Macaroni and Cheese
Martha makes this comfort food dish with lots of variations.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, generously salt and add pasta. Cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together bread crumbs and 4 tablespoons melted butter; toss to coat. In a second large bowl, mix together cheeses. Transfer 1 cup cheese to bowl with bread crumb mixture and toss to combine; set aside.
Butter eight 6-ounce shallow baking dishes or one 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.
Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until bubbling but not browning, about 45 seconds. Add milk and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Add remaining cheese, stirring until completely melted and sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper, add dried mustard and cayenne, and stir to combine.
Add pasta to sauce and stir to thoroughly combine. Fold in one of the mix-ins, if desired. Pour into prepared baking dishes and sprinkle evenly with the bread crumb mixture.
Place dishes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until bubbling and cheese is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
This was a very nice recipe. I cooked a whole 13.something ounce box of Barilla pasta and basically used 1 1/2 times everything else, then baked it in a very large baking dish for 40 minutes. 1 1/2 times the bread crumb topping was a bit much, though, so 1x would probably be enough. My mix-ins were ham and lots of broccoli. I made the caramelized onions and served them on top of each portion. It was lovely!
First snowy day of 2012 and this recipe hit the spot. It is delicious and comforting in every way. Couldn't get out of the house because of the snow. I had all the main ingredients in my refrigerator and pantry. It is quick to make and easy to eat! Thank you for a great recipe!