This macaroni and cheese recipe always takes me back to my childhood. I remember watching mum cook it – following a hand-written recipe from her Year 8 Home Economics book. I think she has modified it over the years, but it is still delicious.
It is the macaroni and cheese that you know with a few extra tasty morsels. It is easy to make and the kids generally* love it.
You’ll need to be able to make a basic white sauce first but the rest is pretty easy. Plus you can get it all ready, pop it in the oven then have a break** while it cooks.
Ingredients
- 30g butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Half a cup of grated cheese
- 1 cup macaroni (uncooked)
- Sliced tomato (fresh or tinned)
- Three slices of bread (cut into small squares – croutons)
- 1 onion thinly sliced (or chopped finely if you prefer)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
- Add macaroni to salted boiling water and cook per packet instructions.
- In a separate saucepan make your basic white sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Take the sauce off the heat and add the cheese – stirring till combined.
- Combine the macaroni and cheese sauce.
- Pour half the macaroni cheese mixture into a round casserole dish.
- Top with a layer of the sliced onion, then sliced tomato, then chopped up bread.
- Add the rest of the macaroni cheese mixture.
- Repeat the onion, tomato, bread layer.
- Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until top bread layer is toasty.
* I say ‘generally’ because last time we had this my two were overtired and preferred to run laps around the table rather than eat dinner. Nothing to do with the meal …
**As much of a break as you can have during arsenic hour. Let’s face it you’ll probably spend it defending the pantry from hungry little hands, cleaning up toys or washing the dishes.