MOM’S BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE
This mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. The secret to this super creamy, rich mac and cheese is to make a roux and let it darken a little more than you normally would for a béchamel sauce. It adds such a wonderful depth and flavor to the sauce. You can also substitute shredded cheddar cheese for the processed cheese. But, we think the processed cheese gives a wonderful creaminess to the sauce.
Mom's Best Mac & Cheese
February 20, 2021
: 8
: Easy
Ingredients
- ½ stick butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 can evaporated milk
- ½ block processed cheese, cubed
- ¼ – ¾ cup milk
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
Directions
- Step 1 1. Cook macaroni according to the directions on the package. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to cool. Set aside while preparing the sauce.
- Step 2 2. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add flour and whisk into melted butter. Continue to whisk until the mixture darkens slightly. Be careful not to overcook though. When it’s ready, it’ll be about the same color as peanut butter. If it’s super dark and smells like burnt popcorn, it’ll have to be thrown out and start over. So, when it’s the right color, make sure you’re ready to add the next ingredient.
- Step 3 3. Once you reach the desired color of the roux, immediately add the can of evaporated milk and whisk until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add a little extra milk to it to thin it out. Add cubed cheese and continue to stir until melted. After the cheese is fully melted, add more milk if needed to reach the desired consistency of the sauce. Last but not least, add cooked pasta and stir to coat pasta with sauce.
- Step 4 4. We like macaroni and cheese smooth and creamy from the pot. But you prefer, pour the macaroni and cheese into a casserole dish, top with buttered breadcrumbs or shredded cheddar cheese and bake at 350 until bubbly and breadcrumbs are slightly toasted.