Tom's Mac-n-Cheese

One day, I was playing video games when my belly began to make unnatural noises. It wanted something hot, something crispy yet melt-in-your-mouth, something classic. I wanted mac-n-cheese. Thinking about the gooey, warm, cheesy delight grew my already large hunger. Soon my want became a need. But then I opened the pantry...

That fateful day, when I discovered I no longer had any Kraft to sate my craving, is when I developed the recipe you see here. And I have never turned back! The hidden beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. While this version will get the job done, you can easily add to or tweak the ingredients to create your own uniquely comforting dish. My favorite variation is to add bacon and use the rendered fat, instead of butter, to make the sauce.

So what are you waiting for?! Get cooking!

Tom Collins @cook_2873873

So what are you waiting for?! Get cooking!

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Ingredients

3/4 packagesMacaroni (or other suitable pasta shape)
Cheese Sauce
1/3 cupButter (or other similar fat)
1/3 cupFlour
3 cupWhole Milk
1 lbShredded Cheese
1Salt and Pepper
Crunchy Topping
1/2 boxPanko Bread Crumbs
1/2 stickButter (melted)
1Leftover Cheese from Sauce

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Steps

1

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add pasta. Cook until al dente.
2

In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat.
3

Add flour to butter and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cook for a few minutes until golden brown and there is a slight nutty smell.
4

Add milk slowly to mixture while whisking constantly. Make sure that the mixture and milk combine completely, or else bits of the butter/flour mixture will burn at the bottom.
5

Once fully combined, let sauce simmer (still whisking frequently) until thickened to your tastes.
6

Once thickened, remove sauce from heat and add most of the shredded cheese. Leave a handful or two behind for the topping.
7

Add salt and pepper to taste.
8

In a baking dish, combine cooked pasta and finished sauce.
9

In a separate bowl, mix panko and ½ stick of melted butter.
10

Add remaining cheese to buttered panko to make the topping.
11

Sprinkle topping over the pasta in the baking dish, making sure to cover evenly.
12

Put baking dish in a broiler for about 5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.
13

Serve hot and enjoy!