Mac and Cheese
I’ve been making my Frankie’s Macaroni Casserole for years now and haven’t really been crazy about regular Mac and Cheese until I went to a popular burger joint here in British Columbia. While my macaroni recipe is more of a main course, this Mac and Cheese was a great side dish.
After moving from Toronto to B.C., my husband to be David’s main focus was to take me to places, areas and restaurants that I had obviously never been to. On his motorcycle, we went to Whistler, down to Mount Baker, Washington (a dormant volcano… shhh don’t wake it up) and anywhere in between including Harrison Hot Springs. It was a fun adventurous summer until we had a motorcycle accident in Horseshoe Bay – the year after, he sold his motorcycle…
We went to many restaurants in B.C. but there’s a burger chain that originated in the Pacific Northwest area (Seattle) that he took me to and till this day, we visit it a few times a year. Let me tell you… this is not a typical burger joint. It’s more a gourmet spot for burger lovers like us. Each burger you order comes with a choice of either French fries or Mac and Cheese.
One day, after our waitress described how amazing their Mac and Cheese was, I switched from my regular French fries side dish to the pasta one… OMG! She was right! It was so incredibly amazing! I looked over at David and told him that I had no choice but to make a homemade version as good as this one.
Tada!
This Mac and Cheese is such a delicious side dish to serve along with your favorite protein. It’s quite easy to make and the results are so yummy! If I want a main course, I’m sticking to my macaroni but if I want an amazing pasta side dish to serve, this is definitely the one I’ll be choosing…
Bon Appétit!
Check out these other tasty pasta recipes…
– Orzo with Chicken & Asiago
– Potato Gnocchi
– Lady Athena’s Rockin’ Crab Shell Pasta
– Ultimate 8 Cheese Vegetable Lasagna
– Fettucine alle Vongole ~ Clam Fettuccine
– Spaghetti alla Carbonara
and for even more side dish recipes, click on this link… Category Recipe • Sides & Vegetables
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Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. clarified butter tips & tricks
- 1 cup white onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 cups cold milk, divided
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
- 2 cups good quality sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups good quality Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 lb. dried uncooked elbow macaroni Footnote
- 1/2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped tips & tricks
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to the directions; drain well and set aside.
- In a large deep skillet over medium heat, add clarified butter. When it gets hot, add onions and sauté until translucent about 3 minutes.
- Add flour and stir well making sure the onions are coated. Cook onion/flour mixture for a few minutes, about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in 1 cup cold milk and stir until smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups of milk, stir well and then add mustard, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and nutmeg; stir again.
- Whisk in the two cheeses until melted; taste and adjust if necessary.
- Add cooked and drained macaroni and gently combine into the cheese mixture. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle on some fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
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