Anson’s American Treasures: As a kid, my family couldn’t always afford great meals, but there was one night each month when everything seemed perfect. There were no arguments at the table, no worries, just my mother’s amazing Baked Mac & Cheese. The fabulous recipe gurus were able to swap a little of the milk for chicken broth and sharp Cheddar cheese instead of mild to capture that great flavor I still savor. So good!
Baked Mac & Cheese
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: The Perfect Portion
Recipe type: Casseroles & One-Pot Meals
Makes: 12 Lunch Portions
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 ½ cups 2% milk
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Boil the macaroni just until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour, ground mustard, salt, and white pepper, and stir until smooth and combined. Let cook for 2 minutes.
- Whisk the milk and chicken broth into the pot, and continue whisking until the sauce is smooth and free of lumps.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, whisking constantly, cooking until it begins to thicken.
- Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in 2 ¼ cups of the Cheddar cheese, stirring until melted into the sauce. Add the cooked macaroni to the pot and stir until evenly coated with the sauce.
- Pour the macaroni and cheese sauce into the prepared baking dish, and spread to even out. Top with the remaining ¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing. For 100 calorie portions, slice casserole into 36 sections by cutting 4 rows by 9 rows.
Serving size: 1/36 baked mac & cheese Calories: 100
