Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Step 1

Heat the oven to 400°F and butter a 9 inch baking dish with 1 tbsp of the butter.

Step 2

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the 8 oz macaroni 2 minutes less than the package says, until just shy of tender; drain.

Step 3

Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the 3 tbsp flour and cook 1-2 minutes until it smells nutty.

Step 4

Slowly whisk in the 3 cups milk and simmer, stirring often, 4-5 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Step 5

Off the heat, stir in the 2 cups cheddar, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp pepper until smooth and glossy.

Step 6

Fold in the drained pasta, tip into the dish and bake 15-20 minutes until bubbling and golden brown on top.