Basic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

By Ckelley116

I use this as a starting point for macaroni, and then add and subtract from here. It's perfect the way it is, though. Here I listed cheddar for the cheese, but hubby likes a colby and monterey jack combo better, so that's what I usually use.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry macaroni noodles
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder (or 2-3 tablespoons dijon mustard)
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups cheddar cheese

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 42mins
Adapted from food.com

Preparation

Step 1

Boil macaroni noodles until tender; drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter on medium heat.

Add flour one tablespoon at a time, and whisking between each addition.

Whisk in seasonings, and cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly, so as not to burn.

Add milk, half a cup at a time, whisking together between each addition. Allow to thicken (and keep on slowly whisking).

Add all but a handful of cheese (for topping) and stir until completely incorporated.

Add cheese sauce to macaroni noodles, then put everything into a baking dish.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Bake for 25 minutes, then broil for an additional couple of minutes to crisp up the top (watch it so the top doesn't burn).