BIG, BUFF, BRONZE AND BRAW

Back when they were sweet chunky babies, my grandson’s visits were quite regulated — under control, you could say. The boys took morning naps and had afternoon walks in strollers. They ate dinner at 5 PM sharp sitting in high chairs. They were bathed in the kitchen sink and slept in cribs. They were cute little guys who lit up my life.

The memories are a bit foggy, but I still recall their soft plump smooth cheeks, their cute blue and white check overalls embroidered with red trucks, their big gooey toothless smiles. They loved to sit on my lap while I read “The Circus Ship,” that wonderful book by Chris Van Dusen. 

The years evaporated. Last week, two handsome hulks strode into our house and quickly shed size 10 sneakers and flip-flops by the door. When we hugged, I had to reach my arms way up and, embracing them, felt the  trace of a two-day beard. Their muscles rippled beneath Quogue Field Club golf shirts. Their voices were deep and resonant. They filled the living room sofa. They filled the room!

Long-ago when they lived in NYC, I nicknamed them “the Princes of Park Avenue.” They are young men now. And OMG do they devour food. I’d read somewhere that teenage boys eat like a bear coming out of hibernation. These two did.

For breakfast, Henry downed 8 chocolate chip pancakes, then requested a foot-long pizza meatball sub from Bennett’s Sandwich Shop for his golf course “snack.”  Miles inhaled a three-egg scramble and opted for a bacon-lettuce-tomato-avocado-turkey foot-long sub from Bennett’s for his 18-hole “snack.” At dinner, Henry ate half a 9x13” casserole of mac & cheese. (I’m including the recipe just in case your young men come to visit!)

When Mr. Wonderful and I go out to eat, we’re likely to order “small plates.” Even then, we rarely finish them.  At the Pilot House overlooking the Kennebunk River, 16-year-old Henry swallowed an entire pizza; 18-year-old Miles wolfed down two smash burgers and enough fries to feed Somalia. 

Despite a trip to Costco to purchase cases of Spindrift and Celcius Energy Drink which filled every shelf in my garage refrigerator, I learned water is their drink of choice. With ice. Lots and lots of ice. “I don’t really like carbonated beverages,” Miles told me. The ice machine got a workout and my garage refrigerator is STILL packed.

Our house is normally picked up, neat, semi-organized. Mr. W might leave a Webhannet hat on the kitchen island, Sunshine often stashes her favorite toy in a corner of the living room and I frequently plunk my knitting bag on the coffee table. During their visit, king-size air mattresses, blankets, pillows and huge damp bath towels, plus a pile of shoes by the door filled the house AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FINE!

All too soon they were gone. Back to school. I miss them like crazy. I can’t wait until they come back. Christmas?  Whenever. Because big, buff, bronze and braw (check your Scottish dictionary), they still light up my life. And without question, they always will.

HENRY’S FAVORITE MAC & CHEESE 

This is actually a recipe from John Legend — who knew? Even Mr. Wonderful told me, “This is the best Mac & Cheese you’ve ever made.”

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 cups elbow macaroni

2 12-oz. cans evaporated milk

1/3 cup skim milk

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

2 8-oz. packages extra-sharp cheddar cheese (grated)

1 8-oz. package Monterey Jack cheese (grated

Paprika (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375; generously butter 13x9” glass baking dish.

Cook macaroni until al dente; drain and return to pot; toss with

butter until pasta is coated and butter melted.

In medium bowl, whisk evaporated milk, skim milk, eggs; then add

seasoned salt, garlic powder, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper;

set aside.

In another medium bowl, combine cheeses; set aside.

Place 1/3 macaroni in even layer in bottom of buttered dish; cover 

evenly with 1/3 cheese; repeat with remaining macaroni and

cheese mixture.

Pour milk mixture evenly over contents; bake until top layer lightly

browned (35-45 minutes). Let stand 10-15 minutes before 

serving.