Saturday 28 February 2015

Macaroni and Cheese

 It has been ridiculously cold where I live in Southern Ontario!  I mean, -35 COLD!!  Comfort food has definitely been craved, so what better to satisfy those cravings like good old fashioned Macaroni and Cheese?  I know there are lots of families that like to dress up their Mac and Cheese, but around here, my family likes the basics.  So here is a great recipe that guarantees a casserole dish full of creamy, yummy, comfort!

To make Macaroni and Cheese, You will need:

- 1 box whole wheat pasta (I used a 500 gram package bowties, but  elbow pasta or any other shape is good)
- 6 Tbsp butter
- 6 Tbsp whole wheat flour
- 3 cups grated old cheddar cheese
- 3 cups 2% milk
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 and 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup buttered breadcrumbs, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of water, al dente, drain and rinse with hot water and return to pot.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour mixed with salt, pepper and mustard.  Whisk to combine and make a roux.
Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. continue to whisk until sauce is thickened and bubbling.
Add in the cheese, stirring constantly until almost melted and remove from heat. continue stirring until cheese is completely incorporated.
Pour cheese sauce over the pasta, and stir to combine.
Transfer pasta to your casserole dish, sprinkle breadcrumbs over pasta (if using), cover with foil and cook in oven for 20 minutes, until heated through.

This recipe makes enough to easily feed 6-8.  I make a large batch of this because my daughters love bringing a thermos of this to school for lunch the next day.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!


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