Mac n' Cheese Upgrade

So this isn't my usual dana-lectable, but it is baked! I had a sample in the food store the other day of Grilled Gouda with Roasted Red Pepper - what a sophisticated combo, right?  I had to buy some Gouda after that, so I thought instead of sandwiches, why not bake up a cozy mac n' cheese using  some Gouda and RRP? Quite easy, I must say.

1 box of pasta (I used whole wheat spirals)
3/4 to 1 lb. of grated gouda (the cheesier the better!)
1 tbsp. butter
1 onion
1/2 jar of roasted red peppers (use as much to your taste), chopped
2-3 cloves are garlic
2 tbsp flour
1 cup of vegetable broth
1/2 cup of light cream (don't be afraid to use 1 1/2 cups of milk)
Bread Crumbs
Salt, Pepper, White Pepper

• Cook pasta according to directions on box, drain, set aside
• Melt butter in pot, add onions and garlic, saute until soft
• Add flour and gradually add liquid. This will become a thick roux
• Stir in grated cheese and roasted red peppers, add seasoning
• Add cooked pasta to cheese mixture, stir until combined and gooey - add more seasoning if you like
• Transfer mac n' cheese to a greased baking dish - top with bread crumbs
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly!

whoopie be mine?

Who doesn't like Red Velvet cake with the {best invention of sweetness} that is cream cheese icing? There is such a mystery behind Red Velvet - what makes it red? There is quite a history behind it - but in the modern days of baking, it really is a cocoa-flavored cake with some red food coloring!
So on this lazy Saturday I figured I would test out some red velvet recipes - I adapted my creation from this classic recipe and came out with a sweet-heart of a dessert!

First up - I love whoopie pies (who doesn't?) - the almost cake...not quite cookie consistency sweetens me, I thought I should give some of my heart shaped cookie cutters a whirl and see what I can "whoop" up.

I used a round cake pan and after letting it cool I used a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out some pieces. I'll admit - it would of been easier having a mold, but this was fun, (plus the scraps while cutting out the heart shapes were a good taste tester) They came out perfect for my valentine.