Mac and cheese gets an upgrade with wine-braised fennel

It’s hard to go wrong with macaroni and cheese. A staple comfort food, its cheesy goodness is loved by kids and adults alike, for lunch, dinner or a late-night snack. Even the blue-box variety can hit the spot in a pinch. But to really take it to the next level, you really should go all out with a rich, homemade cheese sauce.This recipe gets an elegant upgrade with the addition of fennel, an aromatic veggie with a licorice-like flavor and crunch that reminds you of celery. It gets a quick braise in Marsala wine, which makes it sweet, and the leftover cooking liquid is then used to make the creamy sauce with mascarpone and Swiss cheese instead of the traditional cheddar.