Classic Macaroni & Cheese Recipe Recipe

Macaroni and Cheese is the first thing I “cooked” all by myself. I say “cooked” because sadly it came out of a box. There were indications of the “Foodie” to be however, because I didn’t just follow the directions on the box. I doctored it up with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and cooked corn. It actually sounds pretty unappetizing now, but at the time I thought it was delicious and a love affair with Macaroni and Cheese was born.
I always serve Macaroni and Cheese as a side dish for Thanksgiving. I have been using this recipe for years, but my oldest daughter is not a huge fan of it’s baked incarnation because it’s not as creamy. I was debating on how I was going to serve this on Thanksgiving (to bake, or not to bake), when a lightbulb went off…Why not just stick it under the broiler for a couple of minutes instead of baking it? You get a nice crunch to the top, and the underneath retains it’s creaminess. It worked, definitely a winner!
To save time you can prep the sauce the day before, and then gently warm it on the stove – coaxing it back to it’s creamy texture. When reheating leftovers, add a dash of milk. A word of warning, this is one dish you don’t want to skimp on the salt (especially when boiling the macaroni noodles), or it is blah. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1lb elbow macaroni
Very generous pinch of pink salt
1 cup whole milk
11⁄2 cups half & half
3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing dish
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon mustard powder
Dash of nutmeg
2 teaspoons Himalayan Pink salt, or to taste
Dash of white pepper
1 cup sour cream
2 cups sharp white cheddar
2 cups Gruyere cheese
1⁄2 heaped cup Monterey Jack
Topping
3⁄4 cup mixture of cheddar, Gruyere, and Monterey Jack

Instructions
1. Boil macaroni in generously salted water according to package directions.
2. Warm milk and half & half in a saucepan over low heat, and set aside.
3. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
4. Add four and mustard powder.
5. Whisk constantly for 2 minutes, being careful not to burn flour.
6. Whisk in warm milk/half & half mixture.
7. Add nutmeg, salt, and white pepper.
8. Continue whisking until thick.
10. Add cheeses, and sour cream.
11. Using a heat proof spatula, stir until smooth and creamy.
12. Butter a 9 X 13 baking dish.
13. Pour in macaroni, using a spatula to scrape any sauce from the sides of the saucepan.
14. Top with additional cheese and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until top is golden.
15. Serve and enjoy!
16. Run on the treadmill for at least an hour. 🙂

**Check out some of the items I used here by clicking on the Amazon link below. This link is an affiliate link, your purchase costs will be the same but The Masala Girl will automatically receive a small commission, thanks for your support. 🙂