Sheet Pan Mac and Cheese

The inspiration for this came from Food Network and Cook's Illustrated. My version still needs some tweaking, but it was well received by everyone who tried it.

I was in awe when I read in Cook's Illustrated (and they do a *lot* of testing!) that it wasn't necessary to make a roux for Mac and Cheese. I could hardly believe my eyes. So in this recipe, while I did start with butter and flour, I didn't make a roux. I just plain threw everything in. How easy is that?

Then Food Network threw me for a loop when they suggested sheet pan Mac and Cheese. I love that! More of the wonderful topping for everyone.

So I combined the ideas and did it my way. There's nothing remarkable about my ingredients here. Most of my changes had to do with ingredients that I didn't have on hand. Embarrassing, but true. For instance, the Food Network recipe called for Panko and cream cheese. Both are staples in my house, but I was out, out, out! One makes do, right?

The cream cheese probably would have made for creamier pasta, so I'm very willing to give that a shot. On the other hand, the way I made it would be perfect for a buffet or a large gathering because it cut and held up so beautifully.

I need help on the topping though. There's a place where my mom and I like to get Mac and Cheese. It's wonderful. But I haven't been able to figure out what they use for a topping. Maybe I'll be sorry if I know, because there may be things in it that I'd rather not eat. So I used breadcrumbs, fresh Parmesan, and a sprinkling of sea salt. It was okay, but we can do better. What's your favorite topping for Mac and Cheese?

You'll note that the topping got a little bit brown in places. It still tasted great, but watch the time. That was 25 minutes in my oven. Next time, I'll go for 20 minutes.

When I was making this, I started wondering how many cups are in an 8-ounce block of cheese. Oh my word. There are all kinds of answers online. I understand that not all cheeses have the same density, so a recipe is probably more accurate if the measurement is by the cupful. Most of the answers hovered around two cups of shredded cheese equaling one 8-ounce bar, give or take 1/4 of a cup. 

For the record, I used two 8-ounce packages of Cabot Vermont cheddar cheese. I measured it somewhat imprecisely, because it all depends on whether you tamp it down in the cup or not. So I'm telling you exactly what I used in the recipe instead of a measurement.

Sheet Pan Mac and Cheese

1 pound elbow macaroni
1-2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups 2% milk
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 8-ounce bar of Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 8-ounce bar of Cabot Medium Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs
sea salt to taste (I used Sea Seasonings Maine Made Sea Salt with Sea Veg)

Cook the macaroni according the the instructions on the package.
Move the oven rack to the upper position and preheat to 450.
Shred the cheddar cheeses.
Butter the sheet pan.

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the flour and stir with a whisk. Add the milk and mustard and whisk, pressing out any lumps. Add the cheddar cheeses. When they are incorporated, add the macaroni and heat until it bubbles. Pour into prepared sheet pan. Mix together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Scatter over the top. Season lightly with sea salt.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Spread mac and cheese on a baking sheet.

Bake at 450!

It cut so nicely!