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Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

This baked mac and cheese is a family favorite recipe, loved by children and adults.

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Cooking Temp: 325  F
Servings: 8
Description

HOW TO MAKE MAC AND CHEESE

If you’ve never made homemade mac and cheese before, it can seem a bit daunting.  But don’t worry, we’ll break it down and take it step by step!

  • Boil the pasta, drain.
  • Make the cheese sauce by combining a fat (butter), and starch (flour), then whisking in the milk products.
  • Cook the sauce until it’s nice and thick.
  • Add in shredded cheeses, stir well.
  • Combine cheese sauce with cooked pasta.
  • Transfer half of the mac and cheese to a baking dish, sprinkle with more shredded cheese.
  • Top with the rest of the mac and cheese, top with more shredded cheese.
  • Bake and prepare to thoroughly enjoy!
Ingredients
  • 400-600 Grams Dried elbow pasta (I use two boxes of Gluten Free Macaroni 340 G)
  • 1/2 cup Butter
  • 1/2 cup Flour
  • 4 cups Whole milk 3% (Feel free to replace a bit of milk with half and half or cream)
  • 4 cups Shredded medium cheddar cheese (To get the 4 cups of cheddar, use a 16 oz block of cheddar and shred.)
  • 2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese (To get the 2 cups of cheddar, use half of a 16 oz block of cheddar and shred.)
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Paprika or smoked paprika (Smoked paprika is always better)
Instructions
  1. 1
    Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9x13").  Set aside.
  2. 2
    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente.  Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.
  3. 3
    While water is coming up to a boil, shred cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles.  Approximately 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
  4. 4
    Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat.  Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine.  Mixture will look like very wet sand or cheesy sauce.  Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often.  Slowly pour in about 2 cups or so of milk, while whisking constantly, until smooth.  Slowly pour in the remaining milk or cream, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
  5. 5
    Continue to heat over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency.  It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup.
  6. 6
    Remove from the heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine.  Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth.
  7. 7
    Combine cooked drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully.  Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.
  8. 8
    Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until cheesy is bubbly and lightly golden brown.
  9. 9

    If needed, broil the top for a few mins at the end to make it bubbly and lightly golden brown

Read it online: https://tastykeep.com/recipe/creamy-baked-mac-and-cheese/