Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese

Homemade Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 box of Penne
1 stick of butter
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
1 pinch paprika
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup shredded Munster Cheese
3 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heated on low-medium (on a 2 or 3 notch) add your stick of butter and your pepper, mustard, and paprika. Let melt completely.
2. In a separate, large, saucepan fill with water. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Heat on high and cover. This is for your Penne.
3. Add you flour to your melted butter and whisk flour until lump-free and smooth. Let the mixture come to a light golden brown color and will take 3-5 minutes. Make sure not to let it burn. Continue to mix very well with your whisk.
4. Add your box of Penne to your boiling water in the large saucepan. Cook for 9-10 minutes.
5. Slowly add in your milk with little splashes at a time. Mix very well while adding your milk in or else it will curdle. Your arm should start to feel like you are holding you 25 pound baby now as your are whisking with all of your might. This process takes 3-5 minutes to incorporate your milk properly. Your mixture should be slightly thick and white....looking almost like paste.
6. With little handfuls at a time, slowly add in your cheese. Keep whisking with all of your might or else your cheese will separate. Nobody likes a chewy cheese sauce. To reach the perfect cheese sauce yummy goodness it will take you about 5-8 minutes to add all the cheese in. Keep on whisking!!
7. Drain your Penne and in a large serving bowl mix together your Penne and your cheese sauce. Serve immediately.

This is a family favorite of ours! It is super unhealthy so we only eat it on occasion, but it is the only macaroni and cheese that I like. The irony, of course, is that no macaroni is involved. I hope you all enjoy and happy whisking! :)


Note: I am actually in the process of trying to loose weight and am using My Fitness Pal to try and help facilitate that. I plugged all the ingredients into the recipe builder and it told me that per serving this recipe is still under 500 calories. I honestly thought it would be more than that. It still is a heavy meal, but I am glad that it isn't as devilish as I originally thought. Plus, you get a super awesome arm workout while making it so that burns some calories! :)