Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni pasta
- 5 cups grated cheddar cheese (divided)
- 3 cups extra sharp cheese (divided)
- 1 cup mozzarella
- 8 tbsp salted butter (divided)
- 1 8oz package cream cheese
- 1/4 cup minced onions
- 3 tbsp flour
- 4 cups half and half
- 2 cups evaporated milk
- salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375
Bring 4 quarts of extra salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni until al dente. Approximately 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Do not rinse noodles and mix 4 tablespoons of butter to noodles until melted.
Melt remaining 1/2 stick of butter to a pot and stir over low heat until onions are translucent.
Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and paprika.
Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, then gradually stir in the evaporated milk and half and half.
Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickened and smooth.
Add 2 cups extra sharp and 4 cups mild cheddar cheese, cream cheese and stir continuously melted on low-med heat.
Combine the macaroni with the cheese roux and mix well until it turns into a buttered casserole.
For extra cheesy, sprinkle more cheddar and extra sharp while folding noodles into the cheese.
Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of mild cheddar cheese, 1 cup sharp cheese and mozzarella cheese on top of the finished dish.
Place in preheated oven covered loosely with foil for 10 minutes then uncover for the remaining 35 minutes until heated all the way through.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
