Easy Homemade Mac & Cheese

This one is from a Pillsbury cookbook that I had ages ago.  I’ve adapted it to make the cheese sauce in the microwave.  Pillsbury also didn’t realize that this is very freezeable.

 

7 ounces uncooked pasta (any shape works)

1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk or light cream

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt (I use Lawry’s brand, SeasonAll works too)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Colby-Jack cheese

Topping:

1 Tablespoon margarine or butter, melted

1/3 cup bread crumbs

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

 

Cook & drain the pasta.  Meanwhile, melt the 1/4 cup butter in a six cup bowl in the microwave.  Add flour and cook on High for 1 minute or until bubbly.  Whisk in the seasonings and 1 cup of milk.  Cook on High for two minutes.  Whisk in the remaining milk and continue cooking on High, in two minute increments until mixture is thickened into a sauce.  You will need to whisk the mixture at the end of each two minute segment.  Add the cheese to the thickened sauce and microwave for about four to six minutes until the cheese is melted, stirring every two minutes.

Toss the pasta with the cheese sauce and pour into a greased 13×9 inch (3 quart) baking dish.  Mix the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the top or around the edges to suit your family’s tastes.  Bake at 350 degrees Farenheit for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and browned.  Serves 6-8 people.

To freeze this, you can either bake, cool and freeze or place the pasta and cheese sauce mixture in a freezer container before baking along with the mixed topping in a small zip bag attached to the container.  I find that I can get two 8×8 pans which feed 4 of us, so if you have a smaller family, just divide the mixture into smaller containers to freeze it.  You can also substitute other cheeses for the Colby-Jack according to your family’s tastes.