Grown Up Mac and Cheese

Okay, I'm not going to lie. I do like bringing out and preparing a blue box of mac and cheese every once in awhile. I know, it's wrong. To top it off, I even smother it in ketchup. ;) The boxed mac is fine once in awhile, but it definitely doesn't compare to the real deal.

I'm terrible about amounts. I basically just throw in what looks good. I'll try to make my best guess at this, but feel free to give and take as you see fit.

Supplies:

1/2 lb Mac (I went with traditional elbow in this one, but I've used other types)
1 to 2 cups grated Cheddar
2 C Milk
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Flour
1/4 Onion
1/2 to 1 Tbsp Dijon (Yes, I said dijon)
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1 to 2 tsp Hot Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

First of all, you need to cook your pasta as per the directions on the package. I used a half box of Barilla Elbow mac.

Next you'll make a basic bechamel sauce. It's simple, I promise. AND you get to tell people you made "bechamel sauce". ;)

Heat a sauce pan on medium and add the butter.





While that melts, chop up your onion.






Add the onions to the butter and saute until they are softened.





Sprinkle in the flour and cook it for a minute or two. This is your roux. It's the thickening agent for the bechamel.

On a side note, roux can be made in bigger batches and then separated into tablespoon sized servings. Wrap and store these in the freezer, then when you have something that needs thickening such as gravies, etc. just take the roux and throw it in your sauce. :)










Add the milk. If you feel like living on the edge, use cream. ;)

Continue to Whisk until it thickens. It won't be the consistency of pudding, but it should thicken enough that it sticks to the back of a wooden spoon.









Turn off the heat.

Then add the salt, pepper, cayenne, dijon and hot sauce.

I used Louisiana hot sauce and I actually didn't have dijon on hand, so I used sweet/hot mustard. Mmmm...









Add the cheese and stir until the cheese melts.





Now mix the sauce into the noodles.





Add as little or as much of the sauce as you need to make it to your liking.

Tada! Grown Up Mac and Cheese!!





If you'd like a baked mac and cheese then take what you've made so far and place in a baking dish. Melt some butter and mix with seasoned bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the top and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or so. Until the crumbs begin to brown a bit.

Also, I've used this same basic recipe to make one dish meals. You can add cooked chicken or ham, etc to the mix and make a meal out of it. :)