20 Minute Stove Top Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese has always been one of my absolute favorite foods! I consider myself a bit of a mac and cheese connoisseur. I'm not very picky about it either. It can come from a box or it can be homemade and I will enjoy it just the same. However, I will say that my aunt makes the BEST mac and cheese! This recipe is one that I came up with a while ago, when I didn't have box mac and cheese and I wanted something quick, easy, and comforting. One of my favorite things about this mac and cheese is that it needs minimal ingredients and of course, the fact that it is ready to eat in 20 minutes! This can be eaten as the main dish, as a side, and it would be great for a lunch meal prep. This Mac and Cheese is vegetarian friendly, too! If you're looking for a way to add some extra nutrients, you can do what I did at the end and add a bag of frozen broccoli. Very versatile, very easy, very tasty! Remember, if you're making any of these recipes, be sure to snap a picture and tag me! Instagram- @lifewithsarahdavis Facebook- @SarahElizabeth

Author: Sarah Davis

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Keywords: Macaroni and cheese, mac and cheese, stove top mac and cheese, easy dinner, quick dinner, fast dinner, sides, lunch, easy lunch

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup grated Colby jack cheese
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 box elbow pasta, cooked *See notes*
• Optional:1 bag frozen broccoli, 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce

Instructions:

1. Begin to cook your pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Add butter to a pan and heat over medium low. Grate cheese (or measure out if you bought shredded). I like to place all my cheese on a plate, for easy access.

3. Once your butter is melted and bubbling, add flour and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 30 seconds- 1 minute, until it starts to bubble again. (The butter and the flour together creates a roux, which is a way to thicken sauces) Slowly add milk. I add about 1/2 cup at a time stirring well while adding. I wait for the sauce to thicken a bit before adding more milk. This takes about 3-5 minutes.

Here's what my roux looked like before adding milk.

4. After all the milk has been added and the sauce is slightly thick, begin adding cheese. I do 1 handful at a time and stir well to make sure it is fully melted. Repeat this process until all the cheese has been added.

Here's what mine looked like after all the cheese was melted in!

5. Congratulations! You now have a cheese sauce. Season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. If you want a little kick, a couple of tablespoons of buffalo sauce makes a great addition! Add in cooked pasta, stir well, and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 1-2 minutes, longer, adding a bag of cooked-frozen broccoli at the end if you desire.

This is the buffalo sauce that I added.

The finished product! We are big fans of broccoli in this house, so we threw some in :)

Notes:

1. Feel free to use whatever pasta you have at home.

2. My favorite part about cooking is the experimenting with flavors! This is just a basic mac and cheese. Always feel free to experiment and add things to see what tastes good!