macaroni and cheese

I have such a big spot in my heart for macaroni and cheese.

I love the stuff.

Seriously, love it.

I'm addicted to Panera's white creamy mac and cheese.

and once I saw that the Pioneer Woman had a recipe for it, you can bet I was all over that!

It was gooey, and cheesy, and delicous!

Try it yourself.

Macaroni and Cheese

You will need:

4 cups dry macaroni

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 cups milk

2 heaping tbsp's dry mustard

1 pound cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1 tsp pepper

To make:

Cook the macaroni until very firm. It should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.

In a small bowl, beat the egg.

Preheat the oven to 350 and butter a large oval or rectangular dish.

In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour.

Whisk it together over med-low heat. Cook for 5 minutes, whisking constantly. Don't let it  burn.

Pour in the milk.

Add the mustard and whisk until smooth. Cook for 5 minutes or until very thick, whisking constantly.

Reduce the heat to low.

To temper the eggs, slowly pour 1/4 cup of the sauce into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the egg. Whisk until smooth.

Pour the egg mixture into the sauce, whisking until smooth.

Add in all but 1/2 cup of the cheese and stir until melted.

{yea...it calls for lots of cheese!}

Add the seasonings. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Don't undersalt!

Pour in the cooked, draied macaroni and stir to combine.

 Pour into baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

There you have it!

Source: Pioneer Woman Cooks, Recipes from an accidental country girl