We just spent the last four days celebrating the wedding of my amazing brother-in-law Andrew and my new fabulous sister-in law Lauren. The wedding (and really just the whole weekend) can only be described by one word: magnificent. Lauren, a corporate event planner (and former wedding planner), did not let us down with her perfectly orchestrated, beautiful, one heck of a weekend! I joked to my brother-in-law that I feared their wedding may have tainted all future nuptials for me.
Julius got to hang out with some of my mother in law’s dear friends from college during the service, while watching though the glass windows abutting the ceremony space. For family photos, he was his usual cheerful self, prompting the photographer to ask “what did you give that baby”? I think the photographer even got him to smile in some of the photos.
The airplane ride was a bit long for him this time, and he was disgruntled being confined to our laps for the flights. He was actually most happy when we let him stand on the floor holding onto our knees for part of the flight. Though this eventually caused quite a stir when at one point I fell asleep, and Will, who had been watching him, exclaimed that Julius was missing. Being very confused I awoke to hear the people behind us say they wouldn’t charge us for babysitting. They passed him over the seat, along with his pile of toys, which he had apparently brought with him before he escaped. Will and I like to refer to Julius fast-crawling away from us while giggling as “baby on the lamb”, but this gave the expression whole new meaning (and perhaps another review of daddy daycare!?)
When you want a comfort meal, perhaps after you had a near brush with an escaped child, but don’t have time to make it, whip up this rich dish! This is my interpretation of lobster mac and cheese, but with no hands on prep work. I made this dish several times for myself when Julius was very young. I was able to make it by just dumping into my tiny crock pot while Julius was snoozing.
Crockpot Crab Mac & Cheese
Serves 1 to 2 (you can quadruple the recipe and cook in a 3 quart crock pot to serve 4)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter (melted in the microwave)
- 1 heaping tsp of flour
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup elbow macaroni
- ½ cup cheddar
- 2 tbsp marscapone cheese (or cream cheese)
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp cognac
- 1 6oz can Bumblebee premium select wild crabmeat
- Melt butter in microwave, pour into little dipper crock pot and whisk with 1 heaping tsp of flour.
- Heat milk for 30 seconds in microwave, until warm then whisk into melted butter/flour mixture
- Combine rest of the ingredients and stir.
- Cover then cook on high 3 – 4 hours.
- Stir to combine then pour into bowl and let stand 5 minutes before enjoying!
