Seeryously Gude Cooking

There are few things that can make me swoon like good baked Mac & Cheese (Julian, beer, and potatoes excluded). A friend took me to S’Mac in NYC about a year ago and I thought - THIS was supposed to be my business…but alas…

Since this isn’t exactly a figure friendly dish - I usually save it for times when work/life has me in a fetal position and Mac & Cheese is the only thing that can help. My recipe is a fabulous base recipe that you can devour as is or feel free to start layering goodness - try substituting 1/2 the cheese for another cheese of your choosing OR adding herbs like sage, Thyme OR go for the Coup de grâce and add BACON!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 1/2 Cup Onion, diced finely
• 3 Cloved Garlic, minced
• 3 TBS butter, unsalted
• 1 TBS ground mustard
• 1 TSP Cayenne Pepper
• Kosher salt/pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 Cups sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Boil salted water and cook the pasta to al dente - (I use Organic Whole Wheat, and yes it is STILL awesome). Rinse when done and set to the side.
3. In a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and saute until translucent.
4. Add in about 1-2 TSP Salt/Pepper, the mustard, cayenne, and paprika. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking for about 4-5 minutes.
5. Stir in milk, cream, and bay leaves - simmer for ten minutes. Remove bay leaves.
6. SLOWLY add in the egg (you do not want it to scramble). Stir in 1 cup of cheese. Check for seasoning and add more S&P if needed.
7. Add the cheese sauce to the macaroni and pour into a 2 1/2 quart casserole. Top with remaining cheese & Panko Bread Crumbs
8. Bake for 30 mins. Remove from oven and let it rest for five minutes before serving.

I will even eat this for breakfast in the morning!

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Categories: Cooking How To, Kids Cooking, Lunch & Dinner, Pasta, Side Dishes, recipe
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