Linda’s Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:

16 ounces macaroni pasta

8 tablespoons butter

1 cup freshly-grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan Cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano)

1/2 cup grated Gouda cheese, optional

2 cups whole milk

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon coarse salt or sea salt

Freshly-ground black pepper

Tabasco Sauce (or hot pepper sauce) to taste

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup bread crumbs for topping

1/4 cup parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese) for topping

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pan to keep warm.  Learn How To Cook Pasta Properly.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter; remove from heat and set aside.  When pasta is done cooking and is drained, stir butter into the pasta; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine grated cheddar cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and gouda cheese; set aside.

In a medium-size sauce pan over low heat, heat milk and sour cream.  Add all the combined grated cheeses; stir and let the cheeses melt.  After cheese has melted, add Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce; stir to combine.  Remove from heat. With a whisk, stir in the beaten eggs.

In a large casserole dish or cast-iron Dutch oven, combine cheese sauce with the cooked pasta.  The macaroni should be soupy at this point, as it will absorb a large amount of sauce as it bakes.  The dish can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days at this point.

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and the 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

To cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Top the dish with bread crumbs/cheese combination.  Place on a baking sheet and bake approximately 25 minutes (longer if refrigerated) until hot.  To give a browned and bubbly finish, place the dish under the broiler approximately 3 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.