Mac and Cheesy Goodness

At some point I’ll more summery foods, but I’ve been getting into these rich, filling foods recently, but there will be more posts soon that fit the season (or you can check out my ice cream recipes here). But until then, today is mac and cheese! I’ll admit, when I was younger I wasn’t sure about mac and cheese, but now…! Mac and cheese is a lot of fun to make, and you just throw it all together in one pot and one pan and then you just have a mound of awesomeness. So let’s make some mac!

Ingredients:

·      1 tsp salt for pasta

·      1 pound elbow macaroni

·      6 tbsp butter

·      3 cups milk

·      1 cup heavy cream

·      1 tbsp black pepper

·      1 pound white cheddar, shredded

·      2-4 oz Romano, shredded

·      2-4 oz Asiago, shredded

·      2 cups bread crumbs

·      2 tbsp parsley, fresh or dried

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Fill a large pot with water, add the 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain, run with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Sprinkle a little bit of the flour over the butter and quickly whisk it in, and repeat until all the flour has been incorporated. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes over medium high heat. Add all the cold milk at once and whisk quickly until all of the roux has dissolved. Cook this sauce over medium low heat until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Add the heavy cream, the cheeses, a pinch of salt, and the black pepper, and cook until the cheese has fully melted. Taste for seasoning, and add any other cheeses or flavors you’d like, such as cooked cauliflower, bacon, paprika, and cayenne. Add the macaroni to the cheese and combine thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and top with breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Top with the parsley, and then you’re all set!