Mac & Cheese | No Blue Box

Mac and cheese. It's synonymous with comfort food and kid favorite. In this house, it's also one of my go to meals when I'm pressed for time or realize at a late hour that I didn't plan ahead for dinner.

I grew up on mac and cheese from the blue box. That blue box was also a staple during my college days. As a newlywed, I finally realized what I'd been missing out on all those years!

A co-worker at the time, who happened to be a vegetarian, shared this recipe with me. This is the good stuff. I kid you not.

Munchie Mac & Cheese

4 T butter

1/4 onion, finely chopped

2 T flour

1/4 tsp dry mustard - - oops, I forgot this initially.

Salt, to taste (I use 1/2 tsp)

Pepper, to taste (I use 1/4 tsp)

1 1/2 c. milk

2 c. grated cheddar cheese

1 c. grated swiss cheese

2 c. (dry) macaroni, cooked

2 T bread crumbs*

Melt butter, stir in onions, and add flour. Stir until smooth. Add salt, pepper, and mustard. Slowly, add milk, and cheeses. Stir until thickened and bubbly. Place macaroni in a 13 x 9 glass dish; pour cheese over macaroni. (I typically reserve at least a half cup of the starchy water from the macaroni and add it here as needed until the dish is of the desired creamy consistency we prefer.) Sprinkle bread crumbs and a little extra cheese on top. Bake 15 minutes at 350. Serves 6 to 8.

*Sometimes I forego the bread crumbs and add french-fried onions (the kind that go with the classic green bean casserole). Or, if I want to get really fancy, we add crumbled bacon on top when serving. 

Trust me when I say that your family will love you for making this!