Delicious bowl of macaroni cheeseThis 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.

My Mum’s Toasty Macaroni Cheese

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

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
  2. Add macaroni to salted boiling water and cook per packet instructions.
  3. In a separate saucepan make your basic white sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  4. Take the sauce off the heat and add the cheese – stirring till combined.
  5. Combine the macaroni and cheese sauce.
  6. Pour half the macaroni cheese mixture into a round casserole dish.
  7. Top with a layer of the sliced onion, then sliced tomato, then chopped up bread.
  8. Add the rest of the macaroni cheese mixture.
  9. Repeat the onion, tomato, bread layer.
  10. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until top bread layer is toasty.
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* 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.

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