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Do you have that one recipe that you got from your mom, you have it memorized, but you still whip out the recipe card for the nostalgia? I LOVE those kind of recipes and I also love recipe cards. I fear they are becoming a thing of the past, but have no fear I have saved a few and one of them is my mom's famous mac n' cheese!
Do you have that one recipe that you got from your mom, you have it memorized, but you still whip out the recipe card for the nostalgia? I LOVE those kind of recipes and I also love recipe cards. I fear they are becoming a thing of the past, but have no fear I have saved a few and one of them is my mom's famous mac n' cheese!
Everyone loves a good homemade Mac! Honestly, I can't get a boxed Mac N' Cheese to turn out, if my life depended on it, so I prefer this one! It is also the best #freezerlovefriday, because as you can see it says "usually doubled" right there on the card! I could not do a post about my mom's recipe without throwing in a good #fbf of my family. Who doesn't love Olan Mills?!
So, for the most part this recipe is not altered, I do use whole wheat flour in mine, which is why in some of the pictures you see brown "fleck" like things, but do not feel like you have to. White flour works just as well. I have also been known to throw some shredded chicken into the Mac N" Cheese and make a meal out of it, but this is also a great side dish.
Ingredients:
1 - 1 ½ cups of uncooked noodles (if doubling, it is about a box and a half)
¼ cup butter or margarine
1 small onion (optional)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp Cajun seasoning (I like the kick, it is not mandatory)
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup flour
1 ¾ cup milk
8 oz of cheddar cheese
½ cup of Parmesan cheese
½ cup Italian style bread crumbs
¼ cup Panko Bread crumbs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°
Cook noodles according to package directions for al dente (typically 7-9 minutes).
Melt butter in large saucepan, stir in onion, salt, pepper and cajun seasoning.
Slowly blend in flour until smooth, stirring constantly over low heat. When it is smooth and bubbly remove from heat and add in milk.
Note - You are making a Roux, which takes some time to master. I swear by my gas stove for this, but if you are cooking on electric it may take a tad longer. If your butter/flour mixture turned out a bit clumpy, don't worry, it should do the same thing.
Add back to medium/high heat and continue to whisk and stir until boiling. Boil 1 minute, continue to stir.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese - leaving about 1/2 cup for topping.
Stir noodles and Italian style bread crumbs into saucepan until completely incorporated into sauce.
Pour into a 9X9 pan. Top with remaining cheese and Panko bread crumbs. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
If freezing you would want to wrap up and let cool. Place in freezer for up to 2 months. You can cook this frozen, but it will take longer. I do typically try to take mine out of the freezer, 24 hours in advance and let thaw slightly in the fridge.
Frozen -
Covered for 1 ½ - 2 hours
Uncovered for 10 Minutes
Thawed -
Covered for 30 minutes
Uncovered for 15 minutes
Every time I cook this, I remember all the fun times that my mom and I have had in the kitchen! She taught me to love cooking and always have fun with your creations. Thanks for all the inspiration in the kitchen (and the bike path), Mom!
I hope you enjoy cooking and eating this mac & cheese, as much as my family!
Happy freezing,
Meredith
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