Recipe: One Pot Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese is one of TJ's favorite foods and, occasionally I'll do the whole baked mac and cheese thing but sometimes it's just too much work. Enter the one pot Mac & Cheese recipe that's been floating around!

The first time I made it I found it to be super rich! Good... just really, really rich. The next time I made the recipe I decided to replace some of the milk with water to see if I could cut back on the richness. It worked really well! It might be possible to reduce the milk even more, I just haven't tried to yet. If you do, let me know!

One note about this recipe - it's great when it's freshly made but can be quite thick when it's reheated as leftovers. I like to warm it in the microwave, add just a touch of milk and give it a good stir and microwave a bit longer.

One Pot Mac & Cheese (adapted from Macaroni & Cheesecake)
serves 4

PRINTABLE RECIPE

2 cups small dried pasta (macaroni or shells)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup water
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, or any other good melting cheese (not the preshredded variety)
1 tsp salt
dijon mustard or nutmeg, to taste

Using a small saucepan over medium heat, add the pasta, milk, and water. Bring to a simmer before reducing the heat to low. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently (keep heat low, you don't want the milk to boil). When the pasta is cooked to your liking, turn off the heat and add cheese and salt, stirring to combine. Add the mustard or nutmeg and taste. Add more, if necessary.

Cover the pot and let it stand off heat for a few minutes. Stir it again and add a bit of milk if it's not creamy enough.

If you'd like baked mac & cheese: pour the pasta into a baking dish and top with toasted bread crumbs, more cheese, crushed crackers, or whatever strikes your fancy. Bake at 375 for about 10-12 minutes - until the top is browned (or melty, if you topped it with more cheese!).