Elbow macaroni, unsalted or salted butter, whole milk, all-purpose flour, garlic powder (optional), onion powder (optional), salt and coarse ground black pepper.
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook elbow macaroni according to package instructions.
Drain and set aside.
ACCURATELY MEASURE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
Use sifted flour to get an accurate measurement.
Too much flour will make the cheese sauce too thick with
an unpleasant taste.
To get an accurate measurement, do the following:
1. Place sifter over a bowl. Pour 1 cup of all-purpose flour (more than recipe calls for) into the sifter.
2. Sift flour into the bowl. Discard dry particles left in sifter.
3. Use tablespoon (used for measuring) to scoop a pile of flour. Level off with back of knife. Drop into skillet with melted butter.
4. Repeat until you have three tablespoons. Pour remaining flour back into the bag or container.
Melt butter over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (sifted, spooned and leveled).
Stir together flour and butter over medium heat.
Cook until golden brown in color (7 to 8 minutes).
PREPARE CHEDDAR CHEESE
This recipe calls for 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.
Instead of using packaged shredded cheese, I thinly slice an 8-ounce block.
Tastes better and slicing is faster than shredding in my opinion.
Slowly add milk. Stir constantly until smooth and bubbly. Add garlic powder (if using), onion powder (if using), salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste.
Add shredded or sliced cheddar cheese. Stir until melted (7 to 8 minutes).
The Cheese Sauce
If you prefer a thinner sauce, stir in one additional tablespoon of milk. Repeat until satisfied.
STOVE TOP MACARONI AND CHEESE
Turn heat off.
Stir in cooked elbow macaroni until evenly combined.
Serve directly from the skillet or transfer to a serving dish.
ENJOY!
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