This recipe is not, however, from a box. Well, the noodles are. I like to cook from scratch, but I'm not crazy.
Here's what you'll need:
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese of choice (I used mild cheddar.)
salt and pepper to taste.
And if you want it super rich and creamy - 1 brick of cream cheese.
In a deep sautee pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Once melted, add to it the 1/4 cup flour, stirring constantly. If you cook a lot you will recognize this as making a roux. The butter is going to combine with the flour and get thick and foamy. Cook for about three minutes, stirring constantly, until the butter/flour mixture becomes a light golden brown color.
Quickly whisk in the 3 cups of milk. Stirring constantly, cook over medium high heat until thickened. It doesn't take long, about 5 to ten minutes at the most. When the sauce is slightly thickened, add the two cups shredded cheese (and cream cheese if desired...) and mix well until melted. Once completely combined, add to the pan the cooked noodles. Coat well.
Salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
In our house,we tend to add a little more grated cheese to the top. Why? Because we like it. We also have been known to use bow tie pasta just for the heck of it. Sometimes Wacky Mac. Sometimes, we make the cheese sauce and serve it over asparagus or Brussels sprouts. That's right, Brussels sprouts. Which my kids eat willingly. I know, they are weird. I love them anyway.
