Cheese with a little Mac

…Seriously though. To get that golden, crusty top, you gotta use a lot of cheese. I made a small batch for my family but this recipe can easily be doubled. In all fairness, I do not measure when I cook, but I did try to be diligent this go round about taking pictures! Mac and cheese is actually a pretty forgiving dish, so go with what feels right measurement-wise.

• 1/2 lb elbow pasta

• 3 TBS butter, plus a little extra for buttering the dish

• 3 TBS all purpose flour

• 3 cups whole milk

• 1/2 tsp ground mustard

• 3 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, plus an additional 1/2 cup to a cup for the top

• salt, fresh cracked pepper & Cholula to taste

First things first, butter that dish! This recipe is not for your health so let’s not be stingy. Salty…but never stingy.

Boil your pasta in salted water. “Salty like the sea”, says Geoffrey Zakarian.

This step is the most crucial step to making a dish full of cheese-y goodness. GRATE YOUR OWN CHEESE. Hear me when I say it… grate your own cheese. It is lightyears tastier than the pre-grated dust covered cheese in packages. I buy the huge blocks of cheese from my bulk store, so I could not tell you what size block you need. Enough for roughly 4 cups.

Melt your butter, I typically just use the same pot that I boiled my noodles in for less cleanup. Once its bubbly, whisk in the flour to make your roux. It will be a loose roux, but honestly even if its thicker, it will be fine.

This is the part where I should tell you to use “heated milk” so as not to clump up your sauce… but I would be a LIE if I told you anything other than add that ice cold, right from the fridge milk into your roux and whisk like crazy. I’ve never had an issue, go with what feels right.

Simmer your sauce over medium low until it thickens. It should lightly coat the back of a spoon. This is the time to season up your sauce while its thickening with that ground mustard, black pepper and Cholula.

Add the cheese! Taste and tweak your seasoning if need be.

Add in your noodles and mix like crazy. You will most likely be thinking, this is too much sauce. Trust me. The worst thing you could have is dry Mac. Pour into your buttery baking dish and let it set for a minute or two. Add the remaining cheddar and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.