Baked Mac And Cheese

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half and half
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups gruyere cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Cook pasta: boil macaroni 1 minute less than al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil.
3. Make cheese sauce:
   • Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.
   • Slowly whisk in half and half and milk, stirring constantly until thickened.
   • Remove from heat and add salt, pepper, paprika, and mustard.
   • Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1 1/2 cups gruyere until melted.
4. Assemble and bake:
   • Mix pasta with cheese sauce.
   • Layer half in the dish and top with 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese.
   • Add the rest of the pasta, then top with remaining cheese.
   • Bake for 15 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden.

Optional Toppings

• Crunchy topping: mix 1 cup panko or crushed Ritz crackers with 2 tbsp melted butter and sprinkle on top before baking.
• Bacon: add crumbled bacon for extra flavor.