Southern Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Elbow Pasta
- 1½ cups Half n Half
- 2 cups Chicken Broth or 1 cube of Chicken Bouillon
- 3 tbsp. Butter (unsalted)
- 2 tbsp. Flour
- 1 Egg Beaten
- 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1 tbsp. Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp. Garlic Powder
- tsp. Smoked Salt For taste
- Black Pepper For taste
- ½ cup Smoked Gouda
- 1 cup Mild Cheddar
- ½ cup Sharp Cheddar
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F Bring a large pot of water to a boil. add in the oil, chicken broth, or 1 cube of chicken bouillon. Add in the macaroni. Stir. Reduce heat and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Drain and reserve a little pasta liquid for later. Set drained pasta to the side.
- In the same pot, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Stir until paste like texture, Add the half-n-half, cheeses, and seasonings. Continue to stir gently. allow the sauce to thicken but not too thick.
- Add the cheese sauce to the pasta and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool a bit before stirring in 1 beaten egg.
- Spray olive oil spray or butter casserole dish and transfer the mac and cheese into the baking dish,
- Use half of the mixture, then add another layer of shredded cheese and repeat until you reach the final layer of shredded cheese on top.
- Cover with foil and Bake the mac and cheese for 15-20. Remove Foil and bake until it is nice and bubbly with a toasty brown crust.
Notes
*Adding chicken broth or chicken bouillon to your pot of boiling water enhances the flavor of the macaroni pasta.
*If the cheese sauce is too thick, use a little liquid from the pasta to thin it out. Your cheese sauce should not be runny of too thick.
*Add Half of the Shredded Cheese to Cheese Sauce and use the other half of shredded cheese to layer for final topping.