Grown Up Macaroni & Cheese

CountryLady's Note:

The ultimate comfort food by Toronto chef Michael Bonacini. Pair this with his Meat Loaf Muffins & a green veg for a "retro" dinner. You'll never eat Kraft Dinner again!!

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ onion , peeled & chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups cheddar cheese , grated
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• ¼ teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to package directions.
2. Drain& add a little butter to prevent sticking.
3. Cover& put aside.
4. Melt butter in a large saucepan over low to medium heat.
5. Add flour& cook gently for 4- 5 mins.
6. Add milk, mix well& allow to simmer for a few mins.
7. Add cream, mix well& cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce starts to thicken (about 10 mins).
8. Add onion& bay leaf; continue cooking for another 15- 20 mins, stirring constantly.
9. Remove from heat, remove bay leaf, stir in mustard& 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar, season with salt& pepper and stir well.
10. Combine with macaroni in an ovenproof casserole dish.
11. Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar over top.
12. Combine bread crumbs, parsley& paprika and sprinkle over the top.
13. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 15- 20 minutes or until light golden brown on top.

Reviews

[chia]

i'd have given these a 5 but my onions never cooked- they tasted crunchy even after 20 mins of baking time. otherwise, we enjoyed this, and dd's dh etc, just pushed onions to the side. i did double the recipe and it went into a long pan and a round 2 qt casserole. cheesy creamy sauce. i will try this again, sauteing onions before adding more butter,the flour and the rest of the ingredients

[crazycookinmama]

This was good. I think I might use more cheese nextime, and not use the breadcrumbs. The boys in the house loved it however.