCKINNEY Readmore »»

Homemade Mac & Cheese Recipe

Velveeta Cheese, cook pasta, Pasta shells

by Kara Kelso

There's nothing more special than a home cooked meal. Instead of reaching for the box dinner of this classic the next time you are at the store, try buying the ingredients so you can make your own!

While there is a little bit more prep work involved in making your own Mac & Cheese rather than just making it out of the box, it's not much. You'll first need to make sure you have all the ingredients, including optional ingredients.

What you'll need:

- Pasta shells or macaroni pasta (will depend on preference) - Velveeta Cheese - Milk - Butter - Hamburger (optional)

If you do plan to include hamburger, you'll want to cook this first before you even start your mac & cheese, because it will be the last step and you don't want to be waiting for it.

Directions:

Cook hamburger, set aside. Boil water and cook pasta as directed. While pasta is cooking, cut cheese into bite sized pieces (the smaller they are, the easier they melt). Make sure your milk and butter is out as well, so you aren't racing to find it.

Once pasta is finished, drain and return to pot. Slowly add in milk, cheese, and a small amount of butter. Amounts will depend on your own preferences, and do be careful with the amount of milk you add to start. Too much milk and you'll have Mac & Cheese soup! Hamburger is added last and again will depend on preference.

Enjoy this tasty homemade treat! Readmore »»