carla hall’s show stopping mac n cheese

servings: 6-8       prep time: 15 minutes       cook time: 20 minutes       total time: 35

minutes

ingredients
1.5 lb elbow noodles
kosher salt
3 T butter
3 T all-purpose flour
3.5 c milk
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese (grated) – [i bought 2 6oz bags of murray’s mac & cheese which is a combination of a mix of nutty Gruyère, creamy Butterkase, and meaty Raclette cheeses]
1/2 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper

directions

1. bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. cook the noodles to al dente according to the package instructions. drain and set aside.
2. in a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until the flour start to take on color, stirring constantly. whisk in the milk, making sure to eliminate any lumps. cook for 5 minutes over low, stirring occasionally.
3. stir in the cheese and adjust seasoning to taste. stir in noodles to coat completely.

source

i’ve been in search of a good mac n cheese recipe and i think this is it. (thanks for the input, deb and valerie !) i’m in favor of rich, silky, and creamy sauce and this produced just that. i liked the combination of gruyère, butterkase, and raclette cheeses that i used and the sauce didn’t come out to be an unnatural color of orange, but rather more white. i might try it with just sharp cheddar cheese next time to see which flavor profile i like better.

i skipped the bread crumbs… no need to get fancy when i’m feeding my kids =]