Katherine’s Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
Five years ago, we had a sweet woman named Katherine in our church small group make the best macaroni and cheese for a Thanksgiving Potluck that I’ve ever had. Thankfully, she was willing to share her recipe and I’ve made it several times since. It’s super cheesy, warm, and the perfect side dish around the holiday season.
Ingredients:
1lb uncooked Cavatappi pasta
3 TBS butter (Katherine recommends using Land of Lakes)
2 cups Sharp Cheddar cheese
2 cups Colby and Monterey Jack cheese
8 oz Velveeta Cheese (If you don't like Velveeta replace it with one cup of mild cheddar or smoked gouda if you want to get fancy)
2 cups of milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp ground mustard (optional)
Seasoned salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter or spray non-stick cooking spray onto a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
Add 1 tsp of salt to a pot of water. Add Cavatappi pasta and cook according to directions, making sure the pasta is just tender as It will cook more while it bakes.
While pasta cooks, in a large bowl, melt butter and Velvetta together in a large pot. Slowly add milk. Add 1 cup of Sharp Cheddar, and 1 cup of Monterey Jack a little bit at a time, stirring so everything melts and incorporates together. Add seasoned salt and pepper to taste. You can also add the ground mustard in this step if you want.
Once you get the desired taste, incorporate eggs. Stir until well blended.
Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the cheese sauce. Stir until it’s well combined.
Pour into baking dish and cover with remaining cup of sharp cheddar and cup of Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses.
Bake uncovered for approximately 40 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.
Let the macaroni set for 5-10 minutes before serving.
