Baked Macaroni and Cheese!!

 What is Baked Macaroni and Cheese?!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese is elbow pasta cooked and combined with cheese and seasonings of your choice. It also has a layer of shredded cheese on the top then it is baked or broiled until the cheese is golden. The first modern recipe for macaroni and cheese was in Elizabeth Raffald's book, "The Experienced English Housekeeper". Her recipe is for a Béchamel sauce with cheddar cheese and a Mornay sauce in French cooking. This was then combined with macaroni, sprinkled with Parmesan, and baked until bubbly and golden. Chef Hemings introduced the recipe to Thomas Jefferson's guests at dinner parties and it soon became a hit with the wealthy southerners. 

Here's a good recipe from "The Cozy Cook" if you want to try it!

Instructions:

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour and use a silicone spatula to stir continuously for 2 minutes. Add the milk/heavy cream in small splashes, stirring continuously.

Let it heat through and thicken while you continue to stir for 5 minutes. Add the seasonings and hot sauce and remove from heat.

Gradually sprinkle in 4 cups of shredded cheese, stirring continuously until smooth. Meanwhile, boil the macaroni for 1 minute less than al dente. 

Combine the drained macaroni and the cheese sauce and transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. 

Top with 2 cups of shredded cheese and bake at 325° for 25 minutes. Broil at the end for a few minutes if desired, then serve!

Tips:

• Pro Tip: If making ahead, I recommend using a little less than the full pound of pasta to ensure that there is an extra abundance of cheese sauce, as the macaroni will absorb more of it during storage.

• Assemble and Store: Cook the macaroni for 1-2 minutes less than al dente. Assemble the macaroni as outlined but do not bake. Let it cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

• Bake: Let it sit out for 30 minutes prior to baking, then bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes. Note that the consistency won’t be quite as creamy as when prepared and served immediately.

• Optional additions include diced ham, bacon, caramelized onions, steamed broccoli, shredded chicken, buffalo chicken, and more

• Pasta shells also make a great choice for this recipe instead of macaroni.

• Make sure the base of the sauce isn’t too hot when the cheese is added, otherwise the dairy will separate and the consistency will be grainy.

• Cheese options are endless, you can use any combination of cheddar, gouda, gruyere, mozzarella, Colby, and more.

• I used Cracker Barrel Cheddar, Yancey’s Fancy Gouda (regular, not smoked), and Emmi Gruyere cheese as well as Frank’s hot sauce.

• The hot sauce and mustard powder are flavor enhancers and can’t be tasted outright. The hot sauce doesn’t make it spicy.

• For a crunchy topping: Combine 1 cup of crushed Ritz crackers and 2 tbsp. melted butter. Add it during the last 15 minutes of baking.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese is personally one of my favorite dishes and I hope you make this dish too so it can also be one of your favorites.