I think in cold temperature months this recipe is a staple. It’s got all the marks of the perfect comfort food- creamy texture, crunchy topping, depth of flavor and rich enough that you only make it once in a while. This year for my son’s birthday he requested Mac ‘n Cheese and everyone was thrilled that he did.

Tips:

• Fresh breadcrumbs from that leftover sourdough you may have would be a great addition to the topping instead of Panko.

• Feel free to double this recipe, but don’t be deceived about all the sauce initially. The pasta absorbs it all up.

• It is worth the time to grate the cheese yourself. There are additives in prepackaged cheese that we don’t need to eat.

• Freezing the cheese for 15 minutes prior to grating makes it much easier to do.

• This would be so cute if you used small crock pots to make individual Mac ‘n cheeses. You’d get more of that delicious crunchy topping! May help with portion control too.

• If you prefer not to bake this, then cook the pasta to al dente and enjoy!

Baked Mac ‘n Cheese

Serves 4

PREP 25 minutes

COOK 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

¾ cup panko

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more

8 ounces pasta, we love short rigatoni with this, but elbows are classic too

2 ½ cups whole milk

½ small onion, grated

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

12 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese, we like a mild cheddar

½ teaspoon English mustard powder

Pinch of cayenne pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add your breadcrumbs, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toast them until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Set aside.

3. In a large stock pot cook your pasta, 2 minutes shy of al dente. You want it to be firm since it will continue to cook in the cheese sauce while in the oven.

4. Meanwhile in a small saucepan bring the milk to a low simmer. Keep it warm.

5. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat add the rest of the butter and sauté the onion until softened, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour and stir it constantly until it begins to stick to the bottom of your saucepan.

6. Slowly drizzle in the milk while whisking to make a béchamel sauce. Bring this to a boil, then simmer for about 8 minutes until it has thickened and you can’t see any of the flour.

7. Add the cheese, mustard, cayenne and the rest of the salt. Stir until the cheese has completely melted and is smooth. Add the pasta, combine well and remove from heat.

8. Transfer your pasta to an overproof dish. This fits perfectly in a 9”x9” pan or use small crocks. Top with breadcrumbs.

9. Bake 20 minutes. Allow the pasta to sit for about 15 minutes before cutting to allow the sauce to set a little.