Macaroni and Cheese
Better Than Your Momma’s
Mac and cheese has to be one of the best dishes of all time. This is a classic recipe that is creamy with hints of crunch and really lets the cheese do most of the work (so get the nice stuff if you can).
Steps
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- Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and seasoning with salt. Boil your pasta ~2 minutes less than according to directions (it will finish cooking in the oven) and drain.
- Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat a large pot (dutch oven works great as it is oven safe) over medium heat and melt the 4 Tbsp of butter. When the butter is melted, add the flour and stir. Cook for ~2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. You do not want it to darken much in color though.
- Gradually add the milk while whisking so that large clumps do not form. Once all the milk in incorporated, simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the béchamel thickens so that it just covers the back of a spoon. You want it slightly thinner than your goal end product as it will thicken when you add the cheese.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the mustard and 1/2 of the cheese. Make sure it is removed from the heat or the cheese will clump. Then add the pasta and salt and pepper to taste.
- If not already, transfer the mac and cheese to an oven safe dish. Mix together the panko, parsley, garlic and oil and sprinkle on top of the noodles.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the panko becomes golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Let it cool for a few minutes and enjoy!
