Baked Macaroni and Cheddar

Adapted from Prairie Home Cooking. This is the way my Mother used to make macaroni and cheese. The pasta measurement is the measurement for the dried pasta.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

•  water, lightly salted
• 1  cup macaroni
• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1  tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1  cup milk
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
• 2  cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Bring water to a boil; cook macaroni to al dente stage according to package directions.
3. Drain well.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
5. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
6. Whisk in milk and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
7. Stir in salt, pepper and paprika and remove from heat.
8. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese.
9. Spread half the macaroni over the bottom of a lightly greased 1 quart baking dish.
10. Spread half the remaining cheese over the macaroni.
11. Top with remaining macaroni.
12. Pour sauce over the macaroni.
13. Top with the remaining cheese.
14. Bake until bubbly and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
15. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.