Creamy No Roux Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

Craving pasta?

I do....often.  But, I haven't been eating as much pasta as I'd like lately.  I truly love the stuff, but watching the carbs calls for less pasta.  So sad.  But every once in a while I have to have some comforting pasta.

So I was surfing the net and I was on the www.theKitchn.com and ran across a  post for a dreamy looking pasta dish.  Do you know this site?  It's an excellent resource for recipes, how to's, and anything food related.  Go visit it you can!  So, I was surfing this site and came across a recipe for what they called Creamy No Roux Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese.  No roux? Really?  Peaked my interest, but they really had me at "stove top"!

So I decided I had to make this.  And I did.  

It was really easy to make.  Something you could do as a side dish during the week.  Or if you prefer along side your Sunday dinner.  Either way this lives up to it's name.  It's creamy...there really is 'no roux', and all is made simply on the stove top.  Doesn't get much better.

I already posted another Stove Top Macaroni & Cheese dish using King Arthur's Vermont Cheese Powder.  You can find that recipe here.  Honestly they are both good.  This one, of course, uses fresh shredded cheese and is slightly more involved, but the result is fabulous!
Try them both and see for yourself!

Creamy No Roux Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

by the Kitchn

Serves 4 to 6  

What You Need

Ingredients

1 pound pasta, any shape
1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-3 cups shredded cheese, like cheddar, monterey jack, or colby
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon powdered mustard
Optional extras (cook before adding): Ham, bacon, onions, peas, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower

Equipment

Pasta pot
Sauce pan
Whisk
Spatula

Instructions

1. Boil the Pasta: Bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil over high heat in the pasta pot. Add the pasta and a tablespoon of salt. Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Warm the Milk: When the pasta has finished cooking, prepare the cheese sauce. Begin warming 1 cup of the milk in the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and the flour until there are no lumps. When you just start to see tendrils of steam rising from the warming milk, whisk in the milk-and-flour mixture. Continue whisking gently until the milk thickens slightly to the consistency of heavy cream, 3-4 minutes.

3. Make the Cheese Sauce: Turn the heat to low and begin mixing handfuls of cheese into the milk. Stir in the salt and mustard. Stir until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Remove the sauce from heat.

4. Combine the Pasta and Cheese Sauce: In a large serving bowl, combine the pasta and 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Stir to coat the pasta evenly. Add the second half of the sauce and any extra add-ins.

5. Serving and Storing Leftovers: Serve the mac and cheese immediately while still warm. Leftovers will keep for up to a week and can be reheated in the microwave. If the sauce is a little dry after re-heating, mix in a splash of milk to make it creamy again.

Additional Notes:
• Baked Mac and Cheese: If you have a little extra time, you can bake the macaroni and cheese to give it a golden crust. Pour the prepared mac and cheese into a casserole dish, cover with a lid or foil, and bake at 350°F for 1/2 hour. Remove the covering, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and a few pats of butter, and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes until the top is golden and the interior is bubbly.