Macaroni and Cheese

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Total: 55 min
  • Prep: 15 min
  • Cook: 40 min
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Ingredients

4 cups dried macaroni

1 whole egg

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups whole milk

2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)

1 pound sharp Cheddar, grated (not pre-grated cheese), plus more for baking

Salt

Seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme

Macaroni and Cheese and Sliders Bar:

1 pound thick-cut peppered bacon

3 yellow onions, halved and sliced

3 tablespoons butter

8 ounces gorgonzola

Cooked sliders and/or macaroni and cheese, for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cook the macaroni until still slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, beat the egg. In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Don't let it burn. Pour in the milk, add the mustard and whisk until smooth. Cook until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
  4. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Whisk together until smooth. Pour the egg into the sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in the cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt and the pepper. Add any additional spices if desired. Taste the sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.
  5. Pour in the drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Serve immediately (while it's still very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese and bake until bubbly and golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes.

Macaroni and Cheese and Sliders Bar:

  1. Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until slightly crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and cut into bite-size pieces.
  2. In a separate pan, cook the onions in the butter over a low heat until caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Use a fork to crumble the gorgonzola.
  4. Put the bacon, caramelized onions and crumbled gorgonzola into separate bowls. Serve as delicious toppings for both sliders and macaroni cheese.

Let's Get Cooking!

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hill.1175

I didn't make this recipe, but it's so similar to my mom's that I use all the time with rave reviews. The family requests my mac n cheese for all our get-togethers. Both of my versions can be thrown into a crockpot to finish cooking if you're doing a lot of dishes for a big meal. Just cook the macaroni a bit less than done, I like my pasta firm and not mushy. It'll finish in the crockpot. Taste test doneness before serving. <br />I make the roux without the egg, dry mustard and the extra spices, and I use freshly grated cheddar. Grate 1 pound of cheddar, use about half or a bit more in the roux and save the rest to top the dish. I add a can of diced green chilis (drained in my large strainer while the macaroni is cooking) too, they add a great but mild zing. I mix everything in a large bowl before putting it into a 9x13 dish. Top with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 350° until most of the liquid is absorbed. I love using the roux to start off! It's thicker and very yummy. <br /><br />If I'm in a hurry and still want mac n cheese, I skip making a roux. I mix the cooked macaroni, drained tomatoes with chilis, a stick of butter and a can of evaporated milk. That's the sneak ingredient! Stir until the butter melts. Mix it all and bake it just like the roux method. <br /><br />The tomatoes are generic Rotel, I always buy store brand. <br /><br />Ree, I love your show and your kitchen hacks. You're so down home and countrified! Exactly like me, I want the foods mama cooked and want the extra twists whenever I can add them. Thanks for your show and recipes! <br />

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