I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I FREAKIN’ LOVE MAC AND CHEESE. I pretty much adore all varieties, but I’ve become pretty adept at making it with a cheese sauce and just combining it with the pasta. No baking required. Simple and delicious. When I’ve had a bad day, this is what I want.
I started making cheese sauce in college. I stumbled upon this tutorial one day, and was completely fascinated. I made (and continue to make) A LOT of cheese sauce. I remember that it was the first time I really felt like I could cook. It wasn’t some unreachable thing, because I COULD DO IT. I mean I made this stuff, and it beats the socks off of any box mac and cheese any day, which is saying a lot.
Here’s the thing: this is not foolproof. I’ve had to throw it out and start over at least 3 times. Either I would burn the butter, or one time I was using this weird whisk and got bits of pan in the sauce, or sometimes it just goes wrong. It’s not that it’s hard, it’s just kind of temperamental. So when I get it right, it feels like I’ve performed some sort of magic art.
Here is what I use:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 cup of milk (I use either skim or 1%, depending on who got to the milk first at the grocery store that week)
- 1/2 cup of grated cheese (any kind really… cheddar, pepper jack, colby, it’s all good!)
- About 1/2 lb (box) of pasta, (Cellentani is my FAVORITE mac and cheese shape, I think it’s made by Barilla?)
This looks so good! I actually love this little packet of mac and cheese and broccoli from Knopff (or something like that?). It's just that type of pasta with little bits of broccoli in it. But I'm sure making yours and adding real broccoli is a lot better! haha
Yum I just put this on my list of things to make!
I love mac & cheese!!! Definitely making this recipe.
I'm a big fan too. :)
mac and cheese is probably one of my favorite things ever too! It's always a guaranteed party in my mouth which makes me very happy! LOL
mac and cheese is probably one of my favorite things ever too! It's always a guaranteed party in my mouth which makes me very happy! LOL
I was supposed to have breakfast for dinner tonight, but it looks like I'll be having this!
THANK YOU for posting this. I ALWAYS make crappy cheese sauce. I feel like I'm a decent cook, but seriously, I always mess it up. I never thought about adding flour… I'm definitely going to try this. =)
Mac & cheese is the way to my heart, even the boxed kind does it for me. I'll be trying your sauce! :-)
oh my goodness! That looks sooooo delicious! I will have to try your recipe!
Yes, a roux! That is how I make it too.. but I'm not a measuring type of gal. I just do a wallop of butter, and just enough flour to make the roux bubble nicely. You should try adding a few cloves of garlic to the butter while it simmers.. A-mazing.
I have never found a homemade mac & cheese that I like. I wish I could say that I have but I just haven't. It's the cheese sauce – something always turns out weird texture wise and it's always a big fat let let down. But this? This looks perfect! Not grainy or stringy at all… I think I'll be attempting it soon!
Awesome! I really don't like baked mac and cheese. It just… tastes funny to me. Nearly every recipe that I come across requires baking, so I really don't make mac and cheese that much. But this is a must try! Thank you! Looks fab.
This looks so delicious!! I think I am making macaroni and cheese tonight for dinner! yum! :)
yeah i second that. this looks absolutely incredible!!! I literally live on mac and cheese sometimes. nothing is liked home-cooked mac and cheese though!!