Creamy Stove Top Macaroni & Cheese

Sometimes, I make mac and cheese with a roux and bake it in the oven. Sometimes, I add ham or bacon.  But for this meal, with oven space at a premium, I needed an easy, stove top creamy macaroni and cheese.  Leftovers heated beautifully in the microwave for at-work lunches this week.  Simply add a little milk or cream before reheating.

1 pound elbow pasta, cooked according to package direction and drained

1 1/2 cup whole milk

2 T. all purpose flour

3 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. granulated garlic

Warm 1 cup of the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and the flour until there are no lumps.

When you see small tendrils of steam rising from the warming milk, whisk in the milk and flour mixture.  Continue whisking gently until the milk thickens slightly the consistency of heavy cream.  This will take 3 - 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and begin to add the shredded cheese 1/4 cup at a time to the milk mixture.  Stir until all the cheese has been added and melted and the sauce is creamy.  Stir in the salt and granulated garlic.  Remove the sauce from the heat.

In a large serving bowl, combine the macaroni and 1/2 of the cheese sauce.  Stir to coat the pasta evenly.  Add the remaining sauce and stir to combine.

Serve immediately.

Adapted from Cooking Lessons From The Kitchen.