A Super Tasty Mac n Cheese

So I thought it was about time that I attempted the signature dish of Canada. I'll be honest, I've never been the biggest mac n cheese fan and the thought of Kraft Dinner gives me the creeps but this homemade version is so much more. And one dish is so huge and tasty that we have lunches to look forward to for at least a couple of days. That and it always gets me in the good books with the husband :)

We started by cooking our pasta according to the directions on the packet, then draining it and popping it back in the pot. We sliced up our onions and garlic and began to sautee them slowly until softened, adding in chopped bacon and mushrooms.  The next step was to mix this all together and start on the cheese sauce.  Up until now we hadn't really paid too much attention to quantities, and just went with whatever we had to hand. But with the sauce you need to be a little more careful.  You start with 2 tablespoons of butter melting over a low heat, then add in 2 tablespoons of flour and wait until it froths.  Add in 1 cup of milk slowly whilst stirring continuously until it thickens.  The last step is to add in 1 cup of cheese, but you can always add a little more if you like it like that.  We like to use a medium-strong cheddar and some Monterrey jack, just to give that little kick. We're working on some different variations for the future so watch this space!

Then comes the fun part. Mix the sauce into the pasta mixture and carefully pour it into your dish. (Oh and make sure you've got the oven on to warm up). On top you want to sprinkle some breadcrumbs and then some more cheese to give it a nice crunchy crust.  Then, once it's in the oven, all you have to do is wait. And around 20 minutes later you'll be heaven. I've already mentioned that it makes a bunch so is perfect for sharing, or for leftover lunches during the week - that is if you can pull yourself away from it when you're packing it up!