Cafeteria Macaroni and Cheese

Submitted by Podkayne

"I'm not sure where the "cafeteria" comes in, but I stole this recipe from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cafeteria-Macaroni-and-Cheese/ We like it because you don't have to fuss around with a bechamel sauce (which always goes gritty on us, it seems) and also, it tastes darn good. I think the crumbs on top are unnecessary, and the recipe has plenty of saturated fat without them, but use them if you like the crunch. We use a smoky, Spanish paprika, which adds some exotic flair, in addition to a bit of color."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 8 ounces macaroni
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons butter
• 3 1⁄2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1⁄2 cup breadcrumbs (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted (optional)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 2-quart casserole with a bit of butter.
3. Boil macaroni in hot, salty water for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente.
4. Meanwhile, heat the milk in the microwave or on the stovetop. Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt.
5. When the macaroni is al dente, drain and toss with the 1 1/2 Tbsp butter. When the butter is melted, stir in 3 c of cheddar in small batches. Be sure the cheese melts well!
6. Pour in the milk mixture and stir well.
7. Pour the macaroni mixture into the casserole and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
8. If desired, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter, and sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
9. Sprinkle on the paprika.
10. Bake for 30 minutes.
11. If desired, broil for 1-2 minutes to brown the top of the casserole.

Reviews

[Burned Toast]

This is the best tasting, creamiest, thickest, cheesiest, most awesome, delicious, incredible macaroni and cheese! It reminds me of Stouffer's, which is my store-bought favorite, but it is better! I reduced the ground mustard to just 1/2 teaspoon, omitted the hot pepper sauce and let off the breadcrumbs. Paprika was sprinkled on individual servings since my son refuses to eat it. It was fairly easy to assemble. It wasn't messy to mix together, and I could lick my fingers if I wanted to since there were no eggs! This was just enough for our little family of 4 (two small kids), so I might double it next time to have leftovers. Still, it was an entire dinner on its own, and that is rare for '4 serving' recipes. Thanks!