Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese
"I found this recipe in a magazine. I made the recipe the other day, and this mac and cheese IS tasty. It makes a lot, too. So if you have to make dinner for a crowd, this is the one to make. To save on cost, I don't think you would have to use the gruyere cheese, although it does add a bit of a difference to ordinary mac and cheese, as does the bay leaf."
- Ready In:
- 1hr
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Serves:
-
16
ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon melted butter
- 1⁄2 cup butter
- 1⁄2 cup flour
- 5 cups milk
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 3 cups shredded swiss gruyere cheese
- 1 lb pasta shells, cooked according to package directions (or LARGE elbow macaroni)
- 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
directions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Toss the panko bread crumbs with melted butter on a small baking pan. Toast the bread crumbs until lightly browned about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted, then stir in the flour. Heat and stir until the mixture is smooth and bubbling about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk. Add the seasonings (next 6 ingredients).
- Heat and stir to boiling, then reduce heat to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
- Stir in 3 cups of the cheddar cheese and all the Gruyere until melted. Pour the sauce over the cooked macaroni in a large bowl, stirring until all the macaroni is coated.
- Pour the macaroni into a well-greased 9x13 baking pan. Drizzle heavy cream around the edges of the casserole. Sprinkle on the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Top with the panko crumbs and cover the casserole.
- Bake 20 minutes. Remove the cover and bake an additional 10 minutes.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>I am a Yankee transplant to the low country. My mom was English, so my cooking style reflects this. My favorite cookbook was McCall's Cookbook which is no longer in print. I've been married to a gourmand for 41 years, so I get lots of practice cooking. We have three daughters that I share recipes with and seven grandchildren -- none old enough to cook yet, but I think we have some budding chefs!</p>
