Baked Mac & Cheese
Baked mac and cheese is a universal comfort food, and there are endless variations. This recipe that uses a variety of kid-friendly cheese and is baked to bubbly perfection.
PRO-TIP: cook the pasta less than required. Boil small elbow macaroni for 4 or 5 minutes. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, and this will help prevent it becoming mushy. Also, avoid using pre-shredded cheese if you can as there are stabilizers in them that prevent the cheese from melting. Try to get your hands on good quality cheese and grate it manually.
- Serves
- 6-8
Directions
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 3-quart baking dish (9x13") with non-stick spray.
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Use a grater or knife to shred cheeses and toss together in a bowl to mix. This should amount to approximately 4-5 cups of cheese to be used in two parts for the sauce and topping.
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Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine, making a roux. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. It will look pasty and somewhat clumped.
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Slowly pour in 2 cups of half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Raise the heat to medium, steadily whisking until it becomes quite thick and smooth. Remove from heat.
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Off the heat, use a spoon or spatula to stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese blend, stirring to melt and combine until smooth. Add another 1 1/2 cups of the cheese blend (3 cups total) and stir until melted and smooth. If you have any trouble with the second addition of cheese melting, place the pot over very low heat to gently melt the cheese.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to fully coat. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Add another 1 1/2 cups of cheese across the layer, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.
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Stir in the breadcrumbs to the last cup of cheese for the topping. Sprinkle evenly across the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. If you like a crustier top, turn on the broiler for the final 2 or 3 minutes of the cook.
From Shawnie's class “Cooking with Kids – Fun Family Dinner”
