Awesome Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe I found in a local church cookbook, contributed by The Farmer's Wife, an awesome lady and friend of mine. Enjoy!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

-1 pound elbow macaroni
-salt
-6 TBS butter
-6 TBS flour
-2 TBS mustard
-1 clove minced garlic
-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
-1 3/4 cup water
-1 cube of vegetarian bouillon
-3 1/2 cups whole milk
-1 1/2 pounds grated cheese
-ground pepper, to taste
-4 slices whole wheat bread
-2 TBS butter

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Step 2: Bring water and salt to a boil. Cook macaroni about 5 minutes, leaving it firm.

Step 3: In a large pot, melt butter, then add garlic, mustard and cayenne and cook until fragrant.

Step 4: Slowly whisk in the flour until a paste is formed, then add the water, veggie bouillon cube, and milk, and bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened.

Step 5: Remove from heat and stir in cheese, then mix in macaroni. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish.

Step 6: In a food processor, process bread and butter together and top the macaroni with it.

Here's the min-processor we used for this purpose...

I love this mini-chopper for jobs like this. I keep this in the corner of my island at all times, and it is so small that no one ever notices it. We use it for things like processing baby food and small tasks, like mincing garlic, chopping up a few tomatoes, chile, and cilantro for salsa or blending herbs. Look at how finely this processed the bread and butter...

If you want one, just go here...

(Oh, and P.S., as per the new FTC blogging regs, I need to let you know that if you click on the icon above and order anything at all from Amazon.com, you will be helping to send my 9.75 kids to college, so thanks!)

Step 7: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Here is the Mac 'n' Cheese Bake right out of the oven...

I have to tell you, it was heavenly and all ten of us LOVED it! Thanks for the inspiration, Farmer's Wife!