# Mac and Cheese

A tutorial on how to make the ultimate Mac and Cheese.

- Cuisine: American
- Category: Dinner
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- water
- salt
- 1 pound cavatappi pasta
- 1 pound Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 pound Colby Jack cheese
- 8 ounce sharp cheddar cheese
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cups heavy cream

## Instructions

1. Start by boiling some water, and salt it like the ocean.
2. Add cavatappi pasta and boil it for eight minutes if you're making the mac and cheese right away.
3. Shred the cheese.
4. Divide the cheese into two; half's going to go in the cheese sauce and then half's going to be like layered with all the mac and cheese.
5. For the seasonings, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
6. In a pan on medium, melt three tablespoons of butter.
7. Add half your seasoning, which is called blooming the seasonings.
8. Add three tablespoons of flour which is called a roux and cook this for two to three minutes.
9. Add a quarter of a can of evaporated milk and whisk to get all those flour clumps out, and add the remaining evaporated milk.
10. Mix for about a minute before you add anything else, and this is called a béchamel.
11. Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
12. Add two cups of heavy cream slowly.
13. Add half of cheese slowly to cheese sauce and mix at the same time.
14. Add remaining cheese, and add remaining seasoning.
15. Add pasta and fold it in with the cheese.
16. Take a baking dish to put half of your mac in there, layer your cheese, rest of the mac and rest of the cheese on top.
17. In the oven at 350, bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until all this cheese on top is melted.
18. Broil it for like two minutes.

## Equipment

- pot
- wooden spoon
- grater
- bowls
- whisk
- baking dish

## Tips

- If you're making the mac and cheese the night before, boil the pasta for seven minutes.
- Have to shred your own cheese; no negotiation.
- Pre-shredded cheese at the store has a film on it.
- When cheese is curdled, this could be another reason why your mac and cheese comes out grainy.
- Taste a little noodle to see if you like the seasonings and add more, if necessary.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8MMKo4s/
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/20d04da4-4582-4f55-ad29-955759b181fb
- Extracted: 2025-05-28

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt