Last evening was November 3rd. And frankly what I thought Mr. C. and I needed more than anything else, was comfort food to the max. Well that and a couple of good stiff drinks! I knew the election results wouldn’t be in until later this week (or maybe longer than that), but none the less, I was worried and I wanted as much positive in my life as I could get. At the same time, I didn’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. So grilled chicken sausages, mac and cheese, and more of my delicious Oven Roasted Delicata Squash “Fries” with Buttermilk Herb Dipping Sauce. (I tell you true, I am totally addicted to this recipe for delicata squash. Can’t seem to get enough.)
Anyway, like I said, I didn’t want to spend any more time than necessary in the kitchen last evening. I wanted fast and easy. So I went on line and found the bones for this recipe on the joyfoodsunshine.com site. I changed the preparation instructions a bit and added a couple of ingredients (black pepper and Dijon mustard) that I felt the dish needed, but mainly I followed Laura’s great recipe. (Oh, I lowered the amount and type of salt too. I really can’t help myself!)
And before you ask, of course I had made stovetop mac and cheese before. But I was feeling particularly lazy yesterday and didn’t want to have to think too hard. I wanted someone else to do the heavy lifting, while I just supplied a bit of my years of cooking experience to the mix. So that’s just what happened.
Now I know you too must have several great recipes for mac and cheese. But I would be willing to wager up to a nickel, that none of your recipes are as fast or as easy to prepare as this recipe. Or as delicious! I’m serious. This recipe makes one fabulous pan of creamy mac and cheese.
So give this recipe a try. I’m sure you will be pleasantly surprised.
As always, keep having fun in your kitchen and keep being adventurous. Peace and love to all.
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. granulated garlic
1 c. whole milk
¼ c. sour cream
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 c. dry (8 oz.) elbow macaroni, cooked al dente*
2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese** (fairly packed down)
Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan. Whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Cook for a couple minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove from heat and whisk in the milk, sour cream, and Dijon mustard until smooth.
Return to heat and cook until the mixture is thickened (about 3-5 minutes) whisking the entire time. Do not let the sauce boil.
Once the mixture is thick, transfer the just cooked al dente pasta into the sauce using a large slotted spoon. Remove from heat and add the cheese. Stir until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of the pasta water. Taste and adjust seasoning if required. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving. (This helps the sauce stick to the pasta.)
*Remember, if the sauce has to wait for the pasta to be cooked perfectly, so be it. No problem. Just don’t make the pasta wait for the sauce. In other words, don’t cook the pasta ahead of time.
**I use Tillamook Sharp Cheddar for this recipe. (The one in the red package.)