Homemade Mac & Cheese

With the cold weather we've been having lately (it was 5 degrees last night!), I've been craving something warm and comforting to eat.  The hubs and I decided that homemade mac & cheese was just the ticket.  We took a recipe from Ina Garten (have I mentioned that I like her??) from her "Family Style" cookbook.

The thing I liked most about her recipe was that it calls for slices of tomato on the top.  Delicious!  Here's the recipe:

• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 quart milk (we used non-fat)
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (4 cups)
• 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grounded black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Drizzle oil onto large pot of boiling salted water.  Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes.  Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it.  Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour.  Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk.  While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth.  Off the heat, add the Gruyère, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Add the cooked macaroni and stir well.  Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top.  Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs (FYI: we used sliced sourdough and blended in food processor) and sprinkle on the top.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on top.

I honestly don't think I will ever be able to eat mac & cheese out of box ever again.  Baked mac & cheese tastes SO much better...the fresh cheese makes the flavors bolder and the bread crumbs on top add a nice crunch.  We will definitely make this again soon!

Hope you're all surviving this cold streak...according to the groundhog...spring is around the corner...fingers crossed!!!

Hope you enjoy!  Bon Appetit!

xo natasha

Linked to: Tasty Tuesday Bloghop