Dan’s Macaroni and Cheese

by Dan Kraan
Senior Tester, Leite’s Culinaria
Serves 6 to 8

My grandmother and, later, my mother regularly made this dish. It’s comforting after a trying day, and I usually have a hearty glass of red wine with it. I’ve been known to saute a few finely chopped cloves of garlic in a tablespoon or so of melted butter and then add it into the final mix for a bit of variety.—Dan Kraan

convert Ingredients
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Salt
1 pound macaroni elbows
1 large sweet onion, diced (about 3 cups)
One 28-ounce can stewed, diced tomatoes, drained well
1/2 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound medium or sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

Method
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter, then set it aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni, bring back to a boil, and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well.

3. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute with a pinch of salt until translucent, about 8 minutes. Scrape them into a large mixing bowl. Add the drained tomatoes.

4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and season with a pinch of salt and a grinding of pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally, until they’re just cooked through and the juices no longer flow, about 5 minutes. Scrape the contents of the pan into the bowl with the tomatoes and onions.

5.  Add the macaroni and a scant half of the Cheddar cheese to the bowl. Mix well, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish. Scatter the remaining cheese evenly over top. Slide the dish into the oven and bake until the cheese is nicely melted but not browning, about 25 minutes. Serve hot with warm buttered rolls.

Recipe © 2009 Dan Kraan. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.