Macaroni & Cheese

Mom's homemade mac & cheese is nothing like Kraft. It is actually way good.

Ingredients

1 lb elbow macaroni or small shells

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

3 Tbsp flour

2 3/4 cup whole milk

3/4 c heavy cream

4 c cheese:

1 c American cheese

1 c Muenster cheese

1 c Monterey Jack cheese

1 c Colby cheese

(reserve 1/2 c of cheese for topping)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook pasta in boiling water as directed on package. In medium saucepan melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until free of clumps. Stir in cream, milk, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes while continuing to stir so milk does not curdle. Stir in cheese and remove from heat. Stir until cheese is melted. Fold cheese mixture and pasta together and put into a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Top with reserved cheese. Bake for 30 min or golden brown and bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I couldn't find my mom's recipe the other day when I wanted to make it so I made the recipe from a recipe book called Favorites. This recipe is good too and lower fat since it doesn't have as much butter and cheese. I omitted the dry mustard when I made it.

Ingredients

1 lb elbow macaroni

1/4 c. butter

4 Tbsp flour

2 c. milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dry mustard

3 cups grated Cheddar Cheese

Directions

Cook macaroni in boiling water according to package. In a large sauce pan melt butter, add flour and stir. Pour in milk and cook stirring constantly until thick. Add seasonings and 2 1/2 cups of cheese. Remove from head and continue to stir until cheese is melted. Add cooked macaroni and mix. Pour into 9" x 13" square baking pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c cheese on top and bake at 35o for 30 minutes.

–Melanie