Baked Mac and Cheese ** For Carol

So, I was having a hard time writing a blog following my previous post. It didn't seem right to blog about daily happenings in our lives. To be honest, I'm still reeling from the events of last week. Carol pops into my head often and I have to literally think through the process of dying. I remind myself that she is no longer here in our presence, but in the presence of the Lord. Then, I sigh and thank the Lord for the time that she was here and rejoice that she is in heaven. So there is the reason I decided to post a yummy recipe. Carol loved to cook and share a meal with friends and what better than a "comfort food" to post in her honor.

So here it is ** Baked Mac and Cheese **

I know, I know ... I can hear the gasps over cyberspace. I have actually never had a bite of this delightful dish because I DON'T LIKE CHEESE! There. I said it. I am not a fan, in fact I don't ever eat it. But my cheese loving husband digs this side dish or maybe even main meal depending on the intensity of your love for cheese. I modified Betty's version of the cheesy goodness - so I guess that makes it my own...

2	cups uncooked elbow macaroni (7 ounces)
1/4	cup butter or margarine
1/4	cup all-purpose flour
1/2	teaspoon salt
1/4	teaspoon pepper
1/4	teaspoon ground mustard
1/4	teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2	cups milk
2	cups shredded or cubed cheese (8 ounces) ** I have done a mix of cheddar and a quatro blend from TJ's OR smoked gouda and parmesan ** A couple handfuls of panko bread crumbs for the crunchy top 1. Heat oven to 350ºF. 2. Cook macaroni as directed on package. 3. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constanly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted. 4. Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Top with panko bread crumbs. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.