Mac and Cheese

So my mom recently got married (congrats, Mom and Bern!!).  They went to Sedona, AZ to elope and had their reception back at her beautiful home in GA.  She had apparently been craving mac and cheese since Thanksgiving, when I made some and then failed to leave any leftovers at her house (the next morning she woke up sorely disappointed because there was nothing that could satisfy her craving for the creamy goodness of mac and cheese).  So, she requested that I make macaroni and cheese for her wedding reception (the theme was southern- we had to show their Boston friends a bit about southern cuisine.  Disclaimer: in actuality, just because we live in GA does NOT mean we eat like most southerners and cook and eat Paula Dean style- although we love you, Paula).  So, I searched around my fav website (minus this one), www.thepioneerwoman.com and found a recipe for mac and cheese.  I'll add in the changes I made (just one, really) and also tell you that I multiplied this recipe by 3 to feed 20 people and we STILL had leftovers- never underestimate the power of mac and cheese.  I'll stop typing now and get to it.  So, onto the BEST MAC AND CHEESE EVER (without costing you a fortune because let's face it, the 'best mac and cheese' ever has cheeses in it that are 1) expensive 2) hard to pronounce 3)can never be found in your regular cheese section, you have to go to the specialty area of the grocery store, and im sorry, but i can't afford that just yet!  so my recipe is just good ole' sharp cheddar and parmesan)

 

Ingredients

• 4 cups Dried Macaroni
• 1 whole Egg Beaten
• ¼ cups (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2-½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired (we ran out of ground so I used some dijon and it was delish)
• 1 pound Cheese, Grated (I mixed sharp cheddar and parmesan...GRATE YOUR OWN CHEESE!)
• ½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt, More To Taste (didn't use)
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme (I didn't use any of these)

Preparation Instructions

• Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.

• In a small bowl, beat egg.

• In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.

(not a great pic of me sprinkling in the flour but you get the idea) 

• Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes, or until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

• Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together til smooth.

• Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.

• Add in cheese and stir to melt.

 (there's really no point to this picture other than to show off Mal and I's grating skills)

• Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDER-SALT.

• Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.

• Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into sprayed baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top. (kate would encourage you to make your own breadcrumbs with herbs and sprinkle that on top but I was pressed for time.  although that would be a DELICIOUS option)