Mac & Cheese with crunchy topping & mix ins

By Dr_Mom

Ingredients

• 8 oz. of a curly type pasta like rotini or fuselli
• 1 lb of sharp cheddar (sharper the better) coarsely grated
• 2 c. milk
• 1/4 c. flour
• 6 tbl. butter
• 1/2 c heavy cream (not half & half or lite cream) (Yes, this is a cholesterol festival)
• Louisiana style hot sauce to taste (not Mexican style)
• Pepper to taste
• 2 c. panko (you can use toasted bread crumbs but it won't be as crunchy)
• Up to 1 c. of mix-ins such as shrimp, tuna, and vegetables

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the pasta al dente, remember it will cook more in the oven. Drain & set aside.

Melt 1/2 (4 tbls) of the butter and mix with the panko, set aside to cool to room temperature.

Warm the milk in a sauce pan. In another pan melt the rest of the butter and add the flour, stir until the butter foams & the roux is a light brown (otherwise the sauce will taste chalky). Add the milk and stir until the lumps are gone and the sauce is smooth. Add 3/4 lb of the cheese and stir until melted. Add hot sauce & pepper to taste, don't worry the sauce won't make it spicy but will prevent the cheese sauce from becoming bland. Simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes to blend, add the cream and set aside off the heat.

Mix the buttered panko with the rest of the grated cheese.

Put the pasta in an oven safe pan, I use a 9 x 13 and add any mix ins. Pour over the cheese sauce & stir well to blend. Cover the mixture with the panko crumbs and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the dish is bubbling and the panko is browned and crunchy with melted cheese.