Macaroni and Cheese

I measured some of the ingredients when I first started making mac n cheese from scratch.  As of today, I no longer measure any of the ingredients.  I'll give you the measurements I used to use though...in case you're not as adventurous as me.

2 1/4 c milk
3 1/2 cups of grated cheese
1/4 c flour
1/2 stick of butter (I don't add butter anymore, but I used to)
c. 1 lb of pasta
dash of salt

I use whatever kind of pasta I happen to have around, bowties, shells, rotini, elbows, pretty much anything works, although it tends to be better with smaller shapes.  For cheese I use a colby/monterey jack blend, and for some reason I always buy a big block of it and grate it by hand.  Someday I may get lazy and use the pre-shredded kind...

Cook the pasta first, grate the cheese (if you're insane like me) while the pasta is cooking.  You are technically supposed to heat the milk and flour in a saucepan, but I've been skipping that step and just trying to leave the milk on the counter long enough that it's not fridge-temperature when I mix it in.  I also like to add some honey mustard to the mix for extra flavor.  Oops...did I just give away my secret ingredient?

Mix everything together in a casserole dish and bake it in the over at 375 for 30+ minutes. 

tonight's mac n cheese...prebake

pasta of the day: rotini

mac n cheese, cabbage/radishes/carrots, kielbasa