Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 lb. dried medium shell pasta (I like it better than elbow pasta) - Put salt in water and add olive oil to pasta to prevent sticking after it is cooked
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 1/2 c. half and half
1 1/2 c. whole milk
4 c. medium cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 c. Gruyere cheese, shredded (Sharp or Mozzarella works too)
1 pkg. bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)
1/2 T. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
2 c. Corn Flakes or Panko
2-4 T. salted butter
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Directions: |
Directions:Preheat oven to 325º and grease 9x13 with cooking spray. Set aside.
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.
While water is coming up to a boil, shred cheeses and toss together to mix, then divide into three piles. Approximately 4 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over MED heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look like very wet sand. Cook for approximately 1 minute, whisking often. Slowly pour in about 2 cups or so of the half and half, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Slowly pour in the remaining half and half plus the whole milk, while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth.
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.
Remove from the heat and stir in spices and 1 1/2 cups of the cheeses, stirring to melt and combine. Stir in another 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth.
In a large mixing bowl, combine drained pasta with cheese sauce, stirring to combine fully. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheeses, then top that with the remaining pasta mixture.
Combine corn flakes and melted salted butter.
Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, pull dish out of oven and sprinkle the top with the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese, corn flakes or Panko, and bake for another 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: I use Corn Flakes or Panko depending on what I feel like doing on top at the end. They are both good, depends on on what you feel like doing! Sometimes I add cooked, chopped bacon in this recipe. If Gruyere cheese is too expensive (oftentimes it is) I will use sharp or mozzarella cheese. If I want a more Italian flavor I will add Italian seasoning and Parmesan and Romano cheese blend. The cheeses you put in this recipe are by your preference!
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This recipe for Creamy 3-Cheese Mac N' Cheese is from