Ingredients :
Cheese Sauce :
Flour & spices
¼ cup butter (1/2 stick)
¼ cup of flour
A generous pinch of ground cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups half and half
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions :
- Mix together the flour, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt.
- In a 3 ½ quart saucepan melt the ½ stick of butter over medium heat. Add in the flour mixture and stir until it is smooth.
- Add the half and half in small amounts, stirring well after each addition to keep the mixture smooth until all 2 cups are added.
- Slowly add half and half, stirring well. Keep stirring while bringing the mixture to a boil over medium heat. The mixture will thicken.
- Keep stirring until mixture boils. Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir for about another 5 minutes. Take the saucepan off the heat and add the 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.
- Stir shredded cheese into the mixture. Add your cooked, drained elbow macaroni to the cheese sauce, stir well, and taste for seasoning.
- Add drained macaroni to the cheese sauce. Pour into your prepared 9” x 9” glass pan. Macaroni and cheese sauce in 9″ x 9″ glass pan.
Topping:
1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup panko bread crumbs
- Stir the panko bread crumbs into the melted butter. Sprinkle the mixture on top of your macaroni in the glass pan.
- Evenly sprinkle the buttered panko crumbs on top of the macaroni. Bake in a 400-degree oven for approximately 20 minutes until it is bubbly and the top begins to brown.