Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

When I think about comfort food, I imagine a delicious pan of warm macaroni and cheese. There are many ways to make macaroni and cheese, but over the years, I've developed my own way that results in a mouthful of creamy cheesy pasta.

The trick to creamy macaroni, in my opinion, is skipping the step of making a roux and melting the cheese separately. Doing that can sometimes make it grainy or lumpy, and it's extra work to create a separate sauce. With my method, I let the noodles drain in the strainer, and then I use the same pot to melt the butter and mix everything together!

Tips for Ingredients:

Since we're not melting the cheese into a sauce, using pre-shredded cheese is a great time-saving option. Keep an eye out for sales on shredded cheese at the store so you can stock up and have it in the freezer for whenever you want to make this recipe.

Remember to beat the eggs before adding them to the recipe. It's challenging to break them up well enough if you crack them directly into the pasta.

Cream and half-and-half? Absolutely! We're going all-in on this macaroni. Don't worry about using full-fat ingredients. You can use whole milk for the half-and-half if that's what you have, but don't skimp on the cream.

In summary, for creamy macaroni, my key is to skip making a roux and melting the cheese separately. Instead, I leave the noodles draining in the strainer and use the same pot to melt the butter and mix everything together.

 Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 ounces macaroni noodles
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 stick unsalted butter (melted)
• 2 beaten eggs
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 24 ounces shredded Colby Jack or Monterrey Jack cheese
• 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Boil the macaroni noodles according to the package instructions (make them al dente), drain, and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix the pasta noodles with the melted butter.
4. Add the heavy cream, half and half, sour cream, seasoning salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir well.
5. Mix in the beaten eggs and 16 ounces of Monterrey Jack cheese. Stir thoroughly.
6. Add the sharp cheddar cheese and mix well.
7. Grease a baking dish with butter or use non-stick spray. Pour in the macaroni mixture.
8. Sprinkle the remaining 8 ounces of Monterrey Jack cheese over the top.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the dish is bubbly and golden.
10. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.