Aunt Kizzys Macaroni And Cheese Recipe 45

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the macaroni in plenty of rapidly boiling lightly salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring, until the raw flour smell goes away, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the milk and cook until smooth. Add 3 1/2 cups Cheddar, seasoned salt, white pepper and food coloring and stir until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Stir in the macaroni. Pour into an 8-inch baking dish, sprinkle with the reserved 1/2 cup of Cheddar and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes more. This recipe yields 4 servings. Each serving: 721 calories; 1,454 mg sodium; 162 mg cholesterol; 52 grams fat; 33 grams saturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 36 grams protein; 1.16 gram fiber.

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it's barely al dente. (It should be more al dente than your average pasta: It's going to continue to cook in the oven.) Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. (The pot should be large enough to hold all the pasta when cooked.) Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is foamy and just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Add garlic, paprika and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly and paying special attention to the edges of the pot to make sure the flour mixture is totally incorporated.
• Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted. (The sauce will seem thick at first and thin out as the cheese melts; it will thicken while it bakes.) Season with salt and pepper and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (to catch any cheesy drips).
• Make the optional topping: Combine bread crumbs, melted butter and Parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hands, mix well to ensure the bread crumbs are evenly coated.
• Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to a 3-quart or 9 x 13 baking dish and scatter bread crumbs, if using, evenly over the top. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling, thickened and creamy, and bread crumbs are evenly golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.