Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

I know, I have already posted not one but two mac and cheese recipes already. But for me, macaroni and cheese is a process. I basically see life as one long journey through all the macaroni and cheese recipes that come my way. Yes, I have made some good ones...but you never know when the Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese Recipe might turn up, and I wouldn't want to be asleep at the switch.

My macaroni and cheese rules are pretty simple, and they go like this:

1. No onion. Never, ever, ever. It's not called "Macaroni and Onion and Cheese."

2. No American cheese. I'll try pretty much anything else, but any cheese that is individually wrapped in slices need not apply.

3. The word "creamy" must be somewhere in the description. There's nothing worse than dry macaroni and cheese. Unless it is dry macaroni and cheese made with onion and American cheese.

4. This is not a hard and fast Rule, but I tend to lean towards versions that can be made on the stove instead of baked. They tend to be both faster and creamier.

OK, now that we are clear on the rules...I ran across this recipe in Everyday Foods. It did have to be adapted to eliminate the onion that the original recipe called for (why??? I just don't understand the whole onion thing???) but aside from that I stayed pretty close to the original. It was creamy and cheesy and easy and non-oniony and wonderful.

Which doesn't mean I won't make the next one that comes my way. But for now...

STOVETOP MACARONI AND CHEESE, adapted from Everyday Food

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• Salt
• 4 cups whole milk
• 3/4 pound macaroni (elbows, small shells, etc)
• 4 cups shredded cheddar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until flour is slightly brown, about 3-5 minutes

2. Pour in milk, whisking constantly until mixture is smooth. Stir until boiling and then reduce heat to low. Simmer until mixture thickens a little, about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente, drain and return to pot. Remove sauce from heat and let cook for about 5 minutes. Whisk in cheese, mustard and Worcestershire and stir until cheese is melted. Add pasta and stir to coat. Serve immediately.

Click here for printable recipe