I adapted this recipe from about 5 different recipes after deciding that none of them looked just right to me. It came out delicious, full of flavor and the whole pan was gone in about 15 minutes at the dinner party I took it to!
Jen's Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese
Prep Time:20 min
Inactive Prep Time: --
Cook Time:45 min
Serves:
6 to 8+ servings
Ingredients
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
12 ounces monterey jack, shredded
12 ounces extra sharp cheddar, shredded1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, bay leaf, black pepper and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
In baking dish, layer bottom with macaroni noodles. Top with an even mixture of all three cheese blends. Repeat with more noodles and cheese until your dish is almost full. Pour milk mixture slowly over the whole dish.
Bake in oven for about 40 minutes, then remove and add the panko bread crumbs.
Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
Place back in oven until bread crumbs are crispy and the milk doesn't bubble up when you press on the noodles.
Serves:
6 to 8+ servings
Ingredients
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
12 ounces monterey jack, shredded
12 ounces extra sharp cheddar, shredded1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, bay leaf, black pepper and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
In baking dish, layer bottom with macaroni noodles. Top with an even mixture of all three cheese blends. Repeat with more noodles and cheese until your dish is almost full. Pour milk mixture slowly over the whole dish.
Bake in oven for about 40 minutes, then remove and add the panko bread crumbs.
Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
Place back in oven until bread crumbs are crispy and the milk doesn't bubble up when you press on the noodles.
