Not the blue box...

Mac and Cheese from the blue box is a favorite in our house. It was always a Sunday night after church meal for me growing up. My brother and I each made our own pot since we made it different and he ate from the pot! I was planning ribs for dinner and what goes better than mac and cheese. I ran across this recipe and it looked like it would be a great addition to our dinner. It sure was. Now my kids ate it and said it was fine, they humored me. To be honest they asked if I was making the blue box, nope... fancy tonight kids! On reheat this was great too. First time around I'll be honest - I wasn't hungry. We'd been making freezer corn and canning peaches all day, then I made a big fancy dinner - I just wasn't into it. But on reheat - so good. I might even go for fancy noodles next time! Dear Aldi - get some fancy noodles - would you?

Homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole
12 ounces dry elbow macaroni
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup light cream about 10-12% MF
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
salt & pepper to taste
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup optional 10.75 ounces
4 cups sharp cheddar divided
½ cup fresh parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cook macaroni al dente (firm) according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water.
Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Whisk in flour and let cook 2 minutes while stirring. Slowly whisk in milk, cream, mustard powder, onion powder, salt & pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat while stirring until thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese & 3 cups cheddar cheese until melted. Add soup if using.
Toss cheese sauce & macaroni noodles together. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Top with remaining cheese.
Bake 18-24 minutes or until bubbly. Do not over cook. Cool 10-15 minutes before serving.