Blue-Collar Mac 'n Cheese

For my mac 'n cheese fangirls, sorry it's taken so long to get this post on the books. Trust me, it's worth the wait!

This is another recipe grace of the angels of the LA Times kitchen. I first learned to cook with those blue boxes of atomic Kraft Mac 'n Cheese. Apparently the daughter of the Times writer learned the wholesome way on this recipe which, as it turns out, is almost as easy. And oh, so so delicious.

The first time I make a recipe I follow it to the letter to get a feel for it. I can't help playing around with the details after that, though. I found that the more gourmet the cheese profile, the less successful the mac. This dish should comfort your palate, not challenge it. The combination I personally liked the most is noted at the top of the page in my recipe book, but I don't make this dish for me--it's my pot 'o love for my husband, for my mom, for Darla's daughter Catherine to keep in her dorm freezer and heat up when she needs a tummy hug.

The combination that all my mac 'n cheese people love the most is actually the simplest, most downhome version, straight from my WinCo grocery cart. No fancy twirly pasta, no Tillamook sharp or Trader Joe's goat milk cheddar. Blue collar ingredients all the way. I do replace some of the milk with coconut milk (not the coconut-ish drink product you pour on your cereal) and add green chiles (if I'm ambitious I roast a couple of Anaheim or pasilla chiles myself; it's easiest to just open up a can of Ortega chiles. I have to credit Tim with this addition to the recipe).

So here's the recipe:

1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 stick butter (4 oz)
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk (this is a good time to use old milk that's a day or two past its date)
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
8 oz medium cheddar cheese (or goat milk cheddar)
8 oz colby jack cheese (or gruyere)
4 oz parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup diced green chiles
4-5 dashes Tapatio or Tabasco sauce

Boil the pasta in generously salted water (this is the only salt you'll use so don't be stingy). If you are planning to serve this dish right away, boil until al dente (but not a second more--the pasta will continue to soften a little in the warm cheese sauce). If you are cooking now to reheat later, take the pasta out of the water one minute before al dente, otherwise you'll end up with mushy macaroni.

Grate the cheese in your food processor (do NOT use pre-grated cheese--it's coated to keep it from clumping and will not make your cheese sauce happy).

In a large saucepan, melt butter over med-high heat. Whisk the flour in quickly to avoid lumps. Reduce heat and cook two minutes, whisking constantly. Continuing to whisk, slowly add milk, then pepper and bay leaves.

Cook, whisking, until mixture is thick as heavy cream (this doesn't take long). Remove from heat and fish out bay leaves. Gradually add cheese and stir to melt. Add a few dashes of Tapatio or Tabasco and the green chiles.

Stir in pasta.




Because I'm making this for lunches, I portion it into vacuum-seal bags and freeze. 1 1/2 cups makes a hearty serving. The packets I stashed in Catherine's dormroom freezer were smaller 1-cup portions, something to get her through a midnight study session. Whatever size portion, before I pop them in the freezer I press my finger along the center of the packet to create an open space. This makes it easier to reheat, since microwaves work better when there isn't a solid center.

Honestly, the amount of time it will take you to cook the macaroni and cheese is less than the minutes it took you to read this post. The dish is so easy your kids can help, and by the time they're old enough to whisk butter and flour together you can go watch an episode of Chopped and show up when the plates go on the table. Bon appetit!