Yield: serves 12
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1 hour
Ritz Cracker Mac and Cheese is made with two kinds of cheese and is topped with buttery Ritz crackers for a creamy, rich side or main dish that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 16 ounce elbow macaroni
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups skim milk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- ½ pound Gruyere cheese
- 1 pound Cheddar Cheese
- 24 Ritz crackers
Instructions
- Prepare macaroni according to package directions. Set aside.
- In large pot, melt butter. Add skim milk and bring to near boiling over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and sprinkle in flour. Whisk vigorously over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Mixture should be thick and boiling. Slowly add cream, while whisking. Add in salt, pepper, mustard and worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low and continue to stir for about 5 minutes.
- In food processor, shred Gruyere and Cheddar cheese. Add to pot, stir until thoroughly combined.
- Add cooked macaroni to cheese mixture. Pour into a 13x9 dish.
- In large ziploc, crush 14 Ritz crackers. Sprinkle over top of macaroni. Lay 10 crackers on top, spaced evenly.
- Bake in a 375 degree oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Enjoy hot!
Notes
- Do not overcook your pasta. You want it to have a little "bite" to it, so cooking al dente is very important. You'll still be baking mac and cheese, and don't want it mushy!
- Use good quality cheese! Don't buy the preshredded bags of cheese. They just don't melt well, and the taste is not as good!
- Whisk whisk whisk. Have everything measured out ahead of time, because you'll be whisking the entire cooking process so the sauce doesn't burn or stick!
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 527Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 803mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 20g