Macaroni and Cheese, Green Salad, Peas

I love this macaroni recipe. It is ultimate comfort food, straight from my childhood. My husband likes to jazz it up by using different cheeses and throwing in chopped ham and lots of spices to the white sauce. Sometimes we start with the basic recipe and then split it in half, making it a competition to see who can make the best macaroni in their own casserole dish. Ahh, the joys of married life.


Macaroni and Cheese
From my mom, who got it from her mom.

1 lb elbow macaroni
3 T butter
3 T flour
2 1/2 c milk
2 T minced onion
salt
pepper
pinch of basil
6-8 oz Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese, grated


Preheat oven to 350. Fill a large pot with water; bring to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter on low heat. Stir in flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in milk and bring to high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens. Add in minced onion, basil, and plenty of salt and pepper to taste. In a greased casserole dish, toss pasta, white sauce, and about half the cheese. Top with remaining cheese. Cover with foil.

Bake, covered, for 15-25 minutes (the longer you bake, the drier the end product; I prefer a shorter cooking time). Uncover and bake 10 minutes more, or until cheese is completely melted.
OR
If you want your macaroni more like the one at Noodles & Co., skip the oven all together and just dish individual servings into bowls. Top with cheese while it's all still hot, and maybe even cover your bowls with some foil to help the cheese melt for a minute or two.


Sides
Prepare green salad.

Microwave frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper.