Title: Mac and Cheese

Yield: 4 servings

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 2 qt baking dish (8x8"). Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.

While water is coming up to a boil, grate cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles. Approximately 1 1/2 cups for the sauce, 3/4 cups for the inner layer, and 3/4 cups for the topping.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 1 cup or so of the milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.

Continue to heat over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency. It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup.

Stir in spices and 3/4 cup of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 3/4 cup of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, combine drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with 3/4 cup of grated cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.

Sprinkle the top with remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown.