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Becka's Macaroni & Cheese

Source of Recipe

Rebecca, posted by schnitzel to recipecircus


List of Ingredients

4 cups (1 lb) elbow macaroni -- undercooked in boiling, salted water & drained
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard (Colman's)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 can Cheddar cheese soup
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups milk (skim is okay, higher fat is better)
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups (8 oz) grated medium Cheddar cheese
2 cups (8 oz) grated Colby cheese
3 cups plain dry bread crumbs -- very coarsely grated from a stale loaf of crusty white bread (good country bread is best but if you use store bought crumbs, make sure they are roughly grated, not fine)


Recipe

1. Combine cheeses together in a bowl.
2. Butter OR spray with nonstick spray a 13" x 9" lasagna pan.
3. Preheat oven to 350º.
4. In a 5-quart pot, melt butter.
5. Whisk in flour, mustard, salt, & cayenne.
6. Whisk in milk & cream.
7. Cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbly.
8. Add the soup and almost 3 cups of the grated cheese.
9. Stir until melted.
10. Stir in elbows.
11. Pour into prepared pan.
12. Top with remaining grated cheese.
13. Combine melted butter and bread crumbs.
14. Spread over top of grated cheese.
15. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, just until heated through.
16. If the top is not crusty enough, broil briefly -- do NOT over bake.

Note:
Once assembled, this must be baked immediately. If the macaroni sits in the cheese sauce, the macaroni absorbs the sauce and the baked mac & cheese is dry. Reheated leftovers are great, though.