Mandy’s Mac and Cheese
I consider myself to be a pretty good cook. There is one dish, however, that I could never seem to get “right”. Homemade macaroni and cheese was that dish. I’ve tried for 15 years to get it right. Different cheese combos, butter or margarine, milk vs. cream….I’ve tried it ALL.
Tonight, I nailed it.
All three of my boys raved over it, and I knew I had a winner.
Now, please understand that this is not a healthy dish. Quite the opposite, really. This is more of a special occasion, don’t-care-about-calories, kind of dish. You’ve been warned.
Also…there is a LOT of cheese.
This dish is creamy, melt in your mouth, and it makes an entire 9X13 pan.
Even with my hungry boys, this should last us 2-4 meals as a side dish.
If you try this, let me know!
How to Mandy’s Homemade Mac-n-Cheese
You’ll need a large pot & 9X13” pan to make this recipe.
Ingredients
1lb elbow macaroni cooked to al diente
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
8oz Velveteea, cubed
1/2 cup cheddar
1/2 cup mozzarella
Salt
Pepper
Dash of Paprika
Just look at that bubbly top.
Don’t skip the broiler step. You won’t get that brown top without it.
Steps:
Preheat oven to 350
Cook macaroni and set aside.
In a large pot, melt the stick of butter. Once melted, add the flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes.
Whisk in milk and cream slowly. Add the Velteeta. Once melted, add salt, pepper, and dash of paprika.
Take off heat and combine with macaroni. Add to 9X13 pan.
Top with shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
Broil until the top gets slightly brown and crisp (1-4 minutes).
Serve immediately.
Tips
I used pre-shredded cheese. It isn’t necessary to shred by hand from a block.
Don’t overcook your macaroni. You’ll put it in the oven and it will cook more there. You won’t want it to be mushy.
Watch your macaroni and cheese while it’s in the oven under the broiler. Don’t walk away, or you’ll have a burnt top!
Enjoy, friends!
Until next time,
Soli Deo Gloria,
Mandy
