Macaroni and cheese

Posted by Hanna Trafford in Recipes on March 18, 2009 | no responses

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About the Author: Hanna is the mother of two grown sons Dan and Dusan Nedelko, Step mother to Abbie Gateman and is also a brand new Grandmother. She is the lead editor of Mama Knows and is hoping to create an exchange of communications with other grandmothers, mothers and daughters - giving everyone the opportunity to learn and share about everything that is "Mama"

I know there are a lot of lovers and fans of the famous boxed version of this great staple dish and it’s OK (I guess)… But i have a recipe that is soooo much better! Try it and let me know if I am right! Plus – as with everything you make in your own kitchen, it smells so good! And a little hint – you can freeze this with no problem, so what I do is bake it in smaller dishes, cool after baking and just put the dish directly into my freezer. And then – when I don’t feel like cooking dinner (oh yes – we all have days like that – even me!) – there it is – homemade and ready to eat! Enjoy and comment please!

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole:

1-1/2 cups of ready-cut macaroni

4 tablespoons of butter

4 tablespoons of flour

2 cups of milk

1 cup of grated Parmesan or strong cheddar cheese (or mix them 1/2 and 1/2)

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard

Topping:

1/2 cup of fine bread crumbs

1 tablespoon of butter

4 tablespoons of grated cheddar cheese

4 tablespoons of grated mozzarella cheese or Monterrey Jack cheese

Few grains of paprika

Cook macaroni according to directions. Melt butter, add flour and stir until bubbling. Gradually add milk and stir constantly until smooth and thickened. Add cheese and stir until melted, blend in seasonings. Place a layer of macaroni in a greased 1-1/2 quart casserole, cover it with a layer of sauce. Repeat this ending with a sauce layer. Prepare topping. Mix bread crumbs with butter and spread over top; sprinkle with grated cheese and paprika. Bake at 375F for 25 – 30 minutes ot until heated through and crumbs are brown.

And as with all my other recipes, here are a few additions that can make this dish even better:

• Prepare few strips of bacon by frying it (not too crisp), cut them into 1 inch pieces and sprinkle over the top along with the cheese
• Drain a can of tomatoes well, add layers of tomatoes over the macaroni before you start adding the sauce
• Cook wieners, cut them into 1-1-1/2 inch pieces and mix them in with the macaroni

These are just a few additions you can make – let me know what else you came up with!

If you liked this then you'll probably like:

1. Leftover Turkey Cheese Bake
2. 10 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
3. Leftover Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
4. Easter Brunch for 12 – Recipe #2-Broccoli, Ham and Egg Bake
5. Homemade Sausage Lasagna