Classic Macaroni and Cheese

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Classic Macaroni and Cheese a real southern favorite. Creamy pasta mixed with egg and cheese gives way to a baked classic for your food lovers!

close up of plate of macaroni and cheese

A Real Southern Classic Recipe

**UPDATED 08/02/2021

When people talk about comfort food, macaroni and cheese is one of the most mentioned dishes that come up. It is a staple in the South for any gathering where we want to share love with people by way of food. Just like our homemade Biscuits, this recipe is a classic staple to have in your recipe box!

If you look up this recipe on the internet, you will find many versions of it. Some very fancy and some very easy with shortcuts. I have found in all of my years of cooking that the scratch made, simple versions of recipes are always the best. And scratch made in this case, doesn’t mean harder. It really is very simple.

We love this along side our delicious SOUTHERN FRIED FISH but truthfully it is a great side dish for just about anything!

How to Make It!

So here it is. The homemade, scratch made version of the best Classic Mac and Cheese!

~Ingredients~

1 16 oz box of pasta, cooked al dente
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1.5 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper, to taste

~Method~

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Do not overcook, it still has to cook in the oven too! Drain and pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Melt the butter in the pasta, mixing well. Add salt and pepper to taste.Drizzle in milk, being sure to distribute evenly in the pan. Add in half of the cheese and mix well. Pour lightly beaten eggs over the top, covering as much real estate as possible. Mix lightly just to make sure egg is distributed evenly.
Top with remainder of cheese. Cook for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned and pasta is set.

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melt butter in warm pasta in baking dish

Helpful Tips and Tricks

Can I add a protein?

You sure can. We are real fans of taking a great side dish and making it a one pan wonder. This would be awesome with some cooked ground beef or turkey to make it a beef Mac or even shredded cooked chicken.

Is this a creamy Mac and Cheese?

Yes and no. While the milk and cheese make it somewhat creamy, it is not prepared with a traditional béchamel sauce. The addition of the eggs give this a more firm texture while still having the creaminess from the milk, butter and cheese. We think it is the perfect combination!

What is al dente ?

The short answer is al dente is an Italian term used to illustrate that the pasta is cooked but still firm. It literally means “to the tooth”. So we want the pasta to be firm but not crunchy. Soft but not soggy. The reason why is because it has to be cooked in the oven as well. With a 2 step cooking process, if the pasta is too soft it may disintegrate.

big plate of love made in macaroni and cheese

overhead picture of macaroni and cheese on a blue and white plate

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