by Jen Harley

Created on: September 05, 2008

People of all ages love baked macaroni and cheese. It's comforting with it's warmth and smoothness. It's great any time of the year, and it's versatile because it can be a side dish or a main dish depending on the recipe. It's fast and easy to prepare and many people tweak the basic recipe to make it their own family favorite.

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter

8 ounces macaroni
1-1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 quart casserole dish. Place the bread crumbs into a small bowl and mix well with the melted butter; set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for eight to ten minutes or until al dente; drain, then place into prepared casserole dish.

Pour one cup of milk in a medium saucepan, heat on low. In small bowl stir the rest of the milk, flour, pepper, salt, and dry mustard until incorporated, then pour into the pan of heated milk. Simmer; stir constantly until the milk has thickened, about ten minutes. Take the milk off of the heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until melted. Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni, then sprinkle evenly with the buttered bread crumbs.

Bake until the top is golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

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