My husband made this delicious meal for me while we were dating. According to the recipe's author... she snagged her husband with this gooey, wonderful mac and cheese! While I don't credit this meal with snagging my husband, it has become a family favorite. We have chosen to only make it for special occasions -- birthdays and our anniversary -- because it's "so healthy for us". We've of course added our own touch... we hope you enjoy!
White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese - Modified by Frog Prince from Kim's Kitchen
3/4 of a 16oz box of whole wheat penne rigate pasta
3 T butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 T flour
1 3/4 C milk
10oz block of Sharp Vermont White Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Paprika
Cook pasta as directed. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in a stir fry pan. Stir in salt and pepper, to taste. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat, and slowly add milk. (I always seem to have trouble with this step, and have found that I can alternatively whisk the flour into the milk, and add the mixture to the butter -- it tends to be less clumpy this way).
Return the pan to the range, and gradually increase the heat; stir constantly. When the mixture reaches a boil, stir for 1 minute (it should be thickening nicely), and then remove from the heat. Stir in the cheese, allowing the heat from the mixture to melt the cheese.
Drain pasta, and place in a glass 2-3 quart baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over the pasta and stir to coat. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle mac and cheese with paprika and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Enjoy :)