Macaroni And Cheese

Mac ‘n Cheese……this is what comes to my mind when I hear the words “comfort food”!

I can remember at a very young age my Mom served us Mac ‘n Cheese that usually was the kind that came in the little blue box.  It was creamy, it was cheesy and it was delicious. At that age, I didn’t really care that it came out of a box with a package of powdered cheese “product.”

It wasn’t until years later that I discovered the more authentic version, made from scratch and baked in the oven. I can’t remember where exactly that I first experienced it….at a barbecue or in a restaurant somewhere, but I fell in love all over again with this warm, creamy, cheesy dish.

Recently I have been working on a recipe for what I hope will be the perfect blend of cheese flavor and creamy texture. I have tried several different recipes from sources online and in cookbooks, and I think I have finally came up with one that is near perfection….at least to my taste.

The major part of the recipe that I was struggling with was the proportions of the flour, butter and milk. The recipe I finally settled on made me a little nervous at first because the cheese sauce did not seem thick enough as I put the pasta and the sauce together. I went ahead and baked it anyway. As I had hoped, the pasta soaked up the liquid nicely and I had the smoothest and creamiest Mac ‘n Cheese ever.

Mac & Cheese

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Ingredients

• 1 Pound Pasta (mini penne or small elbow)
• 6 Cups Milk (whole or 2%)
• 6 Tablespoons Butter (unsalted)
• 6 Tablespoons Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 8 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese (6 cups for sauce 2 cups to sprinkle on top)
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons Butter (for baking dish)
• 1 Tablespoon Salt (for pasta water)

Directions

Butter a 9 X 13 baking dish and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and pasta. Cook pasta until it is almost al dente.
Completely drain pasta and set a side.
Melt butter in large pot, add flour and cook for 2 minutes.
Add mustard, salt, pepper and milk, Bring this to a boil.
Once mixture reaches a boil reduce heat to low and whisk in 6 cups shredded cheese.
Once cheese is blended into mixture turn off heat and add pasta.
Pour pasta and cheese sauce into the buttered baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese over the top. Place in 375 degree preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes.
Remove from oven, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. Remove foil and serve.
Looks good enough to eat. Enjoy!