Recipe: Macaroni & Cheese, the Ultimate Comfort Food

Nothing says "Christmas" like a deliciously cheesy overbaked crust

Holidays stressing you out? Ready to kill in multiples of ten? Don’t despair. There’s nothing so terrible that can’t be fixed by a judicious application of carbs spackled straight to your thighs. Joking! You can actually spackle them to any body part.

But you know what? You need this classic dish right now. It will bring a smile to many faces, including yours, and your finicky kids probably won’t hide their portion in a napkin and feed it to the dog.

If that’s not a win, what is?

So, let’s get started on this creamy baked mac & cheese recipe. It’s not too involved, there are a ton of variations, and you have room to improvise. Mac & cheese works as a side dish or as a main course, it’s got a very pleasing mouth-feel, it makes you feel like you’re six years old again, and there’s cheese for days.

Handy tips:

1. When boiling the pasta, cook 1 minute less than the package directions for al dente. The pasta continues to bake when you put it in the oven, and you don’t want it decomposing.

2. Cold liquids take more time to thicken than room temperature ones, so set out your half-and-half and your milk thirty minutes before you start cooking.

3. When it comes to selecting the right cheese, everyone has his or her favorites. You can follow the recommendations in this recipe or go to town using your own must-haves. Smoked gouda, Monterey jack, mozzarella, whatever your heart desires.

4. Don’t buy shredded cheese. It’s not cheese. It’s a “cheese-like” product. Plus, it doesn’t melt properly.

5. Want bacon? Use bacon. Make it according to package directions, and then add crumbled bacon to the top or even throughout your casserole.

6. Experiment with different toppings. That cheesy crust on top is the whole reason for making this dish, especially if it’s slightly burnt and nicely crispy. You can go traditional and just layer on extra cheese, or you can toss 1 cup of breadcrumbs or Ritz crackers with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and then layer that over the top.

7. Toward the end of your baking time, turn your oven on broil for the last 2-5 minutes to make sure you get that cheesy crust.

8. If you make the mac ahead of time before baking it, and it’s been in the refrigerator, make sure you let the dish sit on the counter for 30-45 minutes before putting it in the oven.

Ingredients

1 lb. dried elbow pasta
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
4 cups grated medium sharp cheddar cheese (measured after you grate it)
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (measured after you grate it)
1/2 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 3 qt. baking dish (9 X 13”). Set it aside.

2. Salt a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Add dried pasta, but cook it 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and toss to keep it from sticking.

3. Grate your cheeses and toss together to mix. Divide into three piles: 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the middle layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.

4. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook for about 1 minute, whisking continuously. Gradually pour (don’t dump) about 2 cups of the milk/half-and-half, still whisking. Slowly pour in the remaining milk/half-and-half and continue to whisk until smooth.

5. Continue to whisk over medium heat until the mixture achieves a very thick consistency.

6. Remove from heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese and mix until the cheese is smoothly melted.

7. Combine drained pasta with cheese sauce in a large mixing bowl, stirring to fully mix. Pour half the pasta mixture into the greased baking dish. Top with

   1 1/2 cups of grated cheeses, and then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.

8. Sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bake at 350 or even 375 (depending on how hot your oven runs) for 20-30 minutes. At the end of baking, turn the oven on broil for 2-5 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crunchy.

See? You’re not even stressed out anymore because of so much cheesy goodness.

Buon appetito!