Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups elbow macaroni
1 whole onion finely chopped
1/3 cup butter
½ cup flour
4 ½ cups milk
2 tsp. salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2 generous cups shredded aged cheddar cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella
2 cups shredded aged cheddar
Bacon Bits (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven at 350°F. Grease a 13”x9”x2” pan.
- Bring large pot of well salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to instructions till it’s al dente. Strain and set aside in large over-sized bowl.
- Chop the onion and add to the macaroni. Don’t bother stirring yet.
- Chop the Tomatoes and set aside in small bowl
- Melt 1/3 cup butter in a medium sized pot
- Make a roux by adding the half cup flour to the melted butter and mix together with a whisk. The butter separates the flour particles which prevents lumps from forming. Cook on the stove for a minute or two.
- Pour in the 4 cups of milk, 2 teaspoons of salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil, stirring continually to prevent it from burning. After it thickens, continue cooking for 2 or 3 minutes more.
- Immediately add the cheese sauce to the macaroni and onions, and mix it all together. Pour half into the greased 13”x9” pan. Sprinkle half the chopped tomatoes and 1 cup each of the cheddar and mozzarella, saving the rest for the topping.
- Pour the rest of the mac and cheese mixture on over top and then top that off with the rest of the tomatoes, mozzarella and cheddar cheese. If desired, top all of that off with bacon bits.
Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, till it’s bubbly and set, as you see below.
