Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese

Serving of gooey macaroni and cheese being removed from the dish.

Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese

Each spoonful of this baked macaroni and cheese is an old fashioned delight of creamy sauce, tender macaroni, a scatter of crispy breadcrumbs, and a forest of gooey cheese strings stretching from casserole to serving spoon. Gramma would approve.

Course Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 656kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

16 ounces elbow macaroni cooked and drained
½ cup butter
½ cup flour
2 teaspoons mustard powder optional, you may want a little more or a little less depending on your tastes
2 cups milk warm not hot
2 cups half and half cream warm not hot
2 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper generously to taste
2 cups medium cheddar cheese about ½ pound, shredded
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese This is about ¾ pound 1 cup shredded, the rest cubed
1 cup diced Swiss cheese about ¼ pound
2 cups breadcrumbs Panko works great - or use crushed Ritz crackers
⅓ cup butter melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook the macaroni in salted water until very tender - drain and set aside.
In a large, heavy saucepan melt the butter until it foams.
Add the flour mixed with salt and pepper and whisk until blended. (This is a roux)
Cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is a very light golden brown, moving the mixture around the pan constantly so it doesn’t scorch
Mix milk and cream together.
Pour milk mixture in slowly, whisking constantly.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook while stirring until the mixture thickens – just a few minutes.
Stir in mustard powder if using.
Add about a ¼ cup of the hot mixture to the beaten egg a tablespoon at a time, beating well so the egg doesn’t curdle.
Add the warm milk and egg mixture back into the mixture in the pan, whisking constantly. Cook for a minute or two.
Stir in 1 cup of the sharp cheddar and 1 ½ cups of the medium cheddar until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Add the macaroni to a prepared baking dish (sprayed with non-stick spray).
Cover with the sauce and stir to blend.
Add the cheese cubes and stir in.
Top with bread crumbs.
Drizzle with melted butter.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling.
Let the casserole stand for five minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Storage:

Cover with plastic wrap or put leftovers in an airtight container. It will be fine in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for 3 months.

Tips:

Grate the cheese from a block of cheese - it will have a creamier texture when it melts.
When you add the milk to the roux stir...stir...stir.... it will look like it's clumping up but if you stir constantly it will smooth out. Stir until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
As much as I hate to say this - overcook the macaroni just slightly. You don't want it a la dente for this dish. When it is soft (but not so much that it's mushy) then it absorbs the cheese sauce a bit more. Everyone will want to know your secret.

Nutrition