Mac 'n' Cheese

Every family has a favorite Mac ’n ’Cheese recipe—this is ours!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) Darigold Butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups Darigold milk, heated but not boiled
• 6 cups (24 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound large elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions
• 1/2 cup Darigold Whipping Cream
• 1/4 cup fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder or hot paprika, to top
• Fresh chopped parsley as garnish (optional)

Instructions

Melt butter in a heavy, large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook about 4 minutes, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Gradually whisk in hot milk, about one cup at a time, and cook, whisking constantly until sauce is bubbly and thickens (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat; add Cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in hot pepper sauce and ground black pepper.

Combine cheese mixture and cooked macaroni in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour cream over the macaroni and cheese. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and chili powder or hot paprika; sprinkle over top of macaroni mixture. Bake at 375° F. 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Garnish with parsley and serve. Makes 8 to 10 servings.