Mac n'Cheese

By Mymiseenplace

So this is not a fat free, low calorie, weight loss recipe. I’m just warning you. It’s a heart warming, mouth watering, cheesy, creamy bowl of deliciousness that is not at all good for anyone! Got it? Now that we’ve got that cleared up, allow me to share the BEST mac n’cheese recipe with you!

Ingredients

• 4 tblsp butter
• 4 tblsp flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 – 2 bay leaves (one large or a couple small)
• 1/2 tblsp paprika
• 1/2 tblsp dehydrated onion (*optional)
• 3.5 cups aged cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups dry macaroni pasta
• alternatively you could sauté up some fresh onion and add that – or don’t add any at all.

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 25mins
Cooking time 50mins
Adapted from mymiseenplace.com

Preparation

Step 1

This recipe could be somewhat panicky and frantic if mise en place is not setup. I can attest to that. Believe me, setting up your mise en place is imperative to make this the simple recipe that it’s meant to be! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and get everything organized.

Then you start by melting the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the flour and whisk continually for about two minutes. It will thicken up instantly so just keep stirring. Remove it from the heat while you gradually pour in the milk. You can then place it back on the burner and stir occasionally. It will all of sudden thicken after about five minutes of warming through.

Once it thickens up turn the heat right down to simmer and add the bay leaves, paprika, dehydrated onion and a few cranks of cracked pepper. Whisk this occasionally for the next 15 minutes.

While your sauce is simmering get a pot of salted water boiling for the pasta. ONLY cook the pasta for about 5 minutes then drain. It will cook the rest of the way in the oven. After the sauce has simmered, remove from the heat and add about 2.5 cups of the cheese – stir with a spoon. The sauce will smooth out and will become super creamy. This is where you salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the pasta.

Then pour into a baking dish, top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes then crank the heat to 500 degrees to brown the top for 10 minutes. WATCH your mac n’cheese while it’s baking on high heat – you don’t want it to burn. Pull it out when it’s golden and bubbly. Then dish up!