Macaroni and Cheese

 Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food and when I decided to go gluten free, this is one of the first foods I missed. It was always so easy to conjure up some Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, and it was just as easy to eat the whole box as soon as it was done.

Between my Kraft days and going gluten free, I had started making my own. The added work and time was totally worth it (most of the time) and made for a great and smile-winning dinner for friends and family.

 Fast forward to going gluten free, and I was worried about missing two main things: bread and mac and cheese. Many of the rice flour noodles I had been trying in my baked spaghetti wasn't very good -- it either fell apart, cooked up too firm or had a very gritty texture. Browsing the natural foods selection at the grocery store one day, I finally discovered as great alternative in Sam Mills Pasta d'oro. It is affordable and cooks up really well in a reasonable amount of time. This paired up with a basic white or brown rice flour, I like Bob's Red Mill flours, makes for a great comfort-food dinner

Homemade mac and cheese can be tricky and seem a pretty daunting task, but with the right tools and a little patience, it's completely worth it.

 Homemade Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces noodles by weight.
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour, white or brown rice flour works just fine.
• 2 cups milk
• 8 ounces Velveeta cheese
• Other mix-ins as desired.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat then stir in flour. Cook until bubbling and until color turns medium to nutty brown. Whisk constantly.
3. In another pan boil noodles as directed. I find that the noodles hold up better against the sauce if I boil a minute or two less than directed.
4. Slowly whisk in milk. It will be very thick at first until all of the milk is worked in. Heat until it thickens and starts to bubble. This will take a few minutes and shouldn't be rushed. Be sure to scrape bottom of pan when whisking.
5. Slowly add in cheese. Velveeta offers the best texture, but other cheese, such as cheddar or colby-jack, can be used. Whisk in a little at a time, waiting until each portion has almost melted in before adding more. Be sure to scrape bottom of pan when whisking.
6. Place cooked noodle in a 9x9 or 8x8 pan. Stir in sauce when ready.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. I like to bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle more cheese on top before broiling for 3 to 5 more minutes -- this creates a nice crusty top layer.

This is a great dish to serve with good quality hotdogs like Hebrew National or Nathans.