Good Ol' Mac ‘n Cheese
Our family are true Cheeseheads. We have a dedicated cheese drawer that often overflows into other areas of the fridge. Another favorite is noodles. So combined - noodles and cheese is a winner in this household!
Engineering solution
Although I do most of the cooking I handed over mac & cheese to my husband to tackle. I couldn’t figure out how to prevent the flour from lumping. I tried whisking. I tried shaking it up in a container with some of the bubbling milk then pouring it into the pan. I even tried sifting it. All to no avail. My husband did some research and figured it out. (And that’s why he’s a great engineer!) The solution: put the flour in the pan before adding the milk.
Cheese-tastic
My children have only had Kraft macaroni & cheese once (which they loved). Since we’re in Wisconsin with a boatload of cheeses readily available, we make our mac ‘n cheese from scratch.
Parmesan cheese is a must to provide a little spunk of flavor. I’m not as picky on the type of soft cheese. You may use a variety of cheeses - such as cheddar or Gouda, but my preference for a soft cheese is baby Colby from Nasonville Dairy near Abbotsford, WI. We usually get at least three pounds every stop as we drive by on Hwy 29 in addition to a pound of cheese curds (the very best in my opinion!).
Ham is optional, but I love the saltiness it adds to complement the creaminess. I try to get one piece of ham in every bite.
No spoiled milk
We’ve had a few occasions we forgot to rotate the half dozen gallons of milk in the fridge and discovered one past the “best by” date. (Which is only a guideline by the way.) It’s surprising how many recipes are out there to use up sour milk. Mac ‘n cheese is just one of them.
Homemade Mac ‘n Cheese Recipe
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded Colby or cheddar cheese
6 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1 cup diced ham (optional)
Adjust stove to low heat. Melt butter in a saucepan. Mix in flour. Pour in milk, mixing continuously. Continue to stir frequently so milk doesn’t burn on bottom of pan. Once the milk is thickened and bubbly, add cheeses and continue to mix. Once all the cheese are melted remove from heat and stir in cooked elbow macaroni and ham. Serve with side of veggies.
Serves our family of five one wholesome meal!
Related cheesehead recipes:
All too often, cheese left on the counter for even a moment ends up everywhere. Today, even on the socks.
Lots of dairy - good thing we live in America’s Dairyland!
Seconds!