When Olivia was a baby, she LOVED mac and cheese.
I use to make it, home-made of course, and freeze it in ice cube trays.
But as she grew, her love for mac and cheese changed
and she would only eat the KRAFT kind.
Not so good.
Until last year when we discovered Panera’s mac and cheese.
Heaven.
Both my kids LOVED it.
I knew I could come up with my own version.
This is a DIFFERENT mac and cheese.
Not the kind you bake.
Here’s what you need:
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. flour
2 cups half and half (I’ve used fat free and it works great)
1 chicken bouillon cube
One good squirt of mustard (I use a horse radish flavor)
salt and pepper
1 cup WHITE cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese
Cooked pasta shells
(Panera uses shell-shaped pasta, but you can use any shape)
Melt the 2 Tbs. butter in a heavy sauce pan.
Add the 2 Tbs. flour and combine with the melted butter.
Add the 2 cups of half and half and cook until slightly thickened…
Add the squirt of mustard, salt and pepper and the bouillon cube.
Continue cooking until the mixture thickens.
Add the 2 cups of cheese…
Remove from heat and continue to stir until the cheese has completely melted…
Cook your pasta shells…
Drain the pasta and return to the pot or serving bowl.
Add the cheese sauce…
Ready to eat…
Depending on how much pasta you cook, you may have extra cheese sauce.
but it freezes FABULOUSLY.
If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it out
by using extra half/half.
ALSO, try using Fettuccine noodles.
Add grilled chicken breast along with the cheese sauce…
And you have Chicken Fettuccine.
DELICIOUS!
Looks wonderful Lois, I love all of your recipes! Nettie
I do want to try this. Are you sure it was just as good with fat free?
Goodness my mouth is watering… I will have to try this. Right now I am off to make Veal Parm for supper. Tomorrow Mac and Cheese… LJ
Looks amazing! So cheesy and creamy.
I do mine this way too Lois…except no chicken broth (I'm allergic)…and no mustard. I will make it today and add some mustard…cuz it sounds interesting.
I made this today and am posting about it! LOVED IT! Linking back to you, if you don't mind. 🙂
Great! looks delicious.. wanna try this one.
Looks so yummy!
How are you doing with Olivia being gone?
It's a transition for sure but God gives the grace for you to adjust!
Hugs!
Oh, I'm making this!!! I was just telling my hubby that mac and cheese sounded good!! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
This sounds wonderful! Good comfort food. Great food photography, too!
Hi Lois this looks fabulous. Michael will only eat the Kraft kind too! I'm going to try this. I know Ray and I will love it! Thanks for sharing. Hugs
Now I would love this – but picky GS loves the boxed kind – yuck. This looked delish!
Sandie
I'm going to try this for sure. Our two boys never did like mac and cheese when they were growing up. Can you imagine that?
Yes this is different than the norm but boy does it sound delicious. I will definitely try it.
Hugs,
AMY
Yum! Can't wait to try it!