don't fix what ain't broke (macaroni and cheese)

There's probably only one thing that I like more than Hollandaise sauce, and that's macaroni and cheese. I mean we're talking rich, creamy, goo-ey homemade mac and cheese.  And the kind from the box.  I love it all. For the past couple of weeks, I've been really craving the good homemade kind so finally I dragged Dan to the grocery store to buy the ingredients.  I raved to him the entire time about how delicious this mac and cheese was going to be.  The thing that seemed a bit confusing to me was that Dan didn't even seem all that excited about the mac.  Now, I know I probably love mac and cheese more than your average consumer, but come on! Who doesn't love a good mac and cheese?

When we got home, I started cooking it right away.  I had already selected the Pioneer Woman's recipe and her cookbook was sitting out on the counter.  Dan walked by and asked, "where's the macaroni recipe from?"  I told him, "Pioneer Woman."  He proceeded to do one of those crazy little victory dances that most guys can do without looking totally ridiculous.  (The jury's still out on Dan.)  I said, "wow, you love her, huh?"  Dan replied, "don't fix what ain't broke."  Finally, the mac and cheese excitement I'd been hoping for.

Anyway, after grating a pound (yes, a whole entire pound!!!) of sharp cheddar, I started on the roux.  I combined the butter and flour as directed and whisked it constantly over medium-low heat for a whole 5 minutes as directed. I even set the timer. This seemed impossibly long and I still do not understand why it was necessary, but I'm sure it had something to do with the chemistry of cooking.  I told myself when I got to four minutes, I could stop.  But once I got to that point, it seemed ridiculous not to finish the last 60 seconds. 

Then I added the milk and waited for the sauce to thicken.  Pioneer Woman said this would also take about 5 minutes.  For me it took about 10 to 15 minutes.  Luckily, I had timed the first section and diligently whisked for the full five minutes, so I wasn't blaming myself for not whisking long enough the first time. 

Here's what it looks like when you add the partially cooked macaroni.  Yum.  Are you drooling yet? Of course, you don't get to eat it right away.  You have to bake it for awhile, but, trust me, it's worth the wait. 

We served it with steak and asparagus and it was oh, so good.  Creamy and delicious and just what I had been craving!  The best part is that it's such a basic recipe that next time I can spice it up with different cheeses or other additions. And it makes enough to have left overs for days! (If you don't eat it all in one sitting, like I almost did...) 

Here is the recipe straight from Pioneer Woman's site:

Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 4 cups Dried Macaroni
• 1 whole Egg Beaten
• ¼ cups (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2-½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired
• 1 pound Cheese, Grated
• ½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme
• 
  

Preparation Instructions

Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain

In a small bowl, beat egg.

In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour.  Whisk together over medium-low heat.  Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly.  Don't let it burn.

Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth.  Cook for five minutes until very thick.  Reduce heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs.  Whisk together till smooth.

Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly.  Stir until smooth.

Add in cheese and stir to melt.

Add salt and pepper.  Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed!  DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.

Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.