Who doesn’t like macaroni and cheese? From the time we were children until today, most of us love this comfort food. Macaroni and cheese is more than just food. There is an emotional connection between this dish and family memories. For many of us, this is the first food we learned to cook, even if it was in the microwave! My cousin Whitney Malott developed this recipe. It is a warm dish of heaven!

Whitney’s Macaroni and Cheese

2 cups elbow macaroni noodles or spiral noodles
4 and 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 and 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups 2% milk
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 and 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 cup panko
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. While pasta is cooking make cheese sauce. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Stir in flour with a wire whisk. Cook flour and butter together for 3 minutes stirring constantly. (Cook roux long enough to get rid of the raw flour taste but not long enough to turn tan or brown… If it turns brown, throw it out and start over unless you want a brown cheese sauce!)

Increase heat to medium. Gradually whisk in 3 cups milk. Make sure to get all the flour from the bottom and corners of the saucepan incorporated into the milk. Continue stirring until the mixture gets thick and bubbly. Add 3 cups shredded cheese. Stir until melted. Add salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir cheese sauce into drained pasta until thoroughly combined. Pour into a non-stick sprayed 9 X 13-inch baking dish. Top with 1 cup shredded cheese. In a small bowl, mix panko and butter together then sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake 30 Minutes. Let set 10 minutes before serving. Yummy in the tummy!