Macaroni and Cheese

The recipe I use for this classic casserole has been passed down from my husband's grandmother. It's totally comfort food – super yummy, but high in calories – so I don't make it for my own family very often. Over the years though, it's become my go-to meal when I need to bring a meal to someone. Kids and adults alike love it, and because it freezes well, I often make a double batch and keep one pan in the freezer for emergencies.

Plan ahead to make this, because the major secret is not to hurry! The cheese sauce works best cooked over medium heat, and it really doesn't like to be rushed. (Rush it, and it'll separate and you'll get super-greasy mac-n-cheese.)

You can keep the casserole in the fridge overnight (no more than 24 hours) before you cook it. As I mentioned, it also freezes well, so you can always make it when you have time and cook it when you need it. Just make sure you allow for thawing time or for extra cooking time.

As with everything homemade, better quality ingredients will result in a higher quality dish. The main ingredient here is cheese – and there are definite differences in the end product based on what you choose. Historically, I have grated my own (high quality) cheddar and Monterey jack. Recently, however, I had occasion to make a LOT of mac-n-cheese in a short period of time, and I decided to try using (lower-quality) pre-grated cheese. (I bought the huge, 5-lb bag from Costco, and froze it 1 lb packages.) It's a big time saver, and there's not too much of a taste difference, but it results in a much thicker sauce, because pre-grated cheese has additives (my main reason for not choosing it before) to prevent clumping, and these act in much the same way as the flour in the roux. If you decide to use pre-grated, keep in mind that you'll need to thin the sauce by adding a little more milk.

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

4 T (1/2 stick) butter
3 T flour
12-16 oz noodles (fewer noodles = cheesier mac-n-cheese)
1 pound grated cheese
2 1/2 c milk
salt

Directions

Assemble ingredients.

Prepare noodles according to package directions; drain and place in a large casserole dish. (When I make this dish for my family, I use a 9”x13” pan glass pan. When I'm making it to bring to someone who needs a meal, I use a disposable pan that's as close in size to 9”x13” as I can find.)

While the noodles are cooking, make the sauce:

In a large skillet, melt the butter over low to medium heat,

Add the flour, stirring thoroughly to make a roux (paste). Cook for approximately 1-2 minutes (this will help eliminate any “floury” taste from your sauce.).

Add the milk all at once in a slow, steady stream, stirring (whisking) constantly.  Note: I have a spiral whisk (shown) that I use for making sauces, but a regular whisk works well too!

Stir steadily until the sauce is simmering (bubbling) and beginning to thicken.  (Yes, you really want to stir a LOT - if you don't, you'll get a buildup of super-thick sauce on the bottom of the pan that will create lumps in your sauce!)

Add cheese, and stir until melted.

Add cheese sauce to noodles, and stir to make sure it's all evenly distributed. Salt to taste.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. The crispy-cheese edges are fought over in my husband's family. Hands down that's the favorite part, so I cook my macaroni and cheese accordingly.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!