Grown-Up Macaroni and Cheese

Boxed macaroni and cheese cannot compete with the three cheeses in this grown-up version. Sharp cheddar, Gruyere, and blue cheese will rock your taste buds.

Happy Memorial Day! And also a happy Secret Recipe Club reveal day. This month I was assigned to Dena’s blog, Oh! You Cook! Not only is she a blogger, she is also a librarian by day and has a cookbook called The Everything Kosher Slow Cooker Cookbook. Regardless of your dietary restrictions however she has scads of recipes everyone can enjoy such as Stuffed Grape Leaves Casserole, Chubby-Hubby Truffles, and even Caramelized Banana-Stuffed Fried Oatmeal. Talk about incredible! But with the Memorial holiday I had my sights set on her macaroni and cheese.

This particular mac and cheese is a huge upgrade from the boxed stuff (not that I don’t enjoy that from time to time). It is made with three types of cheese, sharp chedder, Gruyere, and blue cheese. The combination of those three makes for one awesome mac and cheese sauce. Which speaking of I must warn you, while making the cheese sauce for this recipe I was worried that it should have cooked down further or used less milk as it seemed like far too much sauce for the amount of noodles. However once it baked in the oven it was perfect. Do not be concerned with the seemingly excessive amount of sauce pre-baked, it will turn out just right.

One year ago: Spaghetti Avocado

Three years ago: Baked Zucchini Fries with Balsamic Aioli

GROWN-UP MACARONI AND CHEESE

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) box elbow macaroni (about 2 cups)

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp dry mustard powder (or 1 Tbsp dijon)

4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

4 oz. Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated

4 oz. crumbled blue cheese

3 cups milk (I used 2%)

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain well.
3. While macaroni is cooking, over medium heat melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 3 quart saucepan. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Whisk constantly for 1 minute to form a paste.
4. Slowly whisk in milk. Stir often until mixture starts to thicken and barely comes to a simmer, then stir constantly until mixture boils.
5. Reduce heat to low. Stir in mustard, all the cheeses a small handful at a time, stirring between each handful until cheese has completely melted.
6. Add drained macaroni, stir until evenly mixed and pour into the prepared casserole dish.
7. In a small bowl, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in microwave. Mix butter with Panko, then sprinkle on top of the macaroni.
8. Bake, uncovered, in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese bubbles and crumbs are golden brown. (I broiled mine for 5 minutes after it baked for 25.)

Source: Adapted slightly from Oh! You Cook!