Mac n’ cheese is one of my top comfort foods and it’s something that pretty much always sounds appealing. Whether it’s homemade or a box of Annie’s, I don’t discriminate. I love it all.

I think some people get intimidated by homemade mac n’ cheese because of the roux, but it’s really quite simple. I do recommend that you buy blocks of cheese and shred them yourself to ensure the cheese melts properly. This is a meal that comes together in under 20 minutes. Here’s my go to recipe.

Ingredients

• 16 oz of your favorite pasta (I like shells, elbows, or rotini)
• 2 generous cups of shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and pepper jack)
• 2 T of butter
• 2 T of flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 3-4 T of queso (the secret ingredient!)

Directions

• Fill a large pot half way with water and set on high heat to boil.
• While waiting on the water, shred your cheese.
• When the water comes to a boil, add the macaroni and cook based on the box directions.
• While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat.
• Whisk in the flour until well incorporated and the lumps are gone. This creates the roux mixture which will thicken the cheese sauce.
• Whisk in the milk and allow to heat through for several minutes, but don’t allow it to boil.
• Once the milk is thoroughly warmed through, add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until it melts.
• Once all of the cheese is incorporated, stir in the queso. This is optional, but I think it adds so much flavor!
• When the pasta is done, strain it and return it to the pot.
• Mix the cheese sauce into the pasta and enjoy!