Mac and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese with cheddar, gouda, and parmesan. need I say more? Obviously the best thing you have ever had. This is probably one of the first things that I remember making all by myself for my family. Like as a real recipe that I looked up and then went out and bought ingredients for and everything. And that everyone loved and praised and talked about for a week. In fact that's probably why I kept on cookin! Ha no I don't really remember, but I just remember the first time I made it and it was so good. Now, as with most of the things I make you may have noticed, I don't really use a recipe anymore and it's still just as good. You can use whatever cheese you want basically, and I used light cream in trying to be slightly less unhealthy that this usually would be with heavy cream. 

So you start with a little cream in a saucepan. If I had to say, probably about 2 cups? I'm bad with estimation. A little less than half of a small container of cream I think I use. And then put a little flour in with it, just a few sprinkles, you can always add more. Keep stirring it in until it thickens. Then add in the cheeses, shredded just because that helps them melt in better. A little salt and pepper and italian seasonings never hurt either. Keep adding cheese little at a time until it gets thick, how thick is really up to you and how cheesy you like it. Real mac and cheese is pretty thick so each bite is pretty well coated with cheese sauce, but you can easily make it a little lighter by making it thinner.

Oh sometimes I put in a few sprinkles of breadcrumbs too, to thicken it up a little more without adding more cheese. It also adds a little more flavor, since I have the pre-seasoned Italian herb breadcrumbs. The starch in the crumbs must basically do the same thing as flour because it works almost just as well. I think I learned that by happy accident once when I had no flour and was trying to thicken a sauce at the boyfriends apartment. Speaking of whom, the smoked gouda, which he absolutely loves plain, and I put in here for the hearty smoky taste it adds, was too much for him. Be careful if you put gouda in yours because it is very rich, you only need a little. (Although I love a lot!)