Macaroni and Cheese with Kielbasa

Posting is light this week as I’m out of state with my sister’s family. One of my favorite parts of these visits is cooking family dinner. Cooking isn’t as fun when it’s just one person.

Here’s what we’re having tonight. I hope you like it if you try it. I got inspiration from a recipe online that recommended adding cream cheese for best texture (thank you that lady) and added my usual ways.

Sister: “This is the best macaroni and cheese I’ve ever had.”

I’ve decreased the amount of milk called for from 4 cups to 3-this made way more sauce than a pound of elbows could take.

Technique-important: I like macaroni and cheese to be smooth and creamy. Fully baked dishes always curdle the sauce into something like scrambled egg texture. Blech. So I do not bake my macaroni and cheese any longer. If you top it, just run it under the broiler to brown without baking it through.

Thanks to all of you for reading and subscribing.

---

Ingredients

1 pound macaroni cooked

1 pound of the sharpest cheddar, grated

1/4 pound American cheese, cut up

2 ounces or so of cream cheese

3 cups dairy--I use a combo of whole milk and half and half

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons prepared sharp mustard

Kielbasa cut up into pennies

Salt and pepper, and hot pepper sauce, to taste

Directions

Make a roux with the flour and butter. Whisk in the milk slowly and get it as smooth as possible over low medium heat. Add your cheese and stir until melted. Stir in your mustard, tasting for the right amount. Check salt and pepper. Proper seasoning means the right amount of salt and pepper in the dish during cooking; this matters.

Bring up to a simmer to let the flour thicken it a bit. Not much.

Stir in kiebasa. Add preferred amount of red pepper sauce and stir in.

Place in baking dish and top with buttered bread crumbs. Run it under the broiler to brown the top, but don't bake it long or it curdles.

Tomato slices on top are also very nice.