Margaret's Mac & Cheese

My mom, lovingly and non-disrespectfully called Margaret, is and will forever be the mom who went above and beyond for her kids growing up through today. My love of food stems from the times when I'd join my mom in the kitchen as a child, making everything from Italian Twist Cookies to Meatloaf to an all-time favorite, Mac & Cheese.

Ask around and you'll find that our house was well-known for the best Mac & Cheese ever, as my mom made it from scratch with a simple roux, freshly grated cheese, nontraditional shell pasta and a whole lot of love. This recipe can not only be described as delicious, but also as comforting - like a hug from your very own Margaret. Enjoy <3

Margaret's Mac & Cheese

Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients

1 ham steak
1 box medium pasta shells

Cheese Sauce

¼ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup flour

1¾ cup milk

3-4 cups shredded cheese, variety (I used sharp cheddar, Trader Joe's Unexpected Cheddar & cheddar-jack)

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Bread Crumbs

4T unsalted butter, melted

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Pinch of salt

½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp paprika

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. To cook the ham steak, place it on sheet pan in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until it starts to brown. Tip: You can also sear each side in a frying pan - your choice.
3. Chop cooked ham steak into 1/2 inch cubes (bite-size pieces) and set aside.
4. Fill a large sauce pot with water. Season with a splash of salt (to taste) and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Save 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Set aside in bowl.

5. In the same (now empty) large sauce pot we will create a roux*. Melt butter on a medium heat, making sure not to let it brown. Once the butter has melted, turn the heat down to medium-low and whisk in the flour until combined. Let butter-flour mixture cook for 2-3 minutes, until it bubbles.

6. Next, whisk in milk until combined. Let cook for 3-5 minutes, until it bubbles and has thickened. Tip: Test thickness by dipping a wooden spoon into the mixture. If it coats the spoon, it's ready.

7. Add ze cheese. Fold into mixture until melted.

8. Taste it - if it needs salt, add a pinch. Tip: Add a sprinkle of pepper for flavor.

9. Add cooked pasta shells, reserved pasta water and ham steak to the cheese sauce and stir to coat. Pour into casserole dish and set aside.

10. Bread crumbs! Place 1 cup of panko bread crumbs in a small mixing bowl with salt, oregano and paprika. Set aside.

11. In a small sauce pot, melt 4T butter. Pour melted butter over bread crumbs and mix until combined. Should take on a darker look - make sure to get the crumbs at the bottom!

12. Evenly distribute bread crumb mixture over Mac & Cheese in casserole dish.

13. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until bread crumbs brown. If necessary, use the low-broil setting to brown them to your liking, BUT pay attention because it could harden the pasta and/or burn the bread crumbs... no bueno.

14. Treat yo self.

BONUS! You can definitely prep this a day in advance, though I suggest making and adding the bread crumbs the day of so they don't get soggy and weird.

Delicious Additions: Usually, Mac & Cheese is served as a side dish, but in traditional Margaret fashion, you could make it a meal and include a protein, such as ham steak. Other equally tasty options include: precooked lobster, crab or shrimp with a teaspoon of seafood seasoning (Old Bay or similar) added to the bread crumb mixture. I haven't tried ground beef or turkey with this recipe yet, but I'm sure they'd also be delicious and make you nostalgic for your Hamburger Helper days.

*roux: a mixture of fat (especially butter) and flour used in making sauces