Baby it’s cold outside!

Macaroni & Cheese

3 cups milk

aromatics: 1 onion slice, 1 bay leaf

1 garlic clove smashed and 1 small pinch

of thyme

1 pound elbow macaroni (or whatever shape you prefer)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour (or 1/2 cornstarch 1/2 brown rice flour for GF)

sea salt and pepper

3 cups grated cheese, I used sharp cheddar and gruyere

1 cup bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Rub a 9 x 12 inch casserole with butter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1st pot).

Heat the milk with the onion, thyme, garlic and bay leaf (2nd pot)

until it bubbles around the edge, turn off heat let sit 10 minutes or so.

Cook the macaroni in the boiling salted water until al dente (2 minutes short of the

recommended cooking time), drain and rinse with cold water to stop the

cooking process.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Stir in flour, mix well. Pour in the hot milk

mixture through a

strainer into the roux (3rd pot).

Whisk briskly until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.

Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring now and then.

Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Now take the drained pasta and put back into cooking pot, pour in the milk and flour

mixture and add the cheese. Mix altogether.

Pour into buttered casserole dish.

Top with the mixture of breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered until bubbling throughout and golden on top 25-35 minutes.