Mac and Cheese is real comfort food and is always welcome in our home.  Last Motzei Shabbos (Saturday night, lit. Shabbos exit), I prepared this delicious macaroni and cheese dish for ourselves and our favorite Shabbos guest, James.

On Saturday nights, we enjoy a Melave Malka meal as we escort the regal Shabbos out of our homes.    Motzei Shabbas is a time when we transition from the holiness of Shabbos into the more mundane everyday spirit of the week.  The Melave Malka (lit: escorting the queen) meal helps us bid farewell to the Shabbos queen and lets us hold on to the last  bit of Shabbos as we welcome the new week. 

The Melave Malka is typically a dairy meal after the heavier meat meals that we enjoy during the Shabbos.  Davida and Aaron have been our Melave Malka cooks. Aaron would prepare delicious homemade pizza and pastas.  Davida’s Simple Cheesy Zucchini Logs, Baked Spaghetti Squash with Sauce and Cheese and Davida’s Easy and Delicious Calzones have become legendary Melave Malka dishes.   Both Davida and Aaron are studying in Israel this year, so we now have to fend for ourselves on Saturday nights.

Recently, Don has been suffering from heartburn after eating tomato-based pasta sauces. Therefore, I have been on the lookout for new delicious pasta dishes that are hearty but without tomato sauce.  This is one of those wonderfully creamy mac and cheese dishes that has no heartburn after-effect.  It can be baked in a large baking dish or in individual ramekins.

It has that oh, so creamy texture on the inside with the crunchiness of the breadcrumbs on the outside.

We hope that this recipe becomes one of your favorites, too!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound pasta
1 small onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic or garlic powder
1-2 bunches scallions
drizzle of olive oil
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese (I used muenster)
panko or breadcrumbs

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare al dente pasta according to package directions. Drain.

While pasta is cooking, saute onion, garlic and scallions in olive oil.

Add flour and salt, mixing with a wooden spoon. Add milk, stirring well until thick. Add cheese and stir until mixture is thick and creamy.

Add pasta and stir until well-combined.

In a bag or separate bowl, toss breadcrumbs or panko with olive oil until moist and crumbly.

Ladle pasta mixture into a casserole or individual ramekins. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until mac and cheese is golden brown.