You can make good macaroni and cheese at home, but you cannot get it in a box. A great macaroni and cheese needs to be creamy, rich, and flavorful. It is the original comfort food. Here is a simple way to make a mac and cheese that’s gonna blow your mind. You’ll have your family and friends thinking you spent all day preparing it.
Cook a 16-ounce package of elbow macaroni according to the package instructions. The macaroni should be boiled in salted water until it is tender, but not mushy. It is advisable to drain and rinse, and let the excess liquid drain while you prepare the next step.
The oven should be preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bottom and sides of a glass baking dish or pan that can be used in the oven. Spoon one-third of the cooked macaroni into the baking dish. On top of the macaroni, slice up a half-stick of butter and arrange it in slices. Margarine should not be used, as it imparts no good flavor to the recipe.
After that, sprinkle about a quarter cup of flour over the butter. Top that with slices of American, extra sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. This procedure should be repeated two more times. Pour an approximate amount of two cups of half-and-half over the entire dish and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
It is possible that you will have to adjust the amount of liquid. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that you pour enough liquid into the dish that it reaches about two-thirds of the way up the sides. You should bake the macaroni and cheese for approximately 35-45 minutes in the oven. When the top of the macaroni and cheese begins to brown, the macaroni and cheese is ready.
You can use low-fat milk if you wish to trim a few calories from your meal. As an alternative to regular durum macaroni, whole-wheat macaroni can also be used. Some of the variations include adding ham, tuna, vegetables, or chicken. Pepper-jack cheese is also a great way to spice this dish up a little.