Macaroni and Cheese

This little meal was just about enough to put me in the nut house for a few days.  No matter what I seemed to do the camera would not cooperate.  I took about a million photos and these were the best ones.

They are still a bit blurry.  Now I will be the first to say that I have pretty bad eyes. Even with my glasses I tend to think things are blurry.  Most of it is in my head; I just got my eyes checked and the doctors say I am fine but the more I stare at something the more I can convince myself that every thing I look at is not quite right.  This happens more often than not when I am doing a presentation and right in the middle I think to myself, "wow, that screen looks blurry, is it just me?"  I normally present to the 50 plus age category and only endear myself when I say I cannot see.  Regardless, it is still a distraction when I am trying to get my point across.

Anyway, these photos stressed me out.  But what is better than after a stressful evening than to sit down to some macaroni and cheese.  Maybe I some how anticipated a bad photo night?

Macaroni and Cheese

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

6018337

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• salt
• vegetable oil
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 quart milk
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
• 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups seasoned panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

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