Macaronni, cheese: Perfect comfort food

 

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.

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

It uses a combination of cheeses, layered in the dish as well as melted into a rich and creamy cheese sauce, for the ultimate cheesy deliciousness.

Perfect for a comforting dinner or as a holiday side dish.

Instructions

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!

Cooking tips for baked mac and cheese

Boiling the pasta – Cook the pasta less than you normally would.

 

I like to boil my elbow pasta for between four and five minutes.

 

The pasta will continue to cook in the oven, and you don’t want it to get mushy.

Use room temp liquids – If you can . . . cold liquids generally take longer to thicken than warmer ones.

 

I usually set my milk out while the water for the pasta is coming up to a boil.

The cheeses – Use your favorites! You can be very creative with the cheese selection here.

 

Mozzarella, gouda, smoked gouda, swiss, monterey jack, colby jack, colby.

Shred your own – I know it’s a pain, and it’s so tempting to use the pre-shredded cheese in the bags.

 

But those bags of cheese contain a starchy substance that keeps the cheese from clumping . . . which also prohibits it from melting as much as it should.

Variations of mac and cheese

If you love bacon, feel free to add some crispy, crumbled bacon to the topping, or even inside the mac and cheese as well!

Stove top – If you’d prefer not to bake this mac and cheese, you don’t have to!

 

Make sure you boil your pasta until al dente (check the packaging for correct times).

 

No need to layer the pasta and cheese, just add all the cheese to the sauce, then combine with the pasta. – www.thechunkychef.com.