My son had a birthday recently and now that he is officially a teen, we decided he could have a regular night where he is responsible for feeding the family. I find it so easy to forget that as your children get older, the ways in which they can contribute around the house changes.
He chose as his first meal one that is perfect for winter. I found this Macaroni and Cheese recipe years ago on about.com and if you’re like me you may never eat mac and cheese out of a box again.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, shells work nicely too
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup milk
1 cup light cream
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheese
salt
Preheat oven to 350 F(180 C) Boil macaroni according to package and set aside.
Meanwhile melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and add paprika, pepper and 2 cups of the cheese; stir until cheese is melted.
Gently stir in macaroni and salt to taste.
Place in a buttered oven- proof dish. Use a dish that suits your families taste. We like lots of crunchy bits so I use a flatter one, if you like it creamy use a deeper one.
Garnish top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and dot with additional butter.
Bake 25-30 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.
