Recipe:Homemade macaroni and cheese

Try this cheap and simple recipe and you'll never go back to that boxed shit again.

Ingredients

All measurements are approximate

• 3/4 stick of butter
• 1/4 - 1/2c of flour
• 1/4c milk
• Crushed red pepper flakes or 2 oz of grated pepperjack cheese. yes, it adds a small awesome kick
• 1 box of macaroni (or elbows; rigatoni also works)
• 1 brick of sharp cheddar cheese, grated. (8 oz.)
• Panko breadcrumbs; italian breadcrumbs not recommended
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil
• Parmesan cheese

Equipment

• Pot of boiling water
• Saucepan; must have high rims
• Baking pan; glass is preferred; greased with non-stick spray or butter.
• Whisk
• Spoon (to stir)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a pot half full of water up to a boil.
3. Melt the butter in the saucepan over med-low heat. When completely melted, add the flour slowly and stir to make a roux. The roux (the butter and flour mixture) should be smooth and velvety, but not so much that it's like a paste. If it's too thin, keep adding small amounts of flour and stirring until it's thickened. It helps to premix a small mount of flour in hot butter in a separate bowl to avoid lumps.
4. Add the milk slowly and stir. There should be enough milk so that it is covering the roux. Whisk until the roux is dissolved and the sauce becomes thick and rich.
5. When you have your white sauce thick and homogenous, add all the cheese, 1.5 tsp of salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese (as much as desired) and a pinch (or 2) of crushed red pepper flakes (or the pepperjack cheese) and stir on med-low heat until cheese is completely melted. Turn off the heat and set aside.
6. Salt the boiling water and add the box of pasta. Cook 5-7 minutes only. You don't want to cook the noodles completely as they should reach al dente from being finished in the oven.
7. While the pasta cooks, pour a cup or so of panko breadcrumbs into a bowl. Add about 1-2 tsp of olive oil and up to 1/4c of Parmesan cheese and stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Add any other seasonings desired. Mixture should only be slightly moist. The purpose of adding fat is to promote browning in the oven. This won't occur as nicely if the mixture is soggy.
8. Strain the pasta and pour it back into the pot that had the boiling water. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and mix well. Pour the mac and cheese into the greased baking dish and spread evenly.
9. Evenly coat with the breadcrumbs. If there are not enough, you can add more of the plain dried panko directly on top.
10. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs just start to turn brown.
11. Enjoy!

Keeps well in the fridge up to a week. Reheat 1 min per portion in the microwave.