Macaroni cheese

Macaroni cheese is my grandson’s favourite meal, and is cheap and easy to make.  We often add little bits of cauliflower and broccoli to the pasta (macaroni) when cooking it.  It adds extra nutrition.  Some times we also add cooked onions and gammon, or bacon to the dish when incorporating the cheese sauce.  We used macaroni cheese as a side, but also have it as a main meal, especially if it has bacon in it.  You don’t have to put the bread crumb topping on it, but I think that it lifts it to another level.

This recipe is an old classic that my family have cooked for generations.  My  great gran always had macaroni but I never saw her use any other kind of pasta.

Ingredients

4 to 6 oz pasta

1.5 0z flour

1.5 oz butter or margarine

1 pint of milk

5 oz cheese (I use less as it is extra strong cheese)

Panko bread crumbs, optional

Salt, pepper, and mustard (optional) to season.

Method

1.  Grease an oven proof dish
2.  Cook the macaroni in a pan of water until soft (about 15 to 20 minutes, unless it is the quick cook  kind).  I also add my vegetables at this stage.
3. Make a cheese sauce by making a roux (melt butter, add flour, and cook a few minutes whilst stirring, and then add the milk gradually whilst continually stirring.  Add 40z cheese as it starts to thicken.)  I add half a tsp of mustard powder as I add the flour, or add a tsp of made up mustard to the made cheese sauce and stir through.  This is optional.
4. Season to taste.
5. Drain off the macaroni and stir into the sauce.  I add my cooked bacon, and onions at this stage.
6. Mix the rest of the cheese with some panko bread crumbs and scatter on the top.  Some times I use crushed cream crackers instead.
7. Put under the grill, or into an air fryer for a couple of minutes until the cheese has melted and the bread crumbs are golden.

I make my bread crumbs in the oven as it is cooling down, or in the air fryer.  It is much cheaper than buying them.  I store them in a big jam jar.  I forgot to take a picture before Mr S and grandson had gobbled this vegetable one. This one was made to use up the last of a cauliflower. What do you add to your macaroni cheese, please?