Mac and cheese

Commentary

WORLD SERIES Mac and Cheese!
Make this, root for the Nationals 2019 victory.

You want baked mac and cheese? I GOT YOUR BAKED MAC AND CHEESE RIGHT HERE!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. dried elbow pasta (big, with ridges works well)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups half and half

- (OR 3 cups milk, 1 cup heavy cream, or probably it's fine with all 4 cups milk)

• 1 lb jack cheese
• 1 lb sharp cheddar
• 1/2 to 1 lb gouda (or gruyere if you like)
• 1/2 Tbsp. salt (more to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. powdered garlic

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3 qt baking dish (9x13"). Set aside.
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. While water is coming up to a boil, grate 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. Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 2 cups or so of the milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
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. 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. In a large mixing bowl, combine 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 grated cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.
8. Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheesy is bubbly and lightly golden brown.

Preparation Notes

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

• Total time 60 minutes

  Prep time: grating cheese: 10 minutes (while water boils)

  Cooking time: pasta: 8-10 minutes, cheese sauce 15 minutes, oven 15-20 minutes (total 35-50 minutes)

• You can add butter-soaked bread crumbs to the top and bake/broil an additional 5 minutes if you like.