Baked Mac & Cheese

Every time I make this for a get together someone asks for the recipe. I have had it typed and ready to send for years. This is a go to for our summer backyard parties and it’s always a hit with the kids and the adults. Pairs well with almost anything or you can just eat it as a main dish! It is that good!

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb elbow pasta (16 oz box)
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp salt
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 12 ozs extra sharp cheddar cheese (shredded) more for topping
• 4 ozs Parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs or seasoned panko breadcrumbs

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a 6 quart pot, add 4 quarts of water and season with some salt. Bring water to boil, add pasta and cook according to the package directions.
3. Drain pasta. The next step is basically making a Bechamel sauce. Using the same pot, lower heat and add butter. Once melted, add flour and stir continuously. Cook on low heat, stirring until the mixture turns a light brown color (see picture 1 below).
4. Using a whisk, slowly whisk in the milk until the sauce is smooth. Keep whisking to ensure all the lumps are out (see picture 2 below).
5. Add salt, nutmeg, mustard powder and black pepper. You can also season with any other spices you may like (e.g. paprika or garlic powder).
6. Cook on low heat whisking, until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (see picture 3 below). Now the Bechamel sauce is ready for cheese!
7. Whisk in cheddar cheese, mixing until melted. Next, add Parmesan cheese and whisk until melted. The sauce will now be thick and creamy (see picture 4 below).
8. Stir in pasta and mix until all the pasta is coated with sauce (see picture 5 below).
9. Pour into a baking dish, top with extra cheese if you desire. Top with a layer of seasoned breadcrumbs (see picture 6 below) and bake for 40 – 50 minutes until top is golden brown.