Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese from Scratch

Version 1
4-6 Servings

10-12 ounces pasta (macaroni, shells, etc...)
1⁄4 cup butter
1⁄4 cup flour
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1-2 dashes black pepper (optional)
1-2 dashes nutmeg (optional)
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded meltable cheese (cheddar, gruyere, jack, etc...)

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook on low heat until roux is just cooked through (no more raw flour taste) and still white or blonde (not yet brown).

Slowly whisk in milk until no lumps remain.

Cook and stir until bubbly.

Remove from heat, stir in cheese a bit at a time until melted.

Drain pasta; add to cheese sauce; stir to coat.


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Version 2

Creamy No-Roux Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 pound pasta, any shape
1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-3 cups shredded cheese, like cheddar, monterey jack, or colby
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon powdered mustard
Optional extras (cook before adding): Ham, bacon, onions, peas, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower

Equipment

Pasta pot
Sauce pan
Whisk
Spatula
Instructions

1. Boil the Pasta: Bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil over high heat in the pasta pot. Add the pasta and a tablespoon of salt. Cook until the pasta isal dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Warm the Milk: When the pasta has finished cooking, prepare the cheese sauce. Begin warming 1 cup of the milk in the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and the flour until there are no lumps. When you just start to see tendrils of steam rising from the warming milk, whisk in the milk-and-flour mixture. Continue whisking gently until the milk thickens slightly to the consistency of heavy cream, 3-4 minutes.

3. Make the Cheese Sauce: Turn the heat to low and begin mixing handfuls of cheese into the milk. Stir in the salt and mustard. Stir until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Remove the sauce from heat.

4. Combine the Pasta and Cheese Sauce: In a large serving bowl, combine the pasta and 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Stir to coat the pasta evenly. Add the second half of the sauce and any extra add-ins.

5. Serving and Storing Leftovers: Serve the mac and cheese immediately while still warm. Leftovers will keep for up to a week and can be reheated in the microwave. If the sauce is a little dry after re-heating, mix in a splash of milk to make it creamy again.

Pasta Sauce With Hidden Veggies

Sometimes what you don’t know can help you, especially when it comes to getting vegetables on the table. Kids will always eat pasta with tomato sauce but they won’t always eat their vegetables—so it can help to magically, mysteriously hide them in the sauce. This is the sort of sauce that you may end up making on a regular basis, so it’s worth investing in an immersion blender. It really speeds up the works.

YIELD: SERVES 4


Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 bell pepper, any color, chopped
1 zucchini, shredded
few handfuls baby spinach

Procedure

Heat the oil in a saucepan with the onions and garlic. Sauté them until they begin to soften and caramelize. Pour in the tomatoes, toss in the salt and pepper, oregano, carrots, bell pepper and zucchini. Simmer for 20 minutes or so.

Stir in the spinach and continue simmering briefly as it wilts and heats through.

Purée the sauce with an immersion blender directly in the pot to minimize mess or with your food processor or blender. Reheat as needed, then cross your fingers and serve with your family’s favourite pasta.