Macaroni and Cheese

I don't know who decided to boil up pasta and slather it in cheese sauce, but that person was a genius.  In no uncertain terms.

I love macaroni and cheese.  Love it.

And I'm not really a mac and cheese snob as far as boxed versus home-made.  I like both.  Although I am a snob for brand name...  I only buy Kraft brand.  And in the last year, I've pretty much only gotten the blue box kind...  Because of the sodium content in the Velveeta Shells and Cheese (which is otherwise my favorite box-macaroni and cheese).  Not that I'm saying the blue box is low in sodium... It isn't.  But it is lower.  I pretty much buy a box of mac and cheese most pay periods.  So I have it for lunch usually once every two weeks. 

On the home-made front... I love my mom's mac and cheese.  Always have.  We had it for dinner tonight.  And yeah, it's way better when my mom makes it (probably because someone else made it ;)).  But I think I still do a fair job -- just have to do the work!  The recipe is relatively easy.  My mom has been known to use whatever cheese she has on hand.  Sometimes it doesn't come out so awesome.  So I never do that.  I always use the 3 cheeses called for in the recipe.  Which is as follows:

1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 to 2 cloves minced (or pressed) garlic
1/2 a medium onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
3 cups shredded cheese (approximately):  cheddar, Monterey Jack, and parmesan (amounts of each to your liking, but I usually go shy on the Parmesan and heavier on the other two); divided

In a saucepan, melt butter.  Saute onions and garlic about 2 minutes (or until onion is tender).  Whisk in flour and stir until well-mixed (mixture will be lumpy due to onion and garlic).  Add salt and pepper.  Add milk gradually and stir.  Bring to a boil.  Boil 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Reserve about 1/4 cup mixed cheese.  Add the remaining cheese to the white sauce and stir until melted.  Stir in macaroni until well mixed.

Put macaroni and cheese into a greased casserole dish.  Bake covered at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.  Sprinkle reserved cheese on top and bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes. 

And then it's done!  Enjoy!

I've been trying a few others that I've found on pinterest.  So far I haven't found one that knocks my socks off...  And one I will be trying soon, which I collected in my recipe binder some time who-knows-when. 

Yes, I love macaroni and cheese.  It's good comfort food.  Filling.  And delicious.  And I'm so grateful for it...  and the genius who thought it up!!

What are you grateful for today?