Mac & Cheese

I found this recipe on Pioneer Woman's page. We loved it, but a friend of mine made it and said it was only so-so. Not sure why that is.

I will give you tips on mac & cheese though. First, you MUST use good cheddar (not Kraft, buy the good stuff out of the deli case) and you MUST grate it yourself (bagged cheese will not work). Second, the roux has to be completely cooked or you will end up with grainy cheese, not a smooth one. Also DO NOT use lowfat cheese. If you need to use lowfat cheese, then this is not the recipe for you. I did use the whole milk that she suggested. I figure with things like this, we don't eat them all the time, so a little extra fat isn't going to kill us.

This is really best straight out of the oven. Leftovers are ok, but not as good as when it's first cooked. This makes A LOT, so make it for a big group (unless you are married to a mac & cheese loving man named Dave--haha!).

Macaroni & Cheese from the Pioneer Woman

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4 cups dried macaroni
1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 4 tablespoons) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
1 egg, beaten
1 pound cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
*Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme


Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.
In a small bowl, beat egg.
In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.
Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
Add in cheese and stir to melt. Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT. Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.

Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.