Basic mac and cheese

This is an example of why I need to start documenting my foodie stuff. I do not always measure ingredients. I know, shocking right?? While that’s not a problem for me, when people ask me for the recipe for something that I’ve made for them, I sometime reply with a blank stare and a long “uuhhhmmmmmm, well I don’t really have one”. Ugh! Writing for my blog has made me more careful about what I’m doing for sure, even though I sometimes forget to take pictures of the whole process or my end results. I’m trying be better about that, and this post is a good step in that direction. I have to MEASURE things so people can make this at home. Careful who you make this mac and cheese for though….you will end up making it for them all the time!! This is a very basic recipe for classic macaroni and cheese. You can eat it right out of the pan, or you can bake in in the oven. Both versions are equally delish! Here’s the deal:

Not a whole lot of exotic ingredients here as you can see. I usually have all of these things on hand and can whip this up in about 20-30 minutes, and it’s not too expensive compared to some gourmet versions.. This recipe makes about 8 servings either baked or stove top. You can cut this in half or double it up. Just make it in a stockpot that is big enough for the pasta to boil. Here’s the list:

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 lb box of your favorite macaroni
• 6 tablespoons butter
  2 tablespoons flour
  2 1/3 cups whole milk
• 4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
  16 oz. all American processed cheese
  1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper and sale to taste

Some people scoff at the processed cheese, and I get it. You can swap out whatever you like, and try new cheeses in this recipe, just make sure they are a nice melting cheese. I stick with these two cheeses for the basics because it melts great, so that’s how we are rolling with this recipe.

Start by heating up some water in a large stockpot (this one is 6 quarts) with the salt. I stir in the salt so it does not mark my pan, or you can just wait until the water is boiling. I sometimes forget to add it if I wait…one of the perks of being over 40 is forgetting simple stuff. 🙂 Once the water is boiling, stir in the pasta for about 30 seconds. The pasta needs to boil about 9 minutes, maybe a minute or two longer is you plan to eat it right off the stovetop. Give it a stir every few minutes just to keep it from sticking to the bottom, and pull a piece out, let it cool off for a bit, and taste it as you think you are getting close to the texture you like. Before you drain the pasta, take a heat proof measuring cup and CAREFULLY save off about 1 cup of pasta water. It will come in handy later if you are baking the pasta. If not you can probalby skip it. Now drain the pasta.

In the same pot (less dishes-yay!) put the butter in and turn the heat on to medium. Once the better has melted, wisk in the flour. Let the flour cook out while wisking for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the milk and switch to a wooden or silicon spoon. Stir in the American cheese until it starts to melt. Add in the pasta at this point, it’s OK if all the cheese has not melted. Turn the heat down to medium low and stir in the shredded cheese. Taste the pasta at this point to see how much salt/pepper you might want to add. Pasta absorbs salt at different rates so the salt content can vary depending on what brand of pasta you are using. Add as much fresh ground black pepper that you like…I like a lot of it…and adjust the salt. This is the best part of cooking, making things taste how you like, right?

Now here’s where you can decide if you want to bake it or get a spoon and eat it right out of the pan. You basically let this cook together for about 10 minutes, stirring quite a bit to make sure all the cheese has melted and the sauce thickens, then serve it up . If you prefer mac and cheese as a baked dish, add 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of the pasta water to thin out the sauce a bit. The consistency needs to be a little looser if you are going to bake it to make sure it doesn’t dry out. You can add more milk instead if you’d like an even richer sauce, or you forget to pull the pasta water like I do. 🙂 Note: When I make this for parties I put this in a crock pot on low or warm, but make sure you keep an eye on it and add more milk or pasta water as it sits and thicken up.

To bake, pour the pasta in a greased baking dish and bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 25-30 minutes. It should be bubbly all over and start to brown on the top a bit. Take it out of the oven and enjoy!