Alton's Mac & Cheese is still better than this stuff

I’ve mentioned my love of Alton Brown many times. His show is essentially Cooking for Geeks, which is right up my alley. His tips and techniques have definitely helped me become a more skilled cook and baker. Not only that, but his recipes tend to turn out perfectly. My husband declared Alton’s brownies “the best he ever had”. They were pretty amazing, chewy and fudgy with just the right amount of crispiness on top. At a recent Super Bowl party, a friend made his onion dip and wing sauces, which were also incredible. So when I wanted a macaroni and cheese recipe last week, I decided to give his a shot.

Macaroni and cheese is one of those things that I make only a few times a year, generally when it is cold and snowy and I have an overwhelming craving for comfort food. I usually use Rachael Ray’s White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese recipe, and accompany it with her Sugar Snap Peas with Onions & Bacon. (Hey. Nobody said this was a healthy meal. This is pure comfort food). But the last time I had a macaroni and cheese craving, it was a very snowy day. After being sent home from work early, there was no way I was going to the grocery store in a blizzard just for some cheese and snap peas. Since Alton’s recipe called for ingredients I already had on hand, and his recipes have always turned out well, I went with his instead. It made a creamy macaroni and cheese that was quite good, but definitely not my favorite. Still, not every recipe I blog about has to be a hit. So here it is.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients
1/2 lb. macaroni
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. powdered mustard
3 c. whole milk
1/2 c. onion, diced finely
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 large egg
12 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. bread crumbs
kosher salt & fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Boil pasta to al dente in a large pot
3. Melt butter in another large pot. Whisk in flour and mustard and stir for about 5 minutes, being careful to remove all lumps. Add milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove the bay leaf.
4. Temper the egg into the mixture, then add 8 oz. of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add pasta to the cheese sauce and pour into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bread crumbs.
5. Bake for 35 minutes, then let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

My Thoughts & Suggestions
I had forgotten what it means to temper in an egg. I will explain the procedure here to save you some googling time. Essentially, you beat an egg, then slowly add some hot ingredients from to it. This heats up the egg and allows it to be added to the dish without scrambling.

So why wasn’t I thrilled with this recipe? Honestly, it just was not my preference for macaroni and cheese. This recipe created a good and very creamy macaroni and cheese, but not a very cheesy one. To me, macaroni and cheese should taste like cheese. This one tasted more milky than cheesy. Also, I have never made a macaroni and cheese recipe that called for onion. I had my doubts about it, but wound up liking the little extra flavor it gave to the dish. Still, I don’t think I’ll be making this particular recipe again.

I neglected to take a good shot of this dinner, which is why I used a silly picture instead. But, in case you’re curious, I served this recipe with garlic-roasted broccoli and cauliflower. It’s the easiest side dish ever, and can be adapted to a number of fresh or frozen vegetables. Toss some chopped vegetables with a little olive oil, minced garlic & salt. Place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 35 minutes in a 350ºF oven. Enjoy!

Recipe Source: Alton Brown’s Baked Macaroni and Cheese from Food Network.