Growing up in any red-blooded American household, macaroni & cheese was a big deal. I still love to whip up some boxed Kraft’s Macaroni & Cheese every now and then. This recipe represents one of the most famous comfort foods. I like mine VERY, VERY cheesy. You may want to reduce the grated cheddar a bit if your cheese addiction isn’t as profound as mine.

¼ cup flour
1 stick butter + 2 tablespoons
3 cups milk
1 cup half-n-half
2 pounds sharp cheddar
1 pound elbow macaroni, pasta shells or rotini pasta, cooked and drained
1 ½ cup plain bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350°. Melt the butter completely in a sauce pan and add the flour. Vigorously whisk it together to make a roux. Slowly pour in the milk and half-n-half, still whisking. Keep whisking to avoid lumps. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes to make sure there is no raw flour flavor.

Fold in the two pounds of grated cheddar cheese. Season with some salt and freshly ground pepper. In a large mixing bowl gently mix the macaroni with the cheese sauce.  Melt the extra 2 tablespoons f butter and in a separate mixing bowl mix it with the bread crumbs. Pour the macaroni and cheese mix into a greased casserole dish and dust the top of it with the bread crumb mix. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown. Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.  Yankees suck!