A cheesy delight to pamper your kid and the child within you! Simple recipe with real ingredients. Time to toss the box version out the door.
#kid-approved
Macaroni and Cheese is a family favorite, and can be put together real quick with simple ingredients. Macaroni is elbow shaped pasta but really any pasta that can hold sauce better can be used to make this dish. Personally, my preference is Penne, Cavatappi and Shell as they tend to hold a lot more sauce. Elbow shaped pasta when mixed with the sauce tends to mush so make sure to cook it al dente.
Key ingredients are butter, milk, flour, white cheddar and parmesan. You don't need a myriad of ingredients to whip up a comforting bowl of mac and cheese.
The recipe requires the preparation of Béchamel sauce. It's a simple yet versatile sauce that can be used in multiple pasta bakes and recipes.
Using a cheese block and grating it works better in case of the White cheddar as it melts and blends better in the sauce, rather than a pre-shredded kind that is available in a pack.
If you are vegetarian make sure to check there is no rennet/ animal enzymes in the cheese and opt for Vegetarian parmesan. Here is a good one https://amzn.to/33TuQTz #ad
Tillamook White Cheddar cheese that explicitly reads No Animal Enzymes and Suitable for Vegetarians. https://amzn.to/33TVATZ #ad
RECIPE
Serves 2 people Ready in 20 min
Ingredients
● 2 tbsp Butter
● 2 tbsp All Purpose flour
● 1 1/4 cup Milk
● 1 cup Extra sharp White Cheddar- grated
● 1 cup Parmesan cheese - grated
● 1 tsp Pepper
● 1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
● 2 cups uncooked Pasta
● Salt to taste
Preparation
1. Boil pasta of choice as per package instructions. For the most flavorful pasta, bring in the water to a rolling boil, add in a tbsp of olive oil and at least 3 tbsp of salt. Then add the pasta and boil it based on the instructions on the package.
2. While the pasta is boiling, prepare the Béchamel sauce also popularly known as white sauce.
3. Warm the milk. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the flour and mix constantly until the paste cooks and the raw smell disappears. Takes a couple of minutes. Take care not to brown the mixture.
4. Add the warm milk and stir continuously till the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon when you dip it, that's the consistency you are looking for. It should be smooth and silky.
5.Add salt and pepper to taste. Set the heat to low.
6. Add the shredded cheddar and parmesan cheese, and stir continuously until the cheese melts and is fully incorporated. Turn off the flame.
7. Toss in the boiled pasta.
8. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning blend.
9. Serve it with a side of steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
Tips
Serve hot. Can be made ahead of time and warmed up until bubbly before serving. Add a bit of hot sauce or red pepper flakes to amp up the heat.
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