Who needs elbow noodles anyway?!?!
I just want to sit and stare at this picture for a little longer…
I love macaroni and cheese please. I have gotten to the point in my life that I can’t really do the boxed deal. It is either gonna be made from scratch or not at all! Before you start to think that I am being a mac & cheese snob let me just assure you that making it from scratch is really not that hard. You can do this on any weeknight and everyone at the dinner table will shower you with praise.
I have had a lot of experience making macaroni and cheese and every time I make it I play with cheese combinations like adding gouda or some exotic smoked cheddar from the mountains of New York. As much as I love being fancy and showing off my superior knowledge of cheese (um…does knowing the difference between goat’s milk and cow’s milk count?), I have come to the realization that using a good cheddar cheese is all it takes. Seriously. I promise you, you don’t need to spend all of your money on fancy cheeses. Go to the store, skip the fancy cheese island and head straight to the normal cheese section. Grab your favorite cheddar and cherish it. If you have to be a little fancy (I know you want to be) you can get go ahead and get yourself a fancy cheddar, I am just trying to help ya out.
When I first made macaroni and cheese as a tot, Haute Momma reached up in to the archives of our cookbooks and recipes to dig out her childhood Peanuts cookbook. I immediately loved it. I don’t think I have any cookbook in my collection that has been with me since my childhood and to think that my mom managed to hold on to this tiny treasure. The book is small and thin, a unique combination of green and pink, featuring a pretty standard collection of recipes and familiar drawings of the Peanuts gang. Haute Momma might have loved other recipes in that book but she only ever seems to reference the mac and cheese. I believe it was a recipe she learned to make with her mom and that was enough to make it significant. Every time mac and cheese is uttered there is a reach for the Peanuts cookbook just to make sure we are following the original. You just can’t argue with the original.
I think the things we learn at an early age stick with us when they have so much significance and impact on our experiences. This book is covered in stains and the pages are worn but it is still a book we refer to when we want to whip up a quick side of macaroni and cheese. I can’t wait to make these kind of memories with my children and maybe even have that same Peanuts cookbook resting on my cookbook shelf. I have updated the recipe a little and given it my own personal touch but the essence of the Peanuts gang is still in this version.
Do you have a cookbook that has been with you from childhood? Leave a comment below telling us about the cookbooks that have inspired you.
Notes
You can create this dish using whole wheat noodles if preferred.
Any cheese will do but make sure the cheese has good melting properties.
Ingredients
- 1 Lb. Fusilli Noodles
- 16 Oz. Medium or Mild Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 Shallot Finely Diced
- 6 Tbsp. Butter
- 6 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
- 3 Cups Milk (whole or skim)
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
- Salt & Pepper
- Paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Cook pasta according to the instructions on the box/bag. Pasta should be al dente. Strain the pasta and set aside until ready for use.
- Using a double boiler melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced shallots to the butter and saute until the shallots start to become translucent. Add the flour to the butter and shallots. Stir until the the flour creates a paste. Contain to stir the flour mixture for 2-5 minutes.
- Using a whisk, slowly whisk in the milk with the flour/butter/shallot mixture. Continue to add the milk and whisk until the flour/butter mixture is incorporated and there are no clumps. Add handfuls of the shredded cheese to the milk and continue to stir after each addition. Alternate the cheese and stirring to make sure the cheese melts with the milk. Once the cheese is added pour the heavy cream in and stir. The heavy cream should help to create a smooth texture.
- Taste the cheese sauce and determine if salt or pepper is needed. If you don't like the texture you can add more heavy cream to make it smoother. If you want there to be more of a cheese taste feel free to add more cheese. This is where you can make a judgement call based on your preference.
- Place the cooked noodles in a prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles and gently stir to combine. Sprinkle the top of the dish with paprika and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, only to bake through.
