Many of us learned how to cook from our mothers. For Bravo reality star and TV ONE’s Sister Circle host Quad Webb, that was no different. In her new cookbook, Cooking with Miss Quad: Live, Laugh, Love and Eat, Webb fondly recalls those early memories in the kitchen with her mother.
“One thing about my mom, when she taught me how to cook, she made it fun and adventurous,” says Webb. “She made it so fun. It was spending time together. It was just a great time for us to bond.”
But it wasn’t just the joy of cooking, Webb’s mother also imparted some of her favorite recipes, too—a few of which are included in her cookbook.
“I took a lot of things she taught me along the way growing up, and infused it with things that I like,” says Webb about recipes like her mother’s corned beef sandwiches and homemade mac and cheese, which make it into the cookbook with a few embellishments. “It was easy to take the things that I liked and marry it with the things she taught me.”
“Cooking was a part of the home for us,” she continues. “This was were we congregated all the time. I think food is the universal language.”
So as Mother’s Day approaches why not consider using that very same love language to communicate your appreciation for mom? Instead of making fancy brunch reservations, invite mom over for some quality time, in which you make the meal. And if you need a start, Webb offers us a recipe to help you out.
Lobster Mac & Cheese
Makes 4 servings
1 (1-pound) lobster, or 4 ounces cooked lobster meat
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup shredded smoked Gouda
1 cup shredded Gruyère, divided
½ cup shredded Cheddar
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
¼ cup bread crumbs (optional)
½ pound elbow macaroni, cooked until
al dente and drained
Truffle oil, to serve
If using fresh lobster, see tip for how to prepare. If using pre-cooked lobster meat, cut it into bite-size pieces. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat a heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Whisk in the flour slowly until smooth, to prevent clumps, and cook until lightly browned. Whisk in the milk, Gouda, ½ cup Gruyère, and Cheddar until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pepper, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Stir the cooked macaroni and lobster meat into the cheese mixture.
Spray a 1½ -quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the lobster mixture to the prepared casserole. Top with remaining ½ cup Gruyère, and bread crumbs, if using. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Plate servings in shallow bowls. Drizzle with the truffle oil.
Tip: To cook fresh lobster: Bring 2 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a large stockpot. Plunge the lobster headfirst into the pot. It should be fully submerged. Cover tightly and bring the water to a boil again. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until bright red. Using tongs, remove the lobster from the water and allow it to cool on a bed of ice. Next, crack the lobster and remove all the meat from the tail and claw cavities. Cut the meat into pieces.