Baked Mac and Cheese by Aunt Cheryl

Recipes are more than ingredients, they are memories of the past, hope for the future and bring back the joys of family, fun and love. This baked mac and cheese recipe brings back memories of, family, special dinners, Christmas, Thanksgiving, celebrations, holidays and the joy of eating together, and enjoying time with loved ones. This dish is for celebrations!

Tips for Making Baked Mac and Cheese 

Mac and cheese is a classic comfort dish that’s hard to mess up, but there are definitely some tips to elevate it from good to great. You can customize this dish a lot based on the crowd you’re serving. If they like spices, don’t skimp on the seasoning. Paprika, black pepper, and even a pinch of red pepper flakes all go well with mac and cheese. If the mac and cheese seems too thick after baking, you can drizzle in a very small amount of milk while the dish is still piping hot and let it absorb before serving.

Baked Mac and Cheese by Aunt Cheryl

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• Author: Cheryl Johnson

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Ingredients

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• One box of macaroni noodles
• 4 Cups of Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 2 Cups of Mild Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Stick of Butter
• 3 Cups of milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Boil macaroni noodles as directed on package, drain in colander and rinse well.
2. There will be three layers to the dish. Spoon 1/3 of the Macaroni noodles into the baking pan, salt and pepper to taste. Cut butter into 8 tablespoons as mark on stick of butter, add 3 tablespoons to bottom layer.
3. Add 2 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese, be sure to cover all the noodles with cheese.
4. Cover with a second layer of macaroni noodles , salt, pepper and butter and add 2 cups of mild cheddar cheese.
5. Repeat top third layer with macaroni cheese noodles, salt, pepper, butter and top with 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese. Be sure to cover all noodles with cheese.
6. Add 3 cups of milk, pour slowly and evenly over macaroni and cheese layers.
7. Bake at 365 degrees for 60 minutes, macaroni should be brown on top, if milk is still present let cook for additional 30 minutes. Insert knife until the center of knife comes out clean and all of the milk is baked into the macaroni and cheese.
8. Don’t be fooled by the browning of the top! True test is when the center has no more milk. The final baked mac and cheese dish serves a crowd of at least 10 hungry friends and family.

Recipe by Cheryl Johnson / Photography by Dave Bryce

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