baked macaroni and cheese!

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon mustard powder
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup minced yellow onion
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large egg
• 12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• topping:
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 50 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 5 mins


• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes. drain.
• melt 3 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium heat. whisk flour and mustard powder into melted butter until smooth, about 5 minutes. mix milk, onion, paprika, and bay leaf into flour mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. remove bay leaf from sauce.
• beat about 2 tablespoons sauce and egg together in a bowl to temper egg. pour egg mixture into sauce and stir gently. mix 3/4 of the cheddar cheese into the sauce until melted and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. fold macaroni into cheese sauce and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. sprinkle remaining cheese over macaroni mixture.
• stir panko bread crumbs and 3 tablespoons melted butter together in a bowl; sprinkle over cheese layer.
• bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and topping is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.