Once kids get a taste of this homemade macaroni and cheese, they'll never want the stuff from a box again. The nice part about this recipe is you can vary the cheeses to suit your tastes. Use all cheddar if that's what you like, or use different artisan cheeses for a new twist.
Ingredients:
- 16 oz. elbow macaroni (whole wheat is okay)
- 5 Tbsp. butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk (whole, 2% or skim)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation:
- Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain. Set aside.
- Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Add chopped onion and cook several minutes until onion is softened.
- Stir in flour. Continue to cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, until flour is absorbed.
- Heat milk in the microwave 1 minute to warm. Do not let milk boil. Add to saucepan, stirring constantly with a whisk to make sure there aren't any lumps.
- Turn heat up to high and let sauce come to a boil. Once boiled, turn heat down to medium low.
- Add all but 1/2 cup of the cheeses. Stir until cheese is melted.
- Add macaroni to cheese sauce and stir until well combined. Serve, topped with the reserved shredded cheese.
