Comfort

by Two Chums on March 24, 2020

When things are tense and everyone seems on edge don’t forget the comfort food.

Unless you are new to Two Chums you know we are big fans of macaroni and cheese. We’ve never met a mac n’ cheese we didn’t like. But the recipe for the one we will share with you today is a favorite one. And this definitely qualifies as classic comfort food!

Creamy Mac N’ Cheese
1 lb. of elbow macaroni (we use Barilla Gluten Free macaroni)
6-8 cups of milk OR 1/2 & 1/2
1/2 finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb. extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 oz. Gruyere cheese or swiss cheese, grated
1 cup parmesan cheese + 1/4 cup extra for topping, grated

Put the macaroni in a saucepan and add 6 cups of the milk, the chopped onion and the salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pasta is al dente or just done but not too soft. DO NOT DRAIN. The starch from the macaroni will combine with the milk and create the basis for the cheese sauce.

Stir in the garlic powder and pepper to the milk and macaroni mixture. Next add the cheddar cheese, reserving 1 handful for sprinkling over the top. Stir well. Add the gruyere or swiss cheese and stir well. Stir in the parmesan cheese. When all the cheese is stirred in, if the sauce seems very thick, add some or all of the 2 remaining cups of milk. The mixture should be loose and slightly runny. This is OK as it will continue to thicken up as the macaroni absorbs the moisture from the milk.

Butter a baking dish and add the macaroni and cheese mixture. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top and then the additional 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, just until the cheese on top is melted and the whole casserole is bubbly.