Santa Monica Honeymoon and Crab Mac & Cheese

Today's post is going to be a bit of a cluster so bear with me.

Brandon and I are back home now and are still trying to get into the regular swing of life.. oh, we miss our California honeymoon so much.

On our last day, we headed up the coast to check out the beach and Santa Monica Pier in, you guessed it.. Santa Monica!

My mom gave the adorable hat for Christmas--I looked so cool while we strolled the pier!

For lunch, we went to the Blue Plate Oysterette, which my friend had referred us to. Oooh, we're so glad she did. The BP Oysterette (as I like to call it because it makes me sound like a local.. assuming that's what locals call it..) was a cute and quirky little restaurant with the most original seafood dishes we ever tasted.

It. Was. Delish.

Seriously, how cute is this? The indoor portion of the restaurant was very quaint and intimate with only a few tables and seats.

My shrimp and spinach quesadilla with guacamole--yes, its as good as it sounds!

Brandon's lobster mac & cheese--also amazing. But can you ever really go wrong with mac & cheese and/or lobster?

*sigh*

I wonder if they make lobster mac & cheese here in Kansas? And if so, would I want to try it..? So many questions.

Anyway, back to the beginning.. we're missing our California honeymoon! So to bring a little slice the Golden State to the Sunflower State, Brandon made this delicious crab macaroni and cheese for dinner on Tuesday.

Now you may be thinking "why crab?" Well, its simple:

We had crab legs to get rid of!

It is SO good. And creamy. And rich. Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm.

Brandon found the recipe for Ina Garter's Lobster Mac & Cheese and substituted crab--yum! And here's the recipe:

Anngredients:

• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• 1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni
• 1 quart milk
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups) (*WE USED SWISS CHEESE AND IT WAS JUST AS GOOD!*)
• 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked lobster meat
• 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and lobster and stir well. Place the mixture in 6 to 8 individual gratin dishes.
4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.  

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