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Connie's Mac & Cheese
 
recipe image
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 50 Minutes
Servings: 10
It a fancy Mac & Cheese but with penne so I guess it's Penne & Cheese. Ah... what the heck. We'll call it Pasta in a Cheese Sauce. Now it's not kid's food.
Ingredients:
1 lb penne
3/4 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 lb gruyere cheese, shredded (extra points if you can pronounce it)
1/2 cup asiago cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat 2 qt dish with butter.
3. Boil Large pot of salted water and add the Penne. Cook 6 minutes and drain. (Don't overcook the pasta. It'll cook more in the oven later.).
4. Toss all cheeses together in a large bowl and set aside.
5. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for a few minutes so the roux doesn't taste raw. Whisk in the milk, onion powder, salt and cayenne. Bring to a boil for about three minutes. (In other words, make a white sauce.).
6. Add 2 1/2 cups of cheese mixture to the white sauce (Voila! Cheese sauce or, if you prefer, call it a mornay sauce.) Add the cooked penne and mix well.
7. Pour half this mixture into the buttered 2 qt dish.
8. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the remaining cheese mixture on top of the cheese and pasta in the 2 qt dish.
9. Pour the rest of the pasta and cheese mixture into the 2 qt dish and top with the remaining cheese mixture.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
11. Add the final touch by broiling to get a nice browned top on the dish. (Broiling until black is considered bush league.).
By RecipeOfHealth.com