Meals as a Mrs. ~ Bacon-Jalapeno Macaroni & Cheese

With February right around the corner, I can't help but reflect on how excited we were when last February rolled around in 2016.  There was something almost magical about the start of the last full month before we would meet our baby in early March.  Heading into the home stretch of pregnancy, we knew the next time we flipped the calendar that it would be our child's birth month!!  So it was with anticipation and excitement that we said farewell to January and embarked on February and all the fun that comes with that month.  Below is a picture with Ashley, my best friend from young adulthood and former roommate from my YoPa days, who had come to visit us with her boyfriend in mid January.  I think this was one of the last photos taken of me pregnant.

In this photo, I was 33 weeks along with 7 more to go until Charlotte's birthday!  I remember, at the time, feeling ginormous and thinking I looked so huge when I saw the picture we snapped before Ash and Vaughn departed....now I would give anything to be able to experience pregnancy one more time especially after seeing some glowing gorgeous pregnant mamas at church this morning.

It's so easy to go down the road of wishing that can lead to the road of pitying but each day I am constantly trying to get off at the fork in the road and deliberately place myself on the path of being present and working to joyfully embrace reality and "what is".  As we heard in the homily this morning, blessed are they who mourn, but I am choosing to tweak that and also say, "Blessed are they who pick themselves up and keep attempting to embrace the good with the bad".  Speaking of embracing the good, I would give this out of this world delicious Bacon-Jalapeno Macaroni & Cheese a hug if I could.

Seriously.  It. is. that. good.


Then again, how could it not be when it comes to us from none other than chef extraordinaire Emily Stimpson Chapman?!  When she shared this recipe on her blog, I knew I just HAD to try this for myself.  Doing so required me to experiment with ingredients I had not tried before and took more time than I am used to when it comes to mac and cheese but oh was it so worth it!!!  Visiting Emily's blog is reminding me that I want to get her new book that shares the title with her blog.  Hmm...future birthday gift perhaps?! 

If you are a regular reader of the Meals as a Mrs. blog postings, it is no secret I have fallen behind (the last one was posted in August - oy vey!) so for some of these meals, I have to blow the dust off the recipe and scroll through the pictures to remind myself of when I made the item, recall if we liked it, and are there any notes I need to share about it?  Not this one though!!  This meal was not only scrumptiously delicious but it was the last meal I cooked before going into labor!  Yes, you read that right!  At 10:15pm on Friday night before Charlotte was born on the following Monday, I had JUST taken a seat at the dining room table to relax after cleaning the house and putting things away, baking cookies for us to take to the hospital and give to the nurses, AND making this dish....when the contractions returned from a few days prior in full force!   


This recipe yielded a LOT and we had plenty to share with my Mom and Dad who arrived the next night.  In the chaos that was Charlotte's Birth Weekend, I didn't think to take an "after" photo of the Bacon-Jalapeno Macaroni & Cheese scooped out on the plate but trust me, we all liked this creamy goodness!  Guess I need to make this again to take the "after" picture.  Who knows?!  Maybe it will become a birthday tradition for Charlotte Annie...hmm!

Look at those fancy cheeses!

This was my first time cooking with these noodles and they were delish!

There was something strangely cathartic standing over the stove stirring this pot.  Everything was still yet the moment was full of anticipation...not only for the cheese to melt and thicken in this mixture but also metaphorically speaking heading into the last weekend before we would meet baby!!

This picture doesn't begin to do this dish justice. Go take a look at Emily's photos on her blog as they are much better!  Better yet, make the dish and see for yourself!  : )

My word for 2017 is "Family".  Each night before going to bed, I reflect on the Holy Family and like to pray this prayer (see below).  For all those reading this tonight, may you always have a place to lay your head, food to eat, and someone to call family.  Pax!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, like you we are members of the Father's family. We pray that our family love may reflect his love on its openness to all people. May we forgive even when not forgiven, and be patient with others' weaknesses.

Jesus, give us peace, unit and strength to meet the difficulties of daily living. May we use our family resources to improve the quality of life for ourselves and all people. Let us show joy in serving, for whatever we do for others, we do for you.

Mary, inspire us, that our love may be strong but not possessive. Let our willingness to give depend on the needs of others rather than on the cost of giving.

Joseph, help us to be attentive to the Father's will. Let us be ready, as you were, to act whenever he calls us.