Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

We love macaroni and cheese. This is just a slight variation from the one in my old Betty Crocker cookbook. Perfect, simple and delicious!









12 oz elbow pasta(about 16 oz fresh if you have the means, Gluten free pasta is great too!)
1/4 cup butter*
1/4 c flour*
1 T Dijon  mustard
1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c milk(you can add 1/2 cup more milk if you like it saucier!)
2-3 c cheese(more or less for your preference, any kind, I like a mixture of sharp cheddar and colby jack or occasionally I will do pepper jack and/or chipotle cheddar for a kick!)
*to make GF use 2 TB butter and 3 TB cornstarch

**nutritional boost
ad 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and 1 cup frozen(defrosted) cauliflower after the milk has thickened, but before the cheese and puree all together with an immersion blender!

Heat oven to 350.

Cook noodles according to package directions













Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and heat until smooth and bubbly. Add in seasonings.

If making GF whisk cornstarch into cold milk, melt butter, then add seasonings to the butter.

Slowly whisk in milk and heat and stir until thickened.(about 15-20 minutes)











Remove from heat and add in shredded cheese and stir until melted












Gently fold noodles and cheese sauce and put into casserole dish, top with bread crumbs and some more shredded cheese, bake 20-25.

You can skip the baking , leave it un-topped and separated it into individual portions and it freezes nicely. Just make sure to stir it well during the reheating process! I heat it in the am and pack it in a thermos for the kids' school lunches!

Here it is made with cut up turkey smokies and the nutritional boost: