I Heart Mac & Cheese

I love cheese. yummy cheddar cheese from Beecher's is my favorite. so naturally, my favorite food is macaroni and cheese. So for Easter, I made the famous mac you can buy from Beecher's. (I found the recipe online a while ago and have been waiting for a special occasion to make it myself.)

Today I ate the last of it, and now it's all gone. I don't think it was the world's BEST recipe though, it's not good enough to spend $30 on cheese. My own homemade recipe is close to it; but I had to try their recipe at least once!

Here's the recipe. I added more noodles than what they call for, I made one and a third batch of the cheese sauce and added the entire bag (22 oz) of noodles. could have been creamier, but it wouldn't have made enough.

Beecher's owner Kurt Beecher Dammeier gave away the much-sought-after recipe for Beecher's macaroni and cheese in his new cookbook, "Pure Flavor" (Clarkson Potter, $32.50). The secret to its luscious richness? Cheese, cheese, cheese and cheese. And don't forget the butter.

'WORLD'S BEST' MAC AND CHEESE
SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH

• 6 ounces penne pasta
• 2 cups Beecher's Flagship Sauce (recipe follows)
• 1 ounce cheddar, grated ( 1/4 cup)
• 1 ounce Gruyere cheese, grated ( 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Oil or butter an 8-inch baking dish.

Cook the penne 2 minutes less than package directions. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Rinse pasta in cold water and set aside.

Combine cooked pasta and Flagship Sauce in a medium bowl and mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the cheeses and then the chile powder. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTE: If you double the recipe to make a main dish, bake in a 9-by-13-inch pan for 30 minutes.

BEECHER'S FLAGSHIP CHEESE SAUCE
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

• 1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 14 ounces semihard cheese, such as Beecher's Flagship, grated (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 2 ounces grated semisoft cheese, such as Beecher's Just Jack
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Add the cheese, salt, chile powder and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to three days.

NOTE: A single batch of sauce makes enough for a double recipe of macaroni and cheese.