Re: Foods for those that just don't care anymore
I'm not scared of you! I'm posting the recipe because ... umm, I can! Take that!
Credit for the original recipe goes to my idol, Alton Brown. This is my modified recipe (more or less):
Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Ingredients
8 oz.-12 oz. elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk (at least 1%)
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced (I've used white onions successfully, too. Red onions unsuccessfully. )
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika (smoked is good if you have it)
1 large egg
6 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
6 ounces sharp Gruyere (or other Swiss), shredded
4 ounces assorted other cheeses (I liked to try new varieties, usually with success)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (amount varies depending upon who's eating)
Several dashes of hot sauce (for flavor and color; Frank's works well)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of diced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Dash of fresh nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, hot sauce and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add cayenne, nutmeg, and garlic. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Melt the butter in a saute pan. Add nutmeg and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
Makes a lot, have a good sized casserole handy for the baking. You'll want to use a large pan for the sauce, too, so you have room to add the pasta and stir. You can prepare up to a pound of macaroni, but it gets a bit dry. One 12 oz box is best, I think.