tomato covered mac'n'cheese ready to bake

This is the first recipe that I ever learned. Mac’n’cheese seems to have always been a popular thing with kids, though I couldn’t stand the stuff from the box. But the homemade was something completely different. I loved it and was constantly asking for it. My mother eventually got tired of these endless demands so she broke down and taught me how to make it. About thirty years later, I still love the stuff. I’ve had to modify the recipe a little for my adult tastes. Mainly I use fancier cheeses, like blue or jarlsberg along with the traditional inexpensive sharp cheddar. I also use soy milk instead of cow’s milk.

This dish has also become popular with my friends. I just have to call some of them in the afternoon and they’ll drop all of their evening plans and rush over for dinner. This is not low-cal but once in a while we’ve all got to splurge. It’s so good that we got distracted and didn’t get a good pic for the blog. Maybe next time.

key ingredients for mac'n'cheese for adults

Mac’n’cheese for Adults

3 tbs. all purpose flour
3 tbs. plus 1 tbs. butter or margarine
2 cups milk (soy milk will work too)
1 tsp salt and to taste
2 to 3 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar (can mix with swiss, jack, jarlsberg or even a little blue for a more complex flavor)
1 package medium shell pasta, elbow pasta or similar, cooked al dente
one cup Italian breadcrumbs
3 tomatoes, sliced

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta following package directions.

In medium saucepan, add 3 tbs butter or margarine over medium heat. As fat starts to melt, add salt and gradually sprinkle in flour. Stir constantly until thick. Slowly begin to drizzle milk into flour mixture. Continue stirring until milky sauce is thick and leaves a film of sauce on spoon when removing from liquid. Gradually add cheese, stirring until each batch is fully melted before adding the next. Once cheese is fully melted, mix with cooked pasta and pour into baking dish.

In separate pan melt remaining butter and mix with breadcrumbs. Salt to taste. Press breadcrumb mixture over pasta in baking dish. Arrange tomato slices over breadcrumbs. Cover and bake 25 to 30minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15min before serving.

I add ketchup and sometimes chili sauce to mac’n’cheese at the table (perhaps that’s a hold-over form childhood?) It makes four to six servings.