Creamy Baked Mac & Cheese

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 1 1/2 qt baking dish (8x8 or round).

Step 2

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add dried pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directs for al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.

Step 3

While water is coming up to a boil, grate cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles. Approximately 1 1/2 cups for the sauce, 3/4 cups for the inner layer, and 3/4 cups for the topping.

Step 4

Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture may look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 1 cup or so of the milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining milk/half and half, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.

Step 5

Continue to heat over MED heat, whisking very often, until thickened to a very thick consistency. It should almost be the consistency of a semi thinned out condensed soup.

Step 6

Remove from the heat and stir in spices and 3/4 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 3/4 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth.

Step 7

Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with 3/4 cups of grated cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.

Step 8

Sprinkle the top with the last 3/4 cups of cheese. Sprinkle the panko crumbs on top of cheese and bake for 30 minutes, until cheesy is bubbly and lightly golden brown.

Step 9

Turn on broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes until top is starting to brown in spots. Check after 2 minutes that it isn't burning.

NOTE 1: Grate your own cheese - the packaged kind has added ingredients to keep it from clumping and it won't melt as well

NOTE 2: You can adjust the types of cheese, as long as you have a total of 3 cups

NOTE 3: You can alter the the amounts and kinds of milk/cream to your preference with total of 2 cups