Classic Baked Mac n' Cheese

This recipe is a Robak family favorite and my number one comfort food. Depending on your cheese preference, you can substitute the sharp cheddar for any other hard cheese. We added some Dubliner (a sharp Irish cheese) to this batch, which was delicious. The real key to success is adding enough sauce. You'll want your noodles to be swimming in it, especially if you plan on re-heating the leftovers. So get saucy and have fun!



Ingredients:

• 1 12oz box of macaroni noodles 
• 1 large white onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (roughly grated)
• 1 1/2 cup crushed croutons or bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook macaroni noodles as instructed on the package.
2. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Finely chop onion and garlic.
4. In a sauce pan, melt butter and add onions and garlic. Add salt and pepper. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent. 
5. Slowly stir in flour until all ingredients form a thick paste, add more butter if necessary.
6. Add milk to the saucepan, stir and heat until it simmers. Do not let it boil.
7. Remove sauce from heat, and slowly stir in cheese. You should have a nice thick sauce at this point. 
8. Pour noodles and sauce into a baking dish and top with croutons. 
9. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the croutons are golden brown.