Go Back
baked mac and cheese

Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • For the Pasta
  • 2 cups 8 ounces pasta
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil plus 1 to 2 tablespoons oil for grilling the vegetables
  • 2 ears sweet corn shucked
  • 1 medium onion cut into 6 wedges
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons, melted for the top
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups half and half or milk
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups 8 ounces coarsely grated pepper Jack or white cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs preferably homemade

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  • In order to cook the noodles bring 4 quarts of lightly salted water to a rapid boil in a large pot over high heat. Cook until the pasta is Al Dente.
  • Then drain the macaroni in a large colander, rinse with cold water until cool, and drain again. Then to prevent sticking toss the macaroni with the oil.
  • I got out my pan to grill my veggies I have a grill pan. I figured out that standard grill didn't have propane so I had to use this method.
  • When ready to cook, lightly brush the corn and onion with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Grill the corn and onions until nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all for the corn, and 3 to 4 minutes per side for the onion, turning with tongs as needed.
  • Transfer to a cutting board and let cool.
  • Darkly brown the red bell pepper 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the cutting board and let cool.
  • Then cut all of the veggies and place at the bottom of your cast Iron pan
  • Next in a large sauce pan melt the 2 tablespoons butter. You will then add the veggies and cook until they are sizzling. Next, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  • Stir in the half and half and increase the heat to high.
  • Boil the mixture for 3 minutes, stirring well to thicken.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mustard and cooked macaroni, followed by the cheese.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste; the mixture should be highly seasoned.
  • Spoon the macaroni and cheese into the cast iron skillet.
  • Sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over the breadcrumbs.
  • Bake the mac and cheese in the wood-burning oven or the regular oven like I did until the sauce is bubbly and the top is crusty and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve at once.