Traditional Macaroni And Cheese

When it comes to macaroni and cheese, you can never go wrong with the original. You can add all sorts of things to it and it turns out perfect. This is one of my favorite macaroni and cheese recipes because it is really easy to make it turns out perfect every time I make it. I will leave both the original and doubled recipe for you below.

let’s get started.

INGREDIENTS:
1 PAN –

1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/4 cup milk
1 lb elbow noodles
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 egg beaten
1/2 pound cheddar cheese- grated ( reserve 1/2 cup for topping)
salt and pepper – to taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg – optional

DOUBLED – 2 PANS

1 stick butter
1/2 cup flour
4 1/2 cups milk
2 lbs elbow macaroni
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 eggs beaten
1 lb cheddar cheese – grated ( reserve 1 cup for topping)
salt and pepper – to taste
1/2 tsp nutmeg – optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add about 1 to 2 tbsp of salt to the water when it is boiling. Add in the pasta and stir. cook according to package directions. In the meantime make your sauce and preheat your oven to 350*.
2. In a medium/large sauce pan over medium low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute to remove the flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to whisk until the flour and milk thickens. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes depending on which size pan you prefer to make.
3. When the sauce has thickened add in your dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
4. Slowly start adding in your cheese while whisking. When the first addition of cheese is melted add a bit more until all of the cheese is melted into the sauce. Once combined you can check to see if you need more salt and pepper. Do this now before you whisk in the beaten egg. Adjust to taste.
5. In a small/medium bowl beat the egg well. Slowly ladle in some of the sauce into the beaten egg while whisking. It should take about 3 to 4 ladles of sauce. Once completely combined add the egg/sauce mixture back into the sauce while whisking. Once combined add back to the heat and whisk on low for about 1 to 2 minutes. This will help cook the egg slightly before baking.
6. Remove from heat and add in the cooked and drained noodles. Mix well.
7. Grease an 8×8 or an 9×13 and pour in the macaroni and cheese. Spread out evenly and sprinkle over the reserved grated cheese evenly on the top. Bake at 350* for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the mixture is bubbly. Remove and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

• You can add cooked and chopped bacon or broccoli to this mix before baking for a delicious macaroni and cheese side dish.
• You can use any style of small noodle that you prefer. It does not have to be elbow macaroni noodles.
• You can make this a three or four cheese mac and cheese by adding a mix of cheddar, gruyere, parm, and pecorino cheese. You can add any mix of cheeses that you like as long as it equals the amount of cheese needed for the prefered pan size.
• Great for a family dinner or a holiday side dish.
• To reat heat if needed: you can reheat in the microwave or Place foil on the top of the dish and bake in a 350* oven for about 30 minutes. remove the foil and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until warmed through.
• Travels well for family/holiday get togethers.