HOMEMADE MAC & CHEESE {Recipe}

Everyone loves Macaroni and Cheese, right?  I thought I would share my recipe with you today.  It is yummy!!

Melt butter in heavy bottomed saucepan.

Add your flour and stir well.

Cook for a couple minutes over medium heat, stirring often if not continuously.

You will use a combination of milk and cream.

Measure 3 cups of milk and 1 cup of cream.  I didn’t have a full cup of cream so I just used what I had and added milk for the rest and it was still delicious.  You could even make it with all whole milk.

Whisk the milk into your roux (pronounced “roo”: this is what professional wannabe chefs like me call the butter/flour mixture.)  Cook over medium heat stirring often until it thickens.

Meanwhile, you should have put a pot of water on to boil.  Don’t blame me for not telling you ahead of time! Let me introduce you to Kosher salt.  It is a good thing to have around.  Makes you feel like the type of chef who is on Food Network.

Put some of that wonderful salt into your boiling water.  This gives your pasta flavor.

This is the whole wheat pasta I used.  You can use this if you want to be more healthful, but if you want your kids to eat this you might want to use white pasta.  Needless to say, I had some complaints.

Dump your pasta into your water and set your timer for the time on the box.  You only need 1 pound.  These ww pastas come 13.5 ozs so I had to add some extra to get my pound (16 ozs).

While your pasta is boiling, grate your cheese.  I used a combo of sharp cheddar and Swiss.  I would have liked to use some fancy Swiss like Jarlsberg, but all I had was this presliced Swiss, so that is what I used this time.  You can really use any cheeses you like.  I LOVE sharp cheeses, so I always use that.

Put your cheeses in with your white sauce (that’s what the butter/flour/milk mixture is called).

Stir until the cheeses are all melted.

The recipe calls for salt, pepper, nutmeg, and dry mustard.  If you hate nutmeg leave it out.  I only use freshly grated nutmeg.  If you hate the flavor of sharp cheese leave the mustard out.

Add your spices to your cheese sauce and stir well.

Drain your pasta and return it to the pot.

Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and mix it all up.  Now is your chance to steal a taste.

Pour into a 9x13 baking dish and top with more shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.

Serve and devour!

Recipe: Mac & Cheese

From the Kitchen of: Emily Nelson

Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pasta (I like medium shells)
• 3 c. whole milk
• 1 c. cream
• ½ c. butter
• ½ c. flour
• 3 cups shredded Swiss cheese (preferably Gruyere or Jarlsberg) (about 10 ozs)
• 3 cups shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese (about 10 ozs)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar for topping
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• ¼ tsp dry mustard
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp. course Kosher salt + more for

Directions: Preheat oven to 375.

Put a pot of water on to boil. While you are waiting make a roux by melting the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan, then add the flour. Stir well and cook on medium for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cream. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Cook pasta in salted water according to box directions. While it is cooking, grate your cheese and add it to the white sauce. Stir till cheese is melted. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and mustard. Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and stir well to combine. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned. If it is taking too long to brown the cheese put it under the broiler for a few minutes, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn.