13. Mac & Cheese

If you ask Liam what he would like for dinner, he will either tell you chips or Mac'n'cheese. It is very popular in this house. Sometimes I mix it up a little, and add some vegies to it, but most of the time I serve it with steamed vegies and chicken kievs. Mmmmm.... The next day, I mix the left-overs with a tin of tuna and we have tuna-bake for lunch. This is a really big serving, probably enough for a side serve for maybe 8-10 people? It fills the bowl and we almost always have left-overs, despite it's popularity.

2 cups macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2½ cups milk
1 tablespoon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups grated tasty cheese
¼ cup breadcrumbs

Set your oven to 180 degrees and boil the pasta for 15 minutes.

Now, make the cheese sauce.

Melt the butter over a low heat in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until combined. Return to stove and cook over a low heat, stirring for about thirty seconds. Do not allow the mixture to brown.

Add the mustard and then add half a cup of milk, a little at a time, stirring until combined and lump-free. Add the rest of the milk and stir. Return to heat and stir until boiling. Reduce to low and stir for about one minute. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Reserve about half a cup of cheese and add the rest to the sauce mixture. By now your pasta should be cooked, if it is, drain it and add to the cheese sauce mixture. If it's not, you'll have to wait!

At this stage you could serve what you have already made, as it is. It's very good, but we will just go one step further and...

Place the mixture into a casserole dish, sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese and then top with breadcrumbs.

Pop it in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes.

Now you will be wondering why you ever bothered with that nasty packet stuff.
Yum!

What are your kids favourite meals?