This one is for you, Donna! Homemade Ham Mac & Cheese will make you forget about KD and never use a pack of dry cheese mix again.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
8 oz dry macaroni (1 2/3 cups measured in a 2 cup glass liquid measure. Note that this measure will only work for macaroni and probably not a larger pasta shape. Weighing is recommended.)
Cream Sauce:
The basic idea here is fold in 2 Tbsps butter and 2 Tbsps flour for each 1 part of liquid (Milk, cashew milk, chicken broth). The recipe below is for a Mac & Cheese dish of 4-6 servings.
4 Tbsps butter
4 Tbsps all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (can substitute chicken broth or cashew milk)
7 oz cheddar cheese
1/2 oz of another variety of cheese such as Parmeasan or aged cheddar
1/2 tsp salt (or less)
8 oz of pre-cooked ham ( can totally sub lobster, fake krab or many other meats here to get your experiment on :-p)
OPTIONAL: 1 tsp dry mustard or paprika for flavoring
Preparation
Add water and a bit of salt to a large pot and place over high heat for the pasta. While it's heating, time to make the cream sauce.
For the cream sauce: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk and cook for about 2 minutes.
Very slowly add the milk, a little at a time, whisking constantly. Once all the milk has been added, cook, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. (Don't rush this step. The mixture will not be thick, but will noticeably thicken after 8-10 minutes of cooking).
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the cheese, salt, (and now is the time to add in paprika or dry mustard if you like) Stir until the cheese is melted and all the ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. (If the cheese isn't melted completely after about 3 minutes, you can put the pan back on low heat and stir until it is melted). Set aside for a minute.
Preheat oven to 350F (175C) with rack in the centre of the oven. Oil or butter a large baking dish.
When the pasta water is boiling, add the macaroni and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions indicate. (the oven will finish your noodle work here...). When the pasta is cooked, drain and immediately rinse well with cold water. Make sure your pasta is well drained.
Add the cooked pasta and to the cheese sauce and mix gently, but thoroughly. (It might look like too much sauce or too little pasta, but trust me, it will all be good in the end). Spoon or ladle the mixture into a prepared baking dish or individual dishes. Sprinkle the top of each with a bit of additional grated sharp cheddar cheese (you don't need a lot here, as there is plenty in the sauce), then sprinkle with the chipotle chili powder.
Bake in the preheated 350F (175C) oven uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce has bubbled up around the edges and the top has a nice golden crust. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.