July 29, 2018
Mac and Cheese [Stovetop]
Macaroni and cheese: the ultimate comfort food!
It is truly the most perfect side dish. Mac is one of my favorite foods! It’s creamy and gooey and warm. The softness of the pasta melting into the cheese with every bite is just divine! I found a quick and easy stove top version of this cheesy classic comfort food. I love that you don’t need any fancy ingredients and most of them you probably have on hand!
Tip #1: Creating a roux in the pot with butter and flour, then adding the milk really creates the super creamy sauce.
Tip #2: It’s critical that you grate your cheese fresh. The best method I have found is to stick a block of cheese in the freezer for 10 minutes or so. This makes it easier to grate. Use that freshly grated cheese to make the gooey-ist, cheesiest stovetop mac and cheese you’ll ever make!
Story time ~ We started making this dish when I was in college. I was probably 19 and wanted a taste of home. I tried to make it probably five times before I got it right. It is really quite a simple dish, but for some reason it just took me some time to get it down. If it takes you some time, no problem.
Every now and then I will stumble across an older picture of a time we made this. John and I will sit and express gratitude in the “come up” from those days until where we are now. It’s funny how even as jobs and houses and dreams change, the basics of comfort food never change. The next time we come across one of those pics, I’ll update this post for some laughs.
As our palettes have matured, so has this dish for us! The basics of it are the same – but now we often find ourselves drifting towards sharper, “fancier”, more flavorful cheeses. We are also at a point where our palettes crave texture. If that’s the case for you too, try what we do! Toast some breadcrumbs in the oven or in a nonstick skillet and sprinkle on top of Mac before serving! Perfection!
Stovetop Mac & Cheese
Macaroni and cheese: the ultimate comfort food! It is truly the most perfect side dish. Mac is one of my favorite foods so I found a quick and easy stove top version of this cheesy classic comfort food. What I love about this dish is that you don’t need any fancy ingredients and most of them you probably have on hand!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
- 1-1/2 cups uncooked elbow noodles
- 5 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1/3 cup whole milk or cream
- 2-1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- Salt and pepper to taste
- *Extra creamy – add 3-4 tbs cream cheese
Cook noodles according to box.While noodles are cooking, melt butter in a small sauce pan.
Once melted, add flour and mix well with a whisk until it is smooth.
Once combined and thickening, add milk and whisk until it is well combined.
Slowly add cheese and continue to whisk it until it is a smooth sauce.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Drain noodles and add them to cheese sauce and stir well.
Variations: To spice this up, you can add different cheeses such as Monterrey jack or a creamy gruyere. You could also add crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes, or broccoli!
