I didn't have many ideas for lunch today but then I hit on Mac and cheese. As usual, Allrecipes had a post that caught my eye. I wanted a creamy version that used a cheesy roux that covered all the macaroni top to bottom in the pan. I decided to try this one.
It exceeded all my expectations.
Mom (and me, too) usually made Mac and cheese by applying cheese only to the top. This is far better.
I made a pumpkin pie and three cups with pumpkin filling first so I had to wait for the oven to come available, All told I spent over four hours making no more than the aforementioned dessert, heated some asparagus and turned out this melt-before-it-hits-your-mouth Mac and cheese.
It took 3 cups of macaroni (measured dry before boiling) to mostly fill my 8 x 8" glass baking dish. I used shredded sharp cheddar in the roux as instructed but I had no parmesan. Instead I substituted 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.
And instead of making my own bread crumbs I used commercial Panko in a parmesan-favored variety. That provided the crunchy top layer that browned lightly.
This will be enough to feed two of us for several days (Tom resists leftovers so I may have to give some away).
But this is an excellent Mac and cheese, probably the best I've ever had. It may be easier to make a boxed variety but if you want a real treat, try this.
