Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese

Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese

I love Mac and Cheese.  It's an amazing home style dish that just makes you want to snuggle up and eat on a bad day, good day, cold day, or whatever type of day.  I decided to try my hand at this and make my own Mac and Cheese.  My husband has a slight allergy to eggs, so I used flour as a thickener instead.

3 cups uncooked shell pasta
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 oz cream cheese
4 oz velveeta
2 cups fontina or cheddar cheese, plus additional 1/2 cup for top
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp bacon fat (optional)
Pinch salt and pepper
Pinch nutmeg
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
2 Tbsp butter (softened)
2 Tbsp flour



Preheat oven to 350°
Butter 9 inch square or round baking pan.

Cook shell pasta for about 5 min.  You'll want it to be only about half cooked.  Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, over med heat 1 Tbsp butter and milk over med heat.  Add velveeta and cream cheese.  Stir or whisk until melted.  Remove from heat.  Add salt, pepper, bacon fat, nutmeg, and worchestershire sauce.  Stir to combine.
Add 2 cups of cheese. Stir until combined.

Mix 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp flour together until it is a paste.  Put geese mixture back on med heat. Add flour/butter to the cheese mixture and whisk constantly.  You will want to make sure the flour beaks up and doesn't lump.  Do not boil, but whisk until it starts to thicken.  Then remove from heat an add and mix together with shell pasta.

Put in baking dish.  Top with another 1/2 cup cheese.  Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes.

Enjoy

You can also add crispy bacon, ham, or any other yummy additions to make this your own.