Mac n' Comfort

On a cold day in January. On a cool day in June. Ok, on any day, home-made mac n’ cheese is go-to comfort food. There is absolutely no comparison between the real-deal and the orange or white powder-y version. Yes, this takes a little longer, but the pay-off is so worth it. The recipe makes a large amount, but you can cut all the ingredients if you want to go smaller. Just use a smaller baking dish.

Ingredients

1 lb. box pasta any mac friendly shape: penne, rotini, elbows. We like Barilla

4 cups grated cheese - you can try 12 oz. Cracker Barrel 2% milk cheddar - lowers the fat level a bit, but not the comfort.

4 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons flour

4 cups milk

salt/pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees

1. Cook pasta according to directions on box. Shave a minute or two off the total cooking time since the dish will bake in the oven.
2. While pasta is cooking, make the cheese sauce. Melt butter in large sauce pan. When totally melted, leave heat on under the pan and add flour. Stir this mixture with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and whisk the milk in to the buttery flour to remove any lumps. Again, leave heat a medium level. Milk will thicken slightly. Once the milk is incorporated, heat for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add grated cheese with a pinch of salt & pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine.
3. If there is enough room in saucepan, add pasta to the cheese sauce. If not, put both pasta and cheese sauce together in pasta pot. Stir to combine.
4. Pour mac n’cheese into a 13" x 9" pyrex baking dish. Heat in oven for 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove & add pepper & savor!

Serve with some kind of veggie. You’ll feel better about indulging and mac n’cheese tastes even better when it has a nice counter-taste from broccoli or spinach or whatever you choose.