Try this Macaroni and Cheese Bake recipe, or contribute your own.
- cooking spray
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 1/2 cups of elbow macaroni shells or whatever kind of pasta you prefer
- 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine
- 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
- 2 cups of milk - use any kind other than skim
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
- 2 cups of shredded cheese (any kind you like we just use cheddar)
- Carbohydrate 0.010345 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.039345 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0.00013 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0058 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1g)
- Sodium 387.6095 mg
- Sugar 0.010345 g
- Trans Fat 0.000740000000000001 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray and set to the side.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. I always salt the water slightly and add a splash of oil to prevent the water from boiling over.
- Cook the pasta until it is done, but still firm, then drain.
- While the pasta is cooking, in another pot large enough to fit the cooked pasta, melt the butter.
- When butter is melted, add the flour and stir until the mixture is lightly browned (about 1 to 2 minutes).
- Add the milk, salt and pepper to the flour mixture and whisk together to remove any lumps.
- Stir in the shredded cheese and whisk until all of the cheese is smooth and melted.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and stir until well combined.
- Pour macaroni and cheese into the baking dish and bake until brown and bubbly (40 to 45 minutes).
Building the Roux
Utilizing skim milk instead of whole or low-fat dairy will compromise the stability of the sauce because the reduced fat content cannot adequately suspend the melting cheese proteins. Melt butter over medium heat, then whisk in all-purpose flour continuously for one to two minutes until the raw cereal taste disappears and the mixture turns a pale golden color. Whisking cold milk into the warm flour paste requires steady motion to eliminate lumps before the dairy begins to thicken.Melting the Cheese
Shredding blocks of cheese at home yields a vastly superior texture compared to pre-bagged varieties coated in cellulose anti-caking agents that hinder smooth melting. Incorporate the shredded cheese gradually into the seasoned milk base, maintaining gentle heat until the emulsion turns entirely smooth. Stirring the cooked elbow macaroni directly into this warm cheese sauce ensures every tube fills evenly before transfer to the baking vessel.Baking Parameters
Preheat the oven precisely to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and coat an eight-by-eight-inch baking dish thoroughly with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Bake the assembled pasta for forty to forty-five minutes until the surface develops visible bubbling edges and a golden-brown crust. Allowing the dish to rest briefly after removal from the oven permits the internal starch structure to firm sufficiently for clean portioning.
