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Euna Mae's Macaroni and Cheese

Source of Recipe

From "Love Welcome Serve" by Amy Nelson Hannon


Recipe Introduction

"I can remember pulling up a stool and watching my grandmother Euna Mae cook family suppers in her kitchen. And as with every cook, a few recipes become signature dishes. Recipes that people ask for time and time again. Recipes that people think about and long for. This macaroni and cheese is one of her signatures, and it has now become one of mine. There is not one fancy thing about it. But what sets it apart is the time it spends in the oven getting a little bit dried out on top while still being undeniably gooey and creamy inside. The large elbow noodles serve as perfect jumbo carriers for all the melted cheese, so every bite is a rich, squishy dream. It fills many, travels well, and makes hearts happy."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ pounds large elbow noodles
â—¦ 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
â—¦ 2 pounds Velveeta
â—¦ 1 to 1 ¾ cups half-and-half
â—¦ Salt
â—¦ Ground black pepper


Recipe

Set the oven to 300° F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the elbow noodles until al dente, just a minute or so less than the package suggests. While the noodles are boiling, cut the butter into 1-tablespoon pats and cut the Velveeta into 1-inch cubes.

Drain the pasta and pour it into the prepared baking dish. Add the butter pats and cheese cubes to the noodles, tucking the pieces underneath and all around evenly throughout the dish. Slowly and evenly pour over 1 cup half-and-half. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and stir. Continue to bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes and stir again. Repeat one or two more times, until the butter and cheese are melted and gooey. Add up to ¾ cup additional half-and-half to get the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Increase the oven temperature to 375° F and cook for a final 5 to 7 minutes, or until the very edges of the noodles dry out and get the teeniest bit golden. Serve hot out of the oven.

Serves 8 to 10