Mac and Cheese with Pizzazz
Course: MainCuisine: AmericanServings
5
servingsPrep time
30
minutesCooking time
30
minutesTotal time
1
hourThis recipe is being posted by request from my daughter. It has a few extra flavors which add dimension to the taste of the mac and cheese.
Ingredients
10 oz of macaroni such as penne or elbow, cooked according to box to al dente
6 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon dry mustard
4 cups whole milk
3 cups grated cheddar cheese
3 cups grated pepper jack cheese
1 cup grated Asiago cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
fresh ground pepper and salt to taste
- Crumb topping
1 1/2 cups panko crumbs
4 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon fresh garlic finely minced or pressed
fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a saucepan, melt the 6 tablespoon of butter. Add flour and stir with a whisk for 1 minute. Gradually add milk and stir with whisk until mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Add dry mustard, thyme and pepper and stir well.
- Add all the cheese and stir until blended. Taste to see if additional salt is needed. Add cooked pasta to cheese mixture and mix until all pasta is coated.
- Pour mixture into buttered 9 X 9 baking dish.
- Make crumb topping by melting butter in a frying pan. Add pressed garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add bread crumbs and combine. Add parsley and Parmesan cheese.
- If baking right away, sprinkle bread crumb topping over mac and cheese.
- Bake until bread crumbs are a nice light brown.
- If making ahead, then place mac and cheese in oven for 15 minutes to reheat the pasta mixture. Then add the bread crumb topping and bake until crumbs are a light brown, approximately 15 more minutes.
Notes
- You can add hot pepper flakes to the seasonings if you want a little more heat.