Homemade Mac and Cheese

I am happy to report that my back is feeling much better and so is my hip (although I haven't done any dancing or yoga since Wednesday... ). My grandpa's funeral was lovely and gave us a chance to visit with family who came in from out of state. Now, after a chaotic weekend, I am ready to get back to "regular" life.

Mac and Cheese is a comfort food for a lot of people and a favorite of a lot of kids. But the stuff in the box is full of additives, preservatives and not a lot of real cheese. We like to make our own at home. This recipe takes a little bit of time (and quite a bit of cheese) so we don't eat it very often. But every once in awhile, it is just what a kid (and an adult) needs.

1 lb pasta (any shape. I buy all my egg free pasta at Costco. It is also organic)

1 1/2 cups milk (we use original almond milk)

2 Tbsp whole grain flour

2-3 cups shredded cheese (the sky is the limit here depending on your taste - we like colby jack mixed  
                                                         with mozzarella and a little parmesan)

12 tsp salt

1/4 tsp powdered mustard

Steamed Broccoli (or any other sides or mix-ins you prefer)

Bring about 4 quarts of water to boil over high heat in the pasta pot. Add the pasta and a pinch of salt. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain and set aside.

When the pasta has finished cooking, prepare the cheese sauce. Begin warming 1 cup of milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and the flour until there are no lumps. When you start to see tendrils of steam rising from the warming milk, whisk in the milk-flour mixture. Continue whisking gently until the milk thickens slightly to the consistency of heavy cream, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn the heat to low and begin mixing in the shredded cheese, one cup at a time, into the milk. Stir in the salt and mustard. Stir until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Remove the sauce from the heat.

Serve mac and cheese immediately with steamed broccoli. Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If the sauce is a little dry when reheating, mix in a splash of milk to make it creamy again.

If you can't do dairy - check out this recipe for vegan mac and cheese. We have tried this with mixed reviews - Brother #1 loves it, Brother #2 and The Princess not so much.

Recipe lightly adapted from The Kitchn

Jana