GRAMMY’S ULTIMATE MAC ‘N CHEESE

GRAMMY’S ULTIMATE MAC ‘n CHEESE is the “ultimate” in creamy, cheesy perfection!  Oh my goodness, the combination of cheddar, gruyere, and parmesan come together in deliciousness that is sure to be a family favorite for both young and old ahead!  The addition of gruyere adds a touch of smokiness to the cheesy sauce. Topped with a crispy panko-parmesan topping, this dish hits all the buttons!

Don’t be afraid to experiment with this recipe, as well…..try adding cut up ham or crispy bacon, cut up broccoli to it and voila, you have a one-dish dinner, as well!  And for macaroni and cheese purists, this dish is pure heaven just the way it is!  Check out GRAMMY’S ULTIMATE MAC ‘n CHEESE below…..ENJOY! 🙂

GRAMMY'S ULTIMATE MAC 'n CHEESE

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Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 8 oz elbow macaroni
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black or white pepper
• 3/4 cup panko crumbs
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp paprika

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350* and lightly grease a 8x8 baking dish. Set aside
• In a large pot, cook pasta to al dente, according to instructions on box. Drain pasta and drizzle with olive oil to keep it from sticking. Set aside to cool.
• In the large pot from the pasta, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in flour and continue whisking until bubbly and smooth.
• Gradually whisk in the milk and the heavy cream until thoroughly blended and smooth. Continue whisking until you see bubbles on top and continue cooking/whisking for another 2 minutes. Add in salt and pepper.
• Now, add in a cup of gruyere cheese, whisk until smooth. Then whisk in 1 cup (ONE) of the cheddar cheese, whisking until smooth. Sauce will be smooth and thick at this point.
• Add in the pasta and stir until well combined with the cheese sauce
• Spoon half of the macaroni and cheese mixture into bottom of your prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese and finish with the remaining macaroni and cheese mixture.
• In a small bowl, combine your panko crumbs, melted butter, parmesan cheese, and praprika. Spoon this over the macaroni and cheese evenly
• Bake in oven for about 30 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve and ENJOY!