Coffee Dharma

More Mac And Cheese

Posted on Sep 02, 2009 by Rob in All, Featured, Food
2 Comments

I have posted about my love affair with mac and cheese before.  I’ve recently been making this more often as my son is now old enough to appreciate the real stuff.  In the earlier post I included a recipe that was Velveeta based.  I had quite a bit of cheddar cheese so I tried a few different standard recipes.  After some experimentation and a lot of meals, I think I’ve settled on my favorite cheddar recipe.

Ingredients:

• 24 oz. macaroni noodle, fusilli or rontini (amount may vary by pasta)
• 1 lb. medium to sharp cheddar cheese (sharp preferred)
• 2 Tbsp butter (use the real stuff, this isn’t healthy time)
• 1 Tbsp oil (vegetable)
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1-2 cups whole milk (again, we’re making mac and cheese, not a salad.  use whole)
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Butter 13 x 9 casserole dish.
• Cook pasta al dente. (firm is a good thing with mac and cheese)
• In large sauce pan, heat oil and add butter.
• Use flour to make a roux. (cook for a minute to lessen flour taste)
• Add 1 cup milk and whisk until thickened.
• Add cayenne, garlic, and onion.
• Add shredded cheese (save some for later) and whisk until well melted and blended.
• Simmer the sauce until desired thickness. (I like it thick, but you can add milk gradually if it’s too thick for you)
• Salt and pepper sauce to taste.
• Add pasta to sauce and cover all pasta well. (I find it’s best to add a little at a time until it reaches perfect thickness)
• Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
• Broil in oven until golden brown.

That’s it.  It’s an easy recipe and I have yet to meet someone who hates mac and cheese.  You can add any amount of toppings (stewed tomatoes are awesome) or leave it just as it is.  Enjoy!

Tags: Food, Life