Mac and Cheese, Please!

Sometimes, you really want Mac and Cheese, right?  This is a simple recipe, easy to make and leagues better than the stuff in a box.  Serve it with a salad and a steamed veggie side, and you've got a perfect grown-up twist on a classic comfort-food dinner.  After working hard all day Saturday, it saved our supper!

I find it easiest to make the sauce when all the ingredients are measured out before you start - perfect task for the little hands and little bowls.  One note: the sauce won't be yellow (unless you use cheddar!) and it won't have that smooth Velveeta-like-stabilizer-enhanced consistency, so don't promise a picky eater it'll be the same as the old standby! 

Homemade Mac and Cheese, Please:

Boil 1 lb elbow macaroni in salted water until it is cooked al dente.  Drain immediately.

2 cups whole milk, heated (this helps the white sauce come to a boil a little faster)
1 TB flour
3 TB butter
1/8 tsp nutmeg (fresh grated is best if you have nutmeg nuts and a small grater)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grated cheese (Gruyere or another "swiss" cheese works best) - set aside 1/3 for the top.

Light Bechamel Sauce:  Measure out the ingredients.  Microwave the milk.  Stir the butter and flour together in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over low heat until it foams.  Add the milk all at once and whisk without stopping until it comes to a boil.  The sauce should not be too thick - thin it out with a little milk if necessary.  Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Remove the saucepan from the stove and stir in 2/3 of the grated cheese.
The sauce will have the consistency of warm potato soup or heavy cream.
In the bottom of a deep baking dish,  spread a thin layer of sauce, add all the pasta, pour the remaining sauce over the noodles and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the dish.  Dot with a little butter (1 TB) if desired.  It will appear thin, but as the dish cooks, the sauce will thicken and be absorbed by the noodles.

Brown under a broiler or a very hot over (550 degrees) about 15 minutes.

This dish is perfect for making ahead of time and reheating just before serving.  Another option is to make double the quantity and freeze some for later.  There won't be many leftovers!