Easy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
I kinda think everything should have a golden-brown crust. Isn't this one just TO DIE FOR?!?
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Equipment
- 1.75 quart Pyrex (linked below!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups small elbow macaroni
- 3 ounces cheddar cheese, freshly grated (pre-shredded has shit on it to keep it from clumping and will make your cheese sauce gritty!)
- 2 ounces gruyère or swiss cheese, freshly grated
- 2 ounces Velveeta cheese, broken up (this is our ooey gooey secret weapon)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp ground mustard seed/mustard powder
- dash of nutmeg
- dash of cayenne
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- panko breadcrumbs or crumbled Ritz crackers to cover surface
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to least amount of time on package. For example, if it says boil 8-10 minutes, do 8. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place milk in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium pan over medium heat, melt butter.
- Add flour to butter and whisk constantly, 2 minutes. We're making a Roux Paul, y'all!
- Grab warm milk from microwave and add to flour/butter. Whisk frequently just until mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Take off heat and stir in cheeses.
- Add macaroni, lemon zest, ground mustard, and a dash of nutmeg and cayenne. Taste and then adjust with salt and pepper.
- Place in greased 1.75 quart Pyrex (linked below).
- If you like a looser, soupier mac and cheese, add warm milk little by little (stirring between adds) until desired consistency is reached. Adding cold milk will make the mixture seize and tighten. Keep in mind, consistency will always tighten a bit once baked. Taste again in case salt and pepper need to be adjusted.
- Cover surface of mac and cheese with panko or Ritz and spray topping evenly with cooking spray.
- Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until toppings are a sensual golden-brown.
- Serve immediately! ENJOY!
Notes
JUST THE TIPS!
1.) Set up your 'mise en place.' This means do what the recipe tells you to do to the individual ingredients, measure them out, and then place them in separate little bowls/dishes/what-have-you. When it's time to build the recipe, you have everything measured and ready to go. It makes the entire process so much easier and more enjoyable!
2.) The kind of cheese you use in this recipe is ultimately up to you, as long as it totals 5 ounces, PLUS the 2 oz. of Velveeta! Velveeta always stays in the recipe. Sometimes I love like an ounce of bleu cheese in there for some funk. Sometimes I want an all-cheddar version. As long as you choose a cheese that melts well, the possibilities are endless!
3.) Add crispy, crumbled bacon if you want, stirred in, right before putting it in the oven, for an extra orgasmic experience! Add fresh spinach to make it healthy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!