Creamy Macaroni N Cheese

By Addie

**You could also substitute ground mustard powder, or leave the mustard out if you don’t have any, and just add an extra sprinkle of cayenne!

**If using homemade bread crumbs: Crumble dry or stale bread in a food processor. Saute crumbs in a hot skillet with a little oil and season with garlic, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over top.

Ingredients

• 16 ounces elbow macaroni or small shell pasta
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed*
• 20 cranks of black pepper or
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 12 ounces (3 cups) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
• Additional Cheddar or Parmesan
• Additional bread crumbs for topping

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 75mins
Adapted from keyingredient.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Place pasta in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2. In a large sauce pan, combine cayenne, garlic, crushed mustard, black pepper, and butter over medium heat. When butter starts to sizzle, add the flour and stir until mixed and bubbly.

3. Add 2 cups of the milk and whisk with the butter mixture over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Whisk constantly to avoid lumps or scorching.

4. Turn off heat and whisk in remaining 1 cup of milk and the cup of cream, along with the parsley and salt.

5. Crack eggs into a separate mixing bowl and whisk briskly, until they are no longer very "stringy". Whisking constantly, pour a half cup of the hot creamy sauce in with the eggs. Continue whisking and adding sauce to the eggs, until you've added about 2 cups of the sauce in with the eggs. Then pour the eggs into the saucepan with the rest of the sauce, whisking to incorporate.

6. Pour the sauce over the pasta in the large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Stir in shredded cheeses. Spread into a lightly greased baking dish.

This recipe makes a very full 9x13-inch dish, so you can also divide it between a couple dishes for a thinner layer (I like to do a 9x13 dish and an 8x8 dish).

7. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese, shredded Cheddar cheese, or bread crumbs. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.