I'm Fixin' To: Foodie Friday: Macaroni & Cheese

My favorite macaroni and cheese is my version of the Pioneer Woman's recipe.

*2-4 cups of dried noodles (depends on how many you're serving) I usually use bow tie noodles

*1/2 stick of salted butter

*1/4 cup All-Purpose flour

*2 1/2 cups of whole milk (seriously, don't use the 2% kind)

*2-3 teaspoons of ground mustard (I usually use 3)

*1/2 teaspoon of salt

*1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (I used Old Bay)

*1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large pot, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add in the flour. Whisk together on low heat for about 5 minutes. It will start to bubble and thicken when it's ready.

3. Beat the egg in a small bowl. I usually turn the pasta on at this point. The pasta should not be cooked fully, so I usually cook for about 6 minutes.

4. Pour in the milk and mustard and whisk together until it is smooth. Cook all together over medium heat until it thickens. Reduce the heat to low.

5. Take the beaten egg and add 1/4 cup of the mixture stirring constantly. Be sure to mix it consistently, otherwise the egg will start cooking and you'll have to start the process allllll over again (speaking from experience over here). Whisk that together until smooth.

6. Add the egg mixture to the sauce and mix together.

7. Add in the cheese and stir until melted. I use two different types of cheese in my macaroni but I do love to experiment with all types. Our favorite has been a mixture of Boar's Head 3 Pepper Colby Jack Cheese and cheddar cheese. Other favorites are Boar's Head Chipotle Gouda and mozzerella (that's all that I had in the fridge and it surprisingly worked).

8. Add salt and pepper. I sometimes forget to use the seasoned salt and I am not sure that I miss it when it's not there.

9. Pour in the drained, partially cooked noodles. Stir to combine.

10. Add to a greased baking dish. Top with remaining cheese, salt and pepper, and bread crumbs. DG is a big fan of the added bread crumbs. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

This is the one recipe that I can do a solid job of cooking every time. It took me a bit to get the hang of not burning the butter/flour mixture or cooking the egg, but I've figured out a system that works for me and my family and friends are all really big fans of this when I make it.

Let me know how you like it and what cheeses you find that you like! You can also add things like bacon (so good), tomatoes, chilis, ham, etc.