Chef notes
No competition here! Shaq's mom, Lucille, makes the best mac and cheese, hands down. She uses three kinds of cheese and tops the tender noodles with crunchy cheese crackers.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 pound macaroni pasta
- 1/2 cup seasoned flour
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 1½ cups half and half
- 3¼ cups processed cheese product, preferably Velveeta
- 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, diced
- 3/4 pound cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups cheese crackers, crushed
Preparation
1.Pour the water into a large pot, add the salt and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2.Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a casserole dish.
3.Melt the butter in a sauce pot and whisk in the flour. Continue to cook on medium heat, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Add the milk and the half and half and bring to a boil while continuing to whisk. Remove the sauce from heat and whisk in the cheese product.
4.In a mixing bowl, toss the reserved pasta with the sauce and cheeses. Pour the macaroni mixture in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the crushed cheese crackers over the top and place in the oven. Bake until the macaroni is bubbly and the crackers slightly browned.
