Early Saturday Eats - Easy Homestyle Mac and Cheese

Click On the Photo to Enlarge - Abby Lab Double Dog Dares You

I know, I already posted today, and the Saturday Eats should be on Saturday, but this was too good not to share.

Friday night is "pizza bones" night in our house but being a holiday weekend I wanted to make a home-cooked meal tonight.  Macaroni and Cheese.  I normally make my homemade mac and cheese making a roux by cooking flour and butter.  It can be tricky, sometimes being too dry, sometimes too liquidy and you have to watch it like a hawk so it doesn't burn.

Tonight I experimented with a way to make a homestyle cheese sauce without all the careful watch and a whisk.

It was perfect, creamy, rich and SUPER easy.  All you have to do is boil macaroni.  Then place some ingredients in a pan, bring to a boil and stir for one minute, add the macaroni and bake.  It is in the oven in less than 15 minutes and is easy enough to do after 3 glasses of wine (don't ask me how I know.)

Easy Homestyle Mac and Cheese

Cook 7 ounces of macaroni for six minutes (the Creamettes brand comes in 7 oz boxes, but it's about a cup of dry smaller sized macaroni).

Drain, rinse with cold water so it quits cooking and set aside.

In same pan mix:

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 can evaporated (NOT swetened condensed) milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
dash of crushed red pepper
2 Tablespoons salted butter

Bring to a boil and stir one minute at a gentle boil

Remove from heat and stir in 1 and 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a Kraft 3 cheese blend).

Add drained and rinsed macaroni.

If you like, stir in some leftover ham or bacon and sliced sauteed jalapeno, or just eat plain. (I made one tiny custard dish of it plain for Abby Lab since it had neither onion or garlic and the seasoning was minimal).

Place in a lightly greased casserole dish (I used a deep dish quiche dish) and sprinkle with 1/2 cup more cheese (most packaged cheese is two cups so you're set).

Bake in preheated 375F oven for 24-26 minutes. Let cool a few minutes and serve with veggies and salad.