macaroni cheese

macaroni cheese

• 17 Jun 2013

Whenever the temperature drops I want comfort food like soups and casseroles. My all time favourite comfort food would have to be macaroni cheese. 



I've been making this recipe from the Australian Women’s Weekly New Cookbook since I was about 12. 



I've adapted the recipe a little as I don't eat bacon. When I make the cheese sauce, instead of bacon I use a small onion, either chopped and gently fried or else I slice the onion and infuse it into warm milk.



I've also reduced the fat content of the dish by using low fat milk, reduced fat cheese and I only use 1 teaspoon of butter to make the cheese sauce. That way I can still enjoy my favourite comfort food, whenever I'm in the mood.



Instead of packaged breadcrumbs I like to use fresh breadcrumbs which I lightly spray with olive oil spray before baking. I also sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the crumbs, firstly because I love Parmesan but also because it goes nice and crunchy when baked in the oven.



The original recipe states it serves 4 but at my place it feeds 2. I like to make this in individual dishes so I decided to bake the macaroni cheese in my cute little milk pan. The other serve is in the fridge waiting to be cooked.

Here's the original recipe for you.
Macaroni Cheese 
From the Australian Women’s Weekly New Cookbook

250 g (8 oz) small macaroni

3 rashers bacon

30 gm (1 oz) butter

⅓ cup plain flour

2¼ cups milk

Salt and pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder

90 gm (3 oz) cheddar cheese, grated

30 gm (1 oz) butter, extra

½ cup packaged dried breadcrumbs

30 gm (1 oz) grated cheddar cheese, extra

Put macaroni in boiling salted water; cook approximately 10 minutes or until tender; drain. (I keep ½ cup of the cooking water in case I need to thin out the cheese sauce). Put in an oven proof dish.

Preheat the oven 180°C. Put chopped bacon in a pan; sauté until crisp; remove from pan. Heat butter in pan; add the flour; cook 1 minute. Gradually add the milk; cook stirring until sauce boils and thickens; reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the dried mustard, salt and pepper and mix well. (I usually add a pinch of cayenne pepper as well). Gradually add grated cheese, stirring until all the cheese is melted. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked macaroni and mix thoroughly.

Melt the extra butter in the pan; add the breadcrumbs; mix well. Sprinkle over the cheese sauce; then sprinkle extra grated cheese over the breadcrumbs.

Bake in a preheated oven 180ºC oven for about 30 minutes or until the top is brown and the sauce is bubbling.



I hope you enjoy the recipe.

See you all later,

Jillian