Let’s face it, for me every week could be a mac ‘n cheese kind of week. I love the stuff in nearly all its forms. If you’ve been following my blog since I started, then this is all definitely clear, because this is already my third macaroni and cheese featured recipe.
So what makes this recipe different? Its classic cheese sauce and simplicity is what. Recipe #1 was cooked in the rice cooker, recipe #2 was one of my favorites but was filled with a variety of adventurous cheeses and was baked, and this recipe (#3) is complete in less than 30 minutes and is very traditional. Plus if you’re a fan of Panera Bread‘s mac ‘n cheese dish, this is their recipe, so you’re getting it straight from the source.
It all starts with a white sauce that gets cheese added to it. Cheese sauce is something that I have been making since I was a kid. Broccoli or cauliflower (among other vegetables) with cheese sauce made it on our dinner table frequently as I was growing up and being the official “cheese sauce maker” became a job I regularly volunteered for…that and stirring…I really love to stir! (I never claimed to be normal, okay?!)
So while the pasta cooks, I started the white sauce, and when it’s nicely thickened it’s time to add the flavor. The flavor is first in the form of extra-sharp white cheddar cheese and white American cheese. I think the white cheese fancifies (not sure if that’s a word, but it is now) the dish a bit so you’re not eating a weirdly yellow sauce. Then the sauce is kicked up a notch with dijon mustard, a little salt, and some hot sauce. Now we’re talking.
Simply stir the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce, reheat on the stove for a couple of minutes, and voila the dish is done. Now this is a pretty rich dish, so it is easy to have portion control here. I think next time, I may add some cooked broccoli florets to it and get some more veggies in my diet.
Make your way to the recipe and step by step instructions for a delicious, easy dish by clicking here.
What I was cooking up a year ago: It’s Tea Time…Muffins + Chai Tea = Pure Goodness!
Holy bananas Batman, this was a killer muffin recipe! You must try it…pretty please try it! Chai tea is really great but when it’s flavoring these muffins it is absolutely fabulous. The coolest part was that you actually cut open the chai tea bags and empty the tea leaves into the muffin batter. You’re going to make this right? 🙂
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Yum! You do, for a fact, love to stir! I've never been able to put my finger on WHY, but that's ok. There's always plenty of stirring going on in my kitchen. (I thought you didn't like American cheese. Looks like you may have become a convert.)
Sure wish you were here to share your leftovers with me.