I love Southern mac and cheese, with a coating of homemade bread crumbs. I love Kraft boxed, powder-y mac and cheese. This week we are going to make adorable, individual baked mac and cheese casseroles, in the coquette pans I have had taking up precious cabinet space ever since I found them on sale last spring. This week, Pasta Night is not going to be a summer-y Martha StewartвЂ™s One Pan Pasta, which we have made at least twice a month since May ( ) nor will it be our other fave in constant rotation, Samin NosratвЂ™s Cacio e Pepe ( ). What is wrong with experiencing some novel cooking during the week? Home cooking can be Instagram-worthy, if we can climb out of our precious, convenient ruts. I know just what we need for Meatless Mondays (pasta) and Taco Tuesdays (ground beast, Colby cheese, jalapeГ±os) and Friday Night is Pizza Night (00 flour, pepperoni, mozzarella). Our cooking routines just make it easier to plan dinner menus and the shopping trips to stock the larder.

As we get used to autumnal changes, I am happily rummaging through my sweater collection, and thinking about other old favorites that I can bring into the dinner rotation, which is in need of a little energizing. I imagine that in the middle of gelid February I will be singing a different tune, and will be yearning for short sleeves and balmy breezes. I have taken to wearing a light sweater for our first 5,000 steps of the day, and am enjoying the novelty.

Old Luke the wonder dog has a spring in his step as we make our morning rounds.

Novelty mac and cheese dishes