How do you make “Mac & Cheese” from scratch?

Simple/Easy Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound pasta, macaroni if you like, but you could choose any tube style pasta.
• 1/4 stick of butter (1 oz.)
• 8 oz. Velveeta Cheese
• 1 cup Half & Half
• 1 cup grated cheddar.  The sharper the cheddar the more pronounced cheese flavor your Mac & Cheese will have.
• 1/4 TSP Grate Grinds Pacific Sea Salt
• 1/4 cup Panko or bread crumbs (optional)

Method:

1. Bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil and add pasta.  Cook until “al dente”, just cooked al the way through and drain it.  Please don’t over cook the pasta.  We will be cooking it more later.
2. Melt the butter in the same pan you just used to cook the pasta on medium heat.  Add the half & half, Velveeta cheese.  Bring to a simmer and stir to melt the Veleeta.
3. Add the shredded cheddar.  Turn off the heat.  Stir to melt the cheddar.
4. Add the hot pasta that is draining and stir to coat all the pasta with the cheese sauce.

Pasta mixed with cheese sauce.

5.  Check the seasoning and add salt to taste.

6.  OPTIONAL – If you want to bake it a little, preheat the oven to 400 F.

7.  Spray a 8″ x 8″ roasting pan with cooking oil spray.  Pour the macaroni and cheese into the roasting pan and evenly sprinkle the bread crumbs on top.

8.  Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until gold brown.

Mac & Cheese baked with bread crumbs

9.  Serve and enjoy.

Baked Mac & Cheese with Bratwurst