Connie's Mac & Cheese

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb penne
• 3/4 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 lb gruyere cheese, shredded (extra points if you can pronounce it)
• 1/2 cup asiago cheese, shredded
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 coat 2 qt dish with butter.
• 3 boil large pot of salted water and add the penne. cook 6 minutes and drain. (don't overcook the pasta. it'll cook more in the oven later.).
• 4 toss all cheeses together in a large bowl and set aside.
• 5 melt the butter in a saucepan. whisk in the flour and cook for a few minutes so the roux doesn't taste raw. whisk in the milk, onion powder, salt and cayenne. bring to a boil for about three minutes. (in other words, make a sauce.).
• 6 add 2 1/2 cups of cheese mixture to the sauce (voila! cheese sauce or, if you prefer, call it a mornay sauce.) add the cooked penne and mix well.
• 7 pour half this mixture into the buttered 2 qt dish.
• 8 sprinkle with 1 cup of the remaining cheese mixture on top of the cheese and pasta in the 2 qt dish.
• 9 pour the rest of the pasta and cheese mixture into the 2 qt dish and top with the remaining cheese mixture.
• 10 bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
• 11 add the final touch by broiling to get a nice browned top on the dish. (broiling until black is considered bush league.).