Grown Up Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Not out of a box. Nothing powdered.

Grown Up Mac ‘N’ Cheese

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • ½ pound pasta (your pick, but elbow is popular)
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup half-and-half
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (more if desired) (see notes)

Optional Ingredients

  • 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 cup spinach, rinsed, rough chopped
  • ½ cup cooked bacon, crumbled
  • ½ cup cooked crabmeat, shredded
  • ¼ cup bread crumbs, panko or plain

Instructions

  • Boil the pasta as directed and cook just slightly less than fully — it's going to bake in the sauce, too. Drain.
  • Preheat oven to 325°F
  • In a large saucepan (you'll see why later) melt the butter over medium-low heat then add the flour and stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the milk and half-and-half and cook over medium head, stirring constantly, until reduced slightly.
  • Add about 1 cup of the shredded cheese and stir in to melt.
  • Add the optional ingredients, if so desired. If spinach is one of them, cook until well-wilted.
  • Remove from heat and add the pasta and stir to coat fully. (This is why you make the sauce in a large pan.)
  • Grease a suitably sized baking dish. Add half the pasta and sauce. Add some of the remaining shredded cheese. Add the rest of the pasta and sauce. Add the remaining shredded cheese.
  • If using bread crumbs, distribute across the top.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes.
  • Switch oven to broil and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until top starts to brown.
  • Remove from oven and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • A good sauce-holding pasta is a must.  Elbows, shells, orecchiette.
  • For cheese colby jack is good.  So is mozzarella.  So is cheddar, although it can get oily.  Someone suggested smoked gouda and I think that’d be great but maybe a bit strong by itself, so you may want to cut it with one of the other cheeses.