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Summary
This has been a family favorite for three generations, although I’m pretty sure my grandma originally copied it out of a magazine rather than conceiving of it herself. We often serve it alongside steamed broccoli, but you can also add finely chopped chard or other greens as done in this recipe, if desired. Photo source
Servings
8 servings
Prep Time
0 hours, 20 minutes
Cook Time
0 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 8 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons finely minced onion
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or more to taste
- 1/2 pound white American cheese, sliced or chopped small
- 16 ounces large elbow macaroni noodles
- 2 teaspoons mustard (not coarse-grained)
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 8 Tablespoons flour
- 1/2 pound yellow American cheese, sliced or chopped small
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add 2 teaspoons salt to a pot of boiling water. Add noodles and cook until tender, but still firmer than al dente because the noodles will cook further in the oven. Drain; set aside.
In the same pot, melt the butter over medium to medium-low heat. Sift in the flour and stir to combine. Add onion, salt, mustard, Worcestershire and pepper, and allow to cook about 2 minutes, until the onions start to sweat.
Begin adding the cheese a small amount at a time. (Too much at once will clump.) Once all the cheese is incorporated, remove the pot from heat and stir in the macaroni. Allow the macaroni to sit several minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the cheese to fill the noodles.
Add the milk. Continue heating, stirring often, until the milk becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
Spray casserole dish with cooking spray and pour noodle mixture inside. Top with bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes, until cheese is molten and bubbly. Remove the cover for the last 10 minutes to brown bread crumbs.
