If my kids did the meal planning around here, it would go something like this: Monday Mom’s Mac and Cheese, Tuesday Tacos, Wednesday Pizza, Thursday Mom’s Mac and Cheese, Friday Mom’s Mac and Cheese, Saturday Pizza. They would, if given the chance, eat this mac and cheese several nights of every week. Which, of course, means it’s one of my favorite dishes to whip up. Because all cooks love a crowd-pleaser.
Makes 4 large servings. I often double to have leftovers.
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni. Feel free to shake it up with penne or ziti or whole wheat pasta. I have used all, at times, with success.
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper, the better in our book)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain.
- In the same warm pot, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and cook until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
- Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.
- Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
- Gently stir pasta into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2 -quart casserole dish. You can make ahead to this point and then refrigerate.
- Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.