Baked Macaroni

For baked macaroni, it is easier if you have a microwave for the cheese sauce, but it can be made on top of the stove, of course. For two cups of uncooked elbow macaroni, you will want to make cheese sauce using two cups of milk. Start your macaroni water boiling, grate your cheese, find either a bowl that can go in the micro or a smallish pot with a good heavy bottom for the stove. On the stove use low_medium heat, never high. In the micro wave, high is OK, but don't cook for longer than a minute at a time.

Melt 4 Tablespoons butter or margarine or use 4 Tblsp olive oil

Add 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard and 4 tablespoons flour

Stir well. Add the 2 cups milk, which you may heat in the microwave (do not boil) before adding gradually. Stir constantly while adding the milk & Make sure all lumps are squished out. Heat, stirring, until thick & bubbly. Stir in grated cheese to your taste, off the heat. I would expect to use about half a pound. Add salt & pepper to taste, then stir into the cooked DRAINED macaroni. It is OK if the sauce has to wait for the ronis or vice versa. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top & bake until brown & bubbly. 350, 375, depending on how much of a hurry you're in & if there's something else in the oven, Even 400 is OK. Tomato slices between the ronis & the bread crumbs are appreciated by some. Also asparagus spears folded in. Also, for that matter, tuna fish or other alien matter. The sky is the limit.

This information was placed on the web by Thomas J. Sienkewicz. If you have any questions about this document, you may contact him at tom@tomsiekewicz.com.