Classic Macaroni and Cheese

Total Time: 35 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (March 2004)

CI has perhaps as many recipes for Macaroni and Cheese as they do biscuits! And they all seem just slightly different. I usually use a modified version from Cover & Bake, but I tried this one because it called for all milk in the sauce and I had bought a gallon of milk on sale and was wanting to use as much of it as I can. It was good as the other and I don't know that I could distinguish one from the other.

Like anytime I make a CI version of this, I cut my sauce recipe in half because I find their recipes too saucy for me. Actually, I did a 60% cut because it called for 5 cups of milk and 5 tablespoons of butter. It worked well and was just perfect (for me.) I used whole wheat bread for the crumbs and like them a lot, because they are bit nutty. Also, I didn't want to break open another thing of butter, and only had 1 more tablespoon for the topping, instead of calle for 3. I tried spraying the top with a little olive oil spray, and that worked well too.

I get this recipe done quicker by using two pots. I don't want to have to wait to finish cooking the pasta to make the sauce.