MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH TOMATOES

now....i was supposed to let this sit in the oven until the tomatoes were a little charred which i'm sure would have tasted better...but i was impatient last night...so imagine this picture with charred tomatoes ;p

1 3/4 c. milk (i used plain soymilk)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 c. sharp cheddar, grated
1 1/2 c. macaroni
4 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

to make the cheese sauce, heat the milk with the bay, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. simmer for a few minutes, take off the heat, cover, and allow flavors to mingle for 10 minutes.

preheat oven to 350.

in another pan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. cook gently for 1-2 minutes to make a roux.
don't allow the mixture to brown. remove the bay leaf from the milk mixture and pour into the roux, mixing together with a whisk, until smooth.

set sauce to cook on lowest possible heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper to taste. cook for another 3-4 minutes. switch off the heat and cover tightly with lid.

cook macaroni in salted water until it is just under al dente. drain and pour your cheese mixture on top. mix together well and then pour into a lightly buttered baking dish.

cover macaroni with the sliced tomatoes and bake for 30-40 minutes until the tomatoes are slightly blistered and the edges are bubbling up nicely from underneath.