Winter's Cheesy, Cozy, Comfort Food: Homemade Macaroni And Cheese

Macaroni and cheese dinner just might be the most quintessential quick-meal-in-a-box for many Americans. But I’m here to tell you: It doesn’t always have to be this way, especially in winter.

A homemade, baked pasta casserole can be cozy comfort food for all ages and it’s not that hard or expensive to make.

My mother would often attempt this recipe on chilly winter weekends when all the children were stuck inside because of cold temperatures or snow.

We’d each have a job to do – I often grated the block of cheddar cheese into a bowl. My sister would make the roux ever so gently so as not to burn the milk. My brother was too young to help, but he’d always enjoy the meal and leftovers.

Is it a filling meal from another time? Yes. But it’s made with whole ingredients and will satisfy all of your gooey, crispy, creamy cravings – bite after delectable bite.

Recipe: Homemade Macaroni And Cheese

I​ can offer two insider tips for this recipe:

1. T​ake the time to buy a hunk of quality cheddar cheese and grate it yourself. You can get children involved in family cooking this way and the casserole will taste so much better.
2. D​on't count out the hot sauce and pepper. I'm not a big spice person, but these ingredients can really bring out the sharpness of the cheddar, creating a nice complexity that's different from macaroni and cheese dishes of your past!

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups warm milk
• Pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon hot sauce
• ½ cup cream or half-and-half
• 12 ounces cheddar cheese
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• Salt, ground black pepper, parsley to taste

Instructions:

Step 1:

Cook pasta in boiling water 3 to 5 minutes less than package instructions. Drain well and set aside.

Step 2:

Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 2-quart casserole dish for baking.

Step 3:

Grate cheddar cheese and set aside.

Step 4:

Step 5:

Add flour and stir until roux is frothy.

Step 6:

Slowly stir in warm milk and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Step 7:

Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add pepper, hot sauce and cream/half-and-half. (Be sure to adjust the amount of pepper and hot sauce to your liking.)

Step 8:

Stir in ¾ cup of grated cheddar cheese and set aside.

Step 9:

Fold cooked pasta into cheese sauce.

Step 10:

Pour macaroni and cheese sauce into 2-quart casserole dish and top with the rest of the cheese.

Step 11:

Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes, depending on how crisp you like the cheesy top.