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Neelys sprinkle life story with recipes

By Kim Davaz

When it comes to cute, it’s hard to beat Pat and Gina Neely as seen on their Food Network shows, “Down Home With the Neelys” and “Road Tasted With the Neelys.” They delight in each other and they make it hard for viewers not to delight in them.

They’ve collaborated with Paula Disbrowe on “Down Home With the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook.” It’s their life story with photos and recipes.

Their barbecue seasoning and barbecue sauce appear again and again through the book, even showing up in the Neely version of a Bloody Mary. They know what they like, and they aren’t afraid to use it.

“Down Home With the Neelys” has many of the standard Southern favorites: pulled pork sandwiches with cole slaw, buttermilk biscuits, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, red velvet cake, banana pudding and mint juleps.

Pat says people were skeptical when they started making barbecue spaghetti, but it soon caught on: Saute onions, garlic and bell peppers in olive oil, then add the barbecue sauce and simmer a bit. Add a whole lot of chopped, smoked (or grilled or roasted) beef or chicken and spaghetti. Add more zip with hot sauce.

As for the desserts, you just can’t get too sweet: butterscotch sundaes with peanuts and whiskey; brownies with whipped cream, chopped candy bars and bittersweet chocolate ganache; sweet potato pie with brown sugar, maple syrup and four spices; and sparkly pink pig sugar cookies. Orange-scented sweet potatoes glazed with cane syrup and topped with marshmallow streusel is in the “Stick-to-Your-Ribs Side Dishes” chapter, but feel free to serve it as a dessert.

I usually draw the line at using cake mixes and nondairy whipped topping, but I’ll give the Neelys a pass here. If it makes them happy and they’re willing to share well-loved family recipes, then they can use their convenience foods.

When it comes to comfort food, it’s hard to beat macaroni and cheese. The Neely version has two kinds of cheese and a topping of crushed potato chips, bacon and cheese. They suggest serving it with roast chicken or as a main dish with a green salad and a glass of wine. It would be a good addition to a football party.

The Neelys use cavatappi, a tubular pasta, but they say traditional elbows will work just fine.

Cheesy Corkscrews With Crunchy Bacon Topping

• 6 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound cavatappi (or other tubular pasta)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk, warmed
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• Dash hot sauce
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups grated sharp white Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Crunchy Bacon Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups crushed potato chips
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta until it’s al dente.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Whisk in the warmed milk and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly (the mixture will thicken as the heat increases.)

Stir the dry mustard, salt, black pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce into the thickened milk. Stir in 3 cups of the Cheddar, and the Pecorino Romano, until the cheeses melt.

Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce, and toss to combine.

Pour the cheese-apalooza mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the potato chips, Pecorino Romano, crumbled bacon, parsley and the remaining Cheddar.

Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the macaroni and cheese and bake for 35 minutes.

For a crunchier topping, finish under the broiler for 3 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8.

Kim Davaz writes a biweekly cookbook review column for The Register-Guard.