This recipe comes together really fast!  As the pasta is boiling you’re already whipping up cheese sauce on the stovetop.  Then you toss it all together.  It’s a crowd pleaser, easy and delicious!

You can play around with the types of cheese you use, but whatever you do, don’t use pre-shredded cheese… you know… the stuff in the bag.  It makes the texture grainy.. not as smooth… umm… not as delicious as it should be so make sure and grate the cheese yourself!

The recipe also calls for Velveeta but if you don’t like “cheese loaf” you can substitute cream cheese instead. 🙂

 

Serve it as a side dish, or add meat and veggies to dress it up as a meal.  How about cubed chicken with crumbled bacon and fresh tomatoes?  ..  or cubed chicken, steamed broccoli and EXTRA cheese?!?  Or ground beef, a can of Rotel tomatoes, and taco seasoning?  The possibilities are endless if you want to make this a one skillet meal! 😀

 

To begin:

While the pasta is boiling make a roux using butter, flour and then whisk in milk.

 

Stir in cheese and seasonings.

 

Nice and melty!  Silky liquid gold!

 

Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before straining through a colander, then mix it all together! 🙂

Tip:  Don’t rinse the pasta.

 

My son loves mac and cheese and asked if we could have it with dinner which led to us creating this recipe together (he loves to cook).

By making a simple roux you can stir in almost any kind of cheese and it’ll stay creamy.  The addition of ground nutmeg and a few dashes of hot sauce work great, and using reserved pasta water will give a nice silky finish!  The “pasta water” is also liquid gold!

I say that a lot.. “liquid gold.”  I can’t help it.  I use it in a lot of other blog posts too.  *shrugs*

liquid gold.

“Take people’s opinions with a grain of salt, add pepper, noodles, some cheese, because mac and cheese matters more than what anyone thinks about you.  The end.”

 

Easy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

• 8 ounces Elbow Macaroni
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 2 tablespoons Flour
• 1-1/2 cups Whole Milk
• 1 cup cubed Velveeta
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack Cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
• A few dashes of Hot Sauce (or cayenne pepper)
• 1 cup Reserved Pasta Water
• S&P to taste

Boil the pasta in generously salted water until al dente.  Before straining the noodles through a colander reserve 1 cup of pasta water.  Don’t rinse the pasta.

While the pasta is boiling:  In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter, then add flour and continuously whisk until it becomes a frothy paste.  Pour in the milk continuously whisking until it’s bubbling and thick.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and slowly stir in both cheeses, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and hot sauce (or sub a couple dashes of cayenne pepper).  Mix the pasta into the cheese sauce.  Start adding a little bit of reserved pasta water at a time until you reach the desired consistency, sometimes I use the whole cup.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot and melty!!

A couple of Notes:

1. Hey, Velveeta haters!: use 1/2 cup Cream Cheese and 1-1/2 cups shredded Colby Jack instead.
2. For fun use a different pasta noodles like cavatappi or rotini.  Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!
3. Don’t rinse the pasta after straining!
4. Grate the cheese fresh off the block.
5. Don’t forget to the reserve pasta water prior to straining.
6. Turn this into a one-skillet meal by adding protein and veggie of choice.
7. Treat yo self!  ❤

Makes 5-6 servings.