Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
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Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
It’s still the middle of a cold, long winter…..nothing is better than comfort foods. A good homemade Macaroni and Cheese recipe fits that bill! Before going to “real” food ingredient meals, the boxed macaroni and cheese was a pantry staple on our shelves. It was one of those foods that we thought we just wouldn’t be eating anymore, after switching to real food, without preservatives and ingredients you can’t pronounce.
After making a basic sauce to use for casseroles such as this Amish Chicken Casserole recipe, I got the idea to make a homemade, real ingredient, and especially EASY, macaroni and cheese.
This recipe is a keeper and the kids loved it. They gobbled it down and went for seconds. Thankfully, there is enough left over for lunch tomorrow!
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
By Julie
This simple Macaroni and Cheese recipe make the perfect comfort meal on a cold winter evening!
Yield – 4 to 6 servings
Preparation Time – 15 minutes
Cooking Time – 30 minutes
Ingredients
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12 ounces Elbow Macaroni
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2 cups Milk
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1 cup Cream
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2 Egg Yolks
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1 1/2 T. Arrowroot Powder (or other thickener, like cornstarch)
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8 ounces shredded Cheddar Cheese
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1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Directions
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Boil elbow macaroni according to directions. I usually get my water boiling and then add in the noodles and shut off the burner after 1-2 minutes and let the pasta continue in the water for 10-12 more minutes. Drain thoroughly and place in a large mixing bowl. Set aside to make the sauce.
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In a medium size saucepan add the milk. Don’t let the milk boil, but it needs to get hot. I used a medium-low setting. In a separate small bowl, add in the cream, egg yolks, and arrowroot powder. Stir together.
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Once the milk is hot, add in the cream, egg, thickener mixture and continue to whisk until thickened and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Once you have a thick, smooth sauce, add in your shredded cheese. I used a raw milk cheddar, so that is why the color is white instead of orange. Feel free to use whatever cheese you prefer at this point.
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Once you have your sauce complete, add it to the cooked macaroni and mix together. It will seem like the casserole is slightly runny, but once you bake it, it will be fine and perfect. Place the noodle/sauce mix in a greased 9 x 9 pan.
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Add the parmesan cheese to the top of the casserole. Bake casserole for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
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Let sit for 5 minutes once you get it out of the oven. This will set the casserole.
This is a yummy, comfort food. Serve with a nice side salad. Perfect for this cold, long winter or anytime during the year! Enjoy….
Looks delicious! And I think I have everything in my house to make this tonight! Yay!
This looks sooo much better than the boxed stuff! And easier to make, in my opinon!
In NZ where I live we rarely use processed or pre-prepared products because they are expensive and not as widely available. So learning how to make a cheese sauce is the base for so many good recipes..and I use lots of variations to Mac and cheese to make it interesting. Try adding left over roasted vege chunks,or bacon or chopped salami or sausage, gently sautéed finely chopped onion, or even dried herbs to make it your own family favorite. Love your site and good to hear stories of others living the simple but well life on the other side of the world.
I love to make Mac and Cheese from scratch, but instead of putting parmesan cheese in it, I put nutmeg in mine ( I use a micro planer and take it from the nuts). Everyone loves the flavor the nutmeg gives it.
Would this be freezable before baking? There’s only 2 of us so I’m thinking of putting it into loaf pans and freezing one for a future meal.
I haven’t tried freezing it before but I don’t think it would work well. Frozen noodles usually don’t come out very well and since this sauce has cream it would probably separate.
I am a regular maker of mac & cheese (usually load mine up with bacon and grate cheddar on top) and can promise that it freezes like a dream. Defrost overnight in the fridge and bake as usual.
This recipe is a little easier than mine… going to give it a try for sure! Thanks for sharing!