Don't you LOVE mac & cheese. I have always made homemade mac and cheese from my mother's stand-by recipe. I don't bake it though, tends to make the noodles soak up all the sauce. I ran across this recipe at different web sites and blogs and all were pretty similar. It's a copy cat recipe for Panera Bread company's mac and cheese, and it's pretty darn close. Mac and cheese is a comfort food to me. I served along side ribs and brisket for the 4th of July. Enjoy!!
Best Ever Mac & Cheese
1- 16-ounce Package of Medium shell pasta
¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2½ cup milk
6 Slices white American cheese, (not the prepackaged, individual sliced cheese, get the American cheese in the deli) sliced into thin strips
8 oz extra-sharp white cheddar, shredded
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon hot sauce
Fresh ground pepper for Garnish (optional)
Ingredients:
Prepare pasta according to package directions.
In large saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute,
whisking constantly.
Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium heat, whisking until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat.
Add cheeses, mustard, salt, and hot sauce, stirring until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
Stir in pasta and cook over medium heat for 1 minute (or until thoroughly heated). Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh ground pepper if desired.
YUM!
