Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe
This mac and cheese recipe is comfort food at its best. Even better: This homemade mac and cheese recipe can be made ahead and frozen for later. The secret is to cook the macaroni 1-2 minutes less than the package directions, and to use more sauce. Bacon, tomatoes and bread crumbs make a wonderful topping for this decadent baked mac and cheese recipe.
Ingredients:
- 16 oz. elbow macaroni (whole wheat is okay)
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 5-6 dashes hot sauce
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1-1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
- 3 Roma or plum tomatoes, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 6 slices bacon
Preparation:
- Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Cook macaroni according to package directions, cutting cooking time by 1-2 minutes. Drain macaroni. Rinse macaroni with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour, and whisk for several minutes, until flour starts to turn golden. Add salt, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.
- Warm milk in a microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Whisk into the butter-flour mixture, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Turn off heat. Stir in the cheddar cheese and 1 cup of the gruyere cheese until melted.
- Mix cheese sauce and macaroni. Pour mac and cheese into prepared pan. Top mac and cheese with remaining gruyere cheese.
- If freezing, wrap mac and cheese tightly and freeze. When ready to serve, thaw for 48 hours in the refrigerator and proceed with cooking directions.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place tomato slices over mac and cheese.
- Mix butter and bread crumbs together. Sprinkle over mac and cheese.
- Fry bacon, and drain on paper towels. Crumble, and scatter over top of mac and cheese. Cover mac and cheese, and bake 20 minutes. Remove cover, and bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
