Baked Mac n Cheese

Mac & Cheese is probably one of my favorite comfort foods...I can't do the blue box stuff though. I love to make baked mac & cheese...with tons of real cheese!

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 large egg
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Fresh black pepper

Topping:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk & onion...simmer until thick

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

This time I didn't do a bread crumb topping. I wasn't really in the mood for a crunch. I also used penne because I didn't have enough elbows.