Macaroni and Cheese

As a kid, macaroni and cheese didn't come in that blue box. It was white more than orange, baked with a crust of bread on top and delicious the way my Mom made me. My Dad still loves this after 40 something years of eating it, it must be good!


Ingredients:
1 16oz box of elbow macaroni
1/2 cup butter (1 stick cut in half)
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and Ground black pepper to taste
2 cups of milk
1 1/2 cups white sharp cheddar cheese
4 slices day old bread torn into pieces


Directions:


1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente (with bite) Drain and reserve for later.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add flour and then pepper to taste, stirring until you get a paste like consistency. Now you have a roux. Add milk and stir until the mixture starts to thicken, Slowly add cheese until all is melted.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
4. Mix the cheese mixture and the macaroni in a greased 13x9 baking dish. Place bread pieces on top of macaroni and season with salt and pepper. Melt the other 4 tablespoons of butter and pour over bread.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve and enjoy! 

This is a great baked mac and cheese...it always makes me feel like I am making a piece of home and like my Mom made it for me, even if I did. I convinced Zach that this is the way to go instead of the blue box, but we do sometimes still use one. I hope you enjoy it too!

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