Comfort Football Food ~ No Boil Mac and Cheese

Oh boy this weekend is a biggy in my house....the Forty Niners are in a playoff game against the Packers tomorrow night!  We ARE going to the game but if we weren't, THIS is the comfort food I would serving to watch the 5:00 p.m. game.  Oh Yeah....No Boil Mac and Cheese by Bon Appetite is my pick this week for "Best of the Web". YumYum.  Goes great with a dark porter!

GO NINERS!  

Photo and recipe cOURTESY bON aPPETITE

No Boil Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS

·         1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

·         1/4 cup all-purpose flour

·         3 cups whole milk

·         1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more

·         1 pound elbow macaroni

·         2 cups shredded cheddar, divided

·         2 garlic cloves, chopped

·         1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

·         2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

PREPARATION

·         Preheat oven to 400°. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, whisking often, until a very thin, glossy sauce forms, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove sauce from heat.

·         Toss pasta and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a 13x9x2-inch or other shallow 3-quart baking dish. Pour sauce over (pasta should be submerged; do not stir) and cover with foil. Bake until pasta is almost tender, about 20 minutes.

·         Meanwhile, melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, panko, and parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

·         Remove foil from dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, then panko mixture. Bake until pasta is tender, edges are bubbling, and top is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.