Cooking with Bosch & St. Jude: Javon’s Mac and Cheese Recipe

Bosch home appliances and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® share a strong commitment to improving lives. With our ‘Invented for Life’ cornerstone, Bosch is committed to enhancing lives through the high quality, performance and innovation of our appliances. Our partnership with St. Jude continues to build upon this commitment and we are honored to support St. Jude in their mission of: Finding cures. Saving Children. The following dish is another recipe in our Cooking with St. Jude series that spotlights St. Jude patients and their favorite recipes.

Outgoing and high-energy, Javon isn't shy about letting people know he's in the room - because he almost wasn't.

Javon was 2 in 2003 when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, and treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He relapsed twice, the first time in 2005 on the very day he was supposed to finish chemotherapy. Javon completed treatment in 2008, only for his cancer to return in 2010. He received a bone marrow transplant with his dad as his donor.

Javon's mom, Lisa, some 25 years earlier, was also a St. Jude patient, diagnosed at 5 with the same disease. His sister, Jakayla, also was diagnosed with ALL at 2. Javon completed treatment in 2013. He has been free of disease since. His best memories of St. Jude are of good times and staff and patients who became like family.

Homeschooled since kindergarten and guided by teachers at St. Jude, Javon started at a traditional school in sixth grade, eager to excel. He reminded himself, "You are a strong kid. You beat cancer three times." Javon graduated high school with honors and a college scholarship. At the University of Memphis, Javon got top grades and played trombone in the marching band. He graduated in 2023 and landed his dream job at ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude.

Javon is a whiz in the kitchen, sharing his skills in videos to raise awareness of St. Jude. He was inducted into the Beta Xi Omega Alumni chapter of Iota Phi Theta fraternity in 2024.

With each accomplishment, Javon thinks of his family, others who supported him and his young friends who didn't make it.

"I hope I made everyone proud."

Ingredients
1 16oz pkg of elbow macaroni (or your pasta of choice – I prefer rotini)
1 stick of butter, divided
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups milk
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 8oz. blocks extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350˚.
2. Prepare pasta to al dente, drain, and put in a large casserole dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Set aside.
3. Melt half of the butter in large saucepan over medium low heat and whisk in flour to create a roux.
4. Add heavy cream, whisking constantly.
5. Add seasonings and minced garlic while continuously whisking.
6. Slowly add milk, still whisking, and turn heat up to medium.
7. Keep whisking!
8. Once the milk is completely incorporated and hot, begin to add in the cheese, still whisking, reserving one cup of the cheese.
9. Once the cheese has all melted and fully incorporated into the sauce, salt & pepper to taste and remove from heat. The consistency should be thick enough to coat your spoon. To thicken, continue to simmer and whisk the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add milk.
10.  Slice remaining butter into pats and place evenly on top of the pasta.
11.  Pour cheese sauce over pasta and gently mix.
12.  Top with remaining grated cheese and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden brown and the casserole is bubbling along the edges.
13.  Serve and enjoy!

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – so they can focus on helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook (facebook.com/stjude) and following us on Twitter (@stjude).