Baked Macaroni & Cheese

[VOguy]

I'm going to try this tonight for dinner (my turn to cook), and make a little extra that I can pack into a Tupperware container and take to work tomorrow.


Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Original recipe courtesy: Chef Alton Brown
modified to add ham and topping

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon powdered mustard
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 large egg
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Two pinches of fresh black pepper
• 3/4 cup of ham bits (cut the size of a dice)
  
  Topping:
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup Rye bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Add ham. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

[Biker]

Now that one sounds good. Personally, I think I'd throw in some crisp, crumpled bacon to go along with the ham. I do like pork.

Biker

[IronsGold]

By this of course, he means he'd ask me to throw in some crisp, crumpled bacon! Which I will, when I try this tomorrow night! Thanks VOguy!

[Judee]

There's nothing sexier than a man who cooks! That does sound like a good recipe VO! And Biker's right. A little crisp bacon crumbles would be great. Not exactly diet food, but what the heck!

[VOguy]

Knowing that I was trapped in the office today, and couldn't get out for lunch, I made this last night and packed it for reheating at noon.

• 1 box (1 lb size) dry elbow macaroni
• 16 ounces New York Extra Sharp Cheddar (coarsely shredded)
• 8 ounces finely shredded sharp Cojack cheese
• 1 can cream of mushroom style soup
• 2 cans (from soup) milk
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 cup dried chopped chives
• Kosher Salt to taste
• White Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• Fried Onions
• 1-1/2 cup of diced ham
• Bread crumbs

Cook macaroni according to box, minus 2 minutes.

Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish.

Using the same pan from the pasta, add the soup, milk, butter, and seasonings and chives.

Stir over medium heat to combine and heat until butter has melted.

In a large bowl, gently fold the pasta and cheese until well combined.

Pour in to baking dish. Pour in the milk mixture and gently combine with pasta and cheese. Add ham, and then shake on bread crumbs.

Bake for 45 minutes. Top with onions and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.

Serve with sliced tomatoes garnished with chopped chives, Kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper and good extra virgin olive oil.

Figured it out, this serves 8, and cost about $2.12 p/serving.