Mom's Mac & Cheese Recipe

"This is from my blog. I'm posting it here too. Our family and friends are madly in the love with the crusty cheese top. My Mom has been making this recipe minus the French fried onions for some 55 years. The cheese used is found in the dairy case of many supermarkets across the USA. It has a black wrapper and is now made by Kraft Cracker Barrel. A lot of grocery stores in South Jersey, have two cheese areas, one in dairy and the other near the deli section which has the gourmet cheeses. In my opinion, no other cheese will do, as I have tried others when I wasn't able to get it the Aged Reserve. The cheese itself is extra extra sharp, and it melts perfectly! Enjoy!"

Original is 9 servings

Metric US

I've Tried It

Ingredients

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1/2 tablespoon butter
1.5 cups whole grain macaroni (cooked)
1.5 ounce extra sharp cheese (I use Cracker Barrel Aged Reserve Cheddar)

1 cup milk (whole works best, although I have used 2%)
1 cup French fried onion rings (optional)

Nutritional

Serving Size: 1 (62.5 g)
Calories 133.3
Total Fat - 4.6 g
Saturated Fat - 2.2 g
Cholesterol - 8.3 mg
Sodium - 101.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate - 18.7 g
Dietary Fiber - 1.7 g
Sugars - 1.5 g
Protein - 5.6 g
Calcium - 93.3 mg
Iron - 0.8 mg
Vitamin C - 0.1 mg
Thiamin - 0.1 mg

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Use the pat of butter with a paper towel and grease the baking dish discarding any left over butter.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Step 3

Place a layer of cooked macaroni on the bottom of the baking dish.

Step 4

This is your choice as: Slice cheese in 1/8" slices or shred it. (I do it either way, but mostly I slice it).

Step 5

Add a layer of cheese on top of macaroni.

Step 6

Then add more macaroni and layer it with cheese on the top.

Step 7

Add milk pouring it carefully all over the top layer of cheese. (The milk will sink to the bottom).

Step 8

I place the baking dish in another larger pan lined with foil in order to keep the oven clean should the cheese bubble over the edge, plus it is easier to take it out of the oven.