recipe roulette.. grandmommy's mac n cheese

 

recipe roulette is a "game" where i randomly pick one of my grandma's thousands of recipes and make it, without change, now some i might change a bit.. because honestly some of her recipes call for oleo.. blah ackk.. not going to use it.. ha ha and after i make it her way i might tweek or revamp to modernize it.. or i might not ha ha that's what makes it a gamble!! interesting note about me.. i grew up in vegas.. been here my entire life and i have never played a table game and only the slots about 10 times.. i might gamble with my food but not my money.. :)

 

 

i have a confession.. i am a little ashamed about it.. but for the record i love.. like really love box mac and cheese.. yes the box with the powdered cheese and yellow dye number whatever.. it's a little embarrassing but i what can i say, even shell the cheese snob likes it, i think it's childhood in a box..

with that being said.. i also love fresh cheesy home made mac and cheese.. it is such a comfort food.. it's perfect on a warm summer day or on a cold blistery winter one.. doesn't matter bottom line mac and cheese rocks.. i made this for our camping trip and ollie says i don't like this.. i was shocked.. this kid loves mac and cheese and how could you not like this recipe.. his reply.. i only like shells.. {not shelby's but the pasta in the shape of shells} "whew" it wasn't the taste it was my choice in macaroni.. when he did finally eat it he liked it and had several helpings.. funny thing about this recipe it was from a box top.. a box of what i don't know i assume the macaroni but not sure, it was on an old, very old in fact yellow cardboard box top and i almost missed it when i did my blind fold pick, because it was so small.. luckily i didn't and we got to enjoy this very simple basic mac and cheese that jake declared "this might be the best mac and cheese i've ever had.."  way to go grandmommy..

grandmommy's mac and cheese

prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes
servings: 6

ingredients:

4 cups uncooked pasta
4 tblsp. butter
4 tblsp. flour
2 cups milks
2 tsp. dried mustard
1 lb. grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

directions:

cook pasta to package directions, drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.. in a large pot melt butter over medium low heat.. when frothy but NOT burned whisk in flour.. continue to whisk for about 3 minutes.. don't stop whisking.. pour in milk and whisk again.. keep whisking.. add mustard and whisk until smooth.. cook for 5 more minutes.. it will begin to get thick.. reduce heat to low and add cheese.. whisk until cheese is melted.. add your salt and pepper... add your drained pasta.. if you think it needs to be less thick add some of the pasta water until you get your desired consistency.  serve immediately.. like most things i like mine peppery!!! now since this is pretty basic you can change it up.. add different cheese.. maybe cheddar and pepper jack.. or maybe add some crumbled bacon to it.. what i loved as a kid was cooked cut up hot dogs in my mac and cheese.. anything is possible :)

enjoy and get cook'n!!!