School Cafeteria Mac and Cheese

School Cafeteria Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry elbow noodles
• 1¼ tsp. Kosher salt, divided
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 7 Tbsp. butter divided; softened to room temperature
• 12 oz. can evaporated milk
• 1 cup water
• 1½ Tbsp. cornstarch pressed through a fine mesh sieve to eliminate lumps
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 1½ cups sharp cheddar freshly shredded from a large block
• ½ cup American cheese, freshly shredded from a large block
• ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and butter a 1-quart casserole dish with one tablespoon of the butter. Set aside.
2. Melt 3 more tablespoons of the butter together with 1/4-teaspoon of kosher salt. Once foamy, remove from heat and stir. Allow to cool slightly.
3. Toss with 1/2 cup of Italian breadcrumbs. Allow to cool completely. If using Parmesan in the topping, toss with breadcrumbs once cooled. Set aside.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add remaining teaspoon of kosher salt and olive oil. Add the pasta. Cook according to the package directions, less 2 minutes. Drain noodles and return to pot along with another tablespoon of butter, toss and set aside.
5. In a cold Dutch oven, whisk together the cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Add a full can of evaporated milk, water and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
6. Turn the heat to medium-high and heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly.
7. When the mixture just begins to thicken, remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Sprinkle in the shredded cheeses and stir until both are mostly melted. Season to taste before adding in the cooked macaroni.
8. Stir the slightly undercooked noodles into the sauce to ensure each piece is well coated. Pour macaroni into the prepared baking dish and use a rubber spatula to scrape any remaining sauce atop the macaroni.
9. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the breadcrumb mixture and place into the preheated oven.
10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until just bubbling.