Homemade Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Homemade baked macaroni & cheese....ahhhh...just the thought of those bubbling cheeses & pasta baking to perfection in the oven makes me smile! Is this really the ultimate comfort food ????
I've been baking a crap load of homemade macaroni and cheese recipes since last week. Just trying to figure out which one is worthy enough to sit proudly on my Thanksgiving table. I try to go with a different baked macaroni and cheese recipe every year, but this year after trying so many and being disappointed, I decided to go with my old tried & true recipe. Those "testing" ingredients were getting pretty darn expensive! My purse & waistline simply can not afford to test out any more recipes!
Ok yall so this is the cheesy beauty that I will be serving up again this year. I've already received phone calls asking, no THREATENING, me that "I better be making this macaroni and cheese on Thanksgiving! "
This baked macaroni & cheese recipe is what I call a true crowd-pleaser. It's creamy & cheesy which satisfies the kids (because yall know how kids are with mac n cheese) yet rich, comforting & complex enough to please those adults wanting that good ol' southern style baked macaroni & cheese.
Don't let the chicken stock scare you in this recipe. It just adds a lil flavor and kicks up the cheese taste (it doesn't taste chickeny)
Don't let the chicken stock scare you in this recipe. It just adds a lil flavor and kicks up the cheese taste (it doesn't taste chickeny)
Ingredients (this makes about 6 servings for normal people. In my house it makes 4)
Equal parts water & chicken broth to boil macaroni in
3 cups of macaroni (uncooked)
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup half n half
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
4 cups of finely grated cheese (I buy the bag of Kraft mixed cheese(It's the one with the picture of the macaroni on the front. I think it's called classic melts. It is about 3 cups worth per bag and then I add a cup of Gouda cheese)
Additional cheese to go on top (I like to use all sharp cheddar on top)
Black pepper
Paprika
Preheat Oven to 350
Step 1.) In a large pot, add equal parts water & chicken broth. (Just enough to cook your macaroni in) Bring to a boil.
Step 2.) Add macaroni and cook until al dente. About 7-8 minutes (look on back of the box for the cooking time and set your timer so that you don't overcook it) When macaroni is done, drain and set aside.
Step 3) In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter & whisk in the flour. Cook for about 2 minute. Whisking the entire time.
Step 4. ) Slowly whisk in 1 cup chicken broth, half n half, & milk. Whisk until combined. You want the mixture to steam but NOT boil. Adjust your heat accordingly
Step 5.) Add in the cream cheese & stir until completely dissolved and smooth. Whisk & stir like crazy to get it smooth. I used a spoon to mash the cream cheese up a bit. This is my least favorite step.
Step 6.) Remove from heat & add in 4 cups of cheese & stir until smooth.
Step 7.) Pour cheese mixture over cooked macaroni and stir to combined. Add some black pepper if you'd like.
Step 8.) Grease a 9 X 9 inch pan with butter & pour the mac n cheese into it.
Step 9.) Top with sharp cheddar cheese and paprika. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Do not overbake to prevent it from being dried out. You want the macaroni and cheese to be somewhat jiggly when you take it out. It will set as it cool and just be the creamiest, cheesiest thing ever!
Let cool for about 15-20 minutes before digging in so that it can set completely. I never can wait that long but hopefully you have stronger willpower than me when it comes to macaroni & cheese.
Serve HOT! Enjoy!!!
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