Macaroni and Cheese

I think about homemade mac 'n' cheese quite frequently. Hubby's grandmother makes the absolute best homemade macaroni and cheese. It's absolutely divine. And while one day I might have that recipe myself, for now I feel I should have my own macaroni and cheese. I made an attempt awhile ago, which was alright, but it wasn't the one. For some reason, I haven't tried another recipe since. I can't really explain it, as I've come across many and saved them.. Today, I finally decided to make some. I've been craving good macaroni and cheese, and the best way to satisfy a craving is to make whatever it is you want.

This recipe is almost perfect. The sauce's texture is fabulous; it's thick, creamy, and smooth. The dish has an excellent level of cheesiness. My one qualm is that it might be a bit too sweet, but I only thought that after eating more than my fair share of it. The recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated American Classics issue (which a friend told me I had to have). Awesomely, this magazine is associated with one of my favorite shows, America's Test Kitchen. It comes on public television and you should totally check it out. The magazine is perhaps more awesome than the show, as it details the process by which the recipe came to be (eg, what type of cheeses were tried, cook times, methods, etc).

Something to note. The recipe calls for a bread crumb topping, like many recipes do. For some reason, I hate the idea of breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs or bread chunks atop my mac 'n' cheese. It's a personal preference. I'll include the full recipe for you though, in case it's your sort of thing.

Macaroni and Cheese

(Cooks Illustrated, "American Classics," 2009, pg 19)

Bread Crumb Topping

• 3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into large pieces
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Macaroni and Cheese

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 1 tbsp salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 5 tbsp all purpose flour
• 3 - 12 oz cans evaporated milk
• 2 tsp salt
  
• 2 tsp hot pepper sauce
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 8 oz (2 cups) extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 5 oz (1 1/4 cups) American cheese shredded (it's best to get a block of it from the deli)
• 2 oz (3/4 cup) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350F.

For the topping: Pulse the bread, melted butter, and Parmesan in a food processor until ground into coarse crumbs. transfer to a bowl and set aside.

For the macaroni and cheese: Bring 4 quarts (16 cups) water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp salt and macaroni to boiling water and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the macaroni cooking water, then drain and rinse the macaroni in a colander until cold running water. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 4 tbsp butter in the now-empty pot over medium high heat until it's foaming. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns a light brown, about 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in the evaporated milk, hot sauce, nutmeg, mustard, and salt. Cook until mixture begins to simmer and is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheeses and reserved water until the cheese melts. Stir in the macaroni and until completely coated.

Transfer macaroni to a 13x9 inch baking dish and top evenly with bread crumbs. Bake until cheese is bubbling around the edges and the top is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.