Extra Creamy Mac & Cheese {Quest for the Ultimate Mac & Cheese}

Myself, along with a ton of other bloggers, are participants in the Crazy Cooking Challenge - and this month we are on the hunt for the ultimate Mac & Cheese recipe!  All of us have explored bloggy land looking for recipes that seduced our tastebuds & now is the time we all share them & vote on our favorite.
So, you just have to vote so the ultimate mac & cheese can be crowned!!

After looking around for a while - and I mean a while, I decided upon the Extra Creamy Macaroni & Cheese over at Jenny's Cookbook!
I am really glad I chose it too - it is such a rockstar of a recipe!

Extra Creamy Mac & Cheese

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Ingredients:
5 cups dry pasta of choice
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups milk
3 cups (250g) grated sharp cheddar
6 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup grated sharp cheddar for topping
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Boil pasta according to package directions. I always use whole wheat or smart pastas but white pasta may expand more so you could use 4 cups dry or increase the amount of sauce you make.

Preheat oven to broil.In a nonstick pot over medium high heat, melt margarine. Whisk in flour and spices and cook for 1-2 minutes until it starts to turn golden. Add milk and bring to simmer. I like to whisk constantly. Cook until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in cream cheese and 3 cups cheddar. It will melt without being on the burner.

Mix cooked pasta with sauce and place into a glass baking dish. Top with 1 cup cheese, breadcrumbs and parmesan. Broil until brown and bubbly.

Posted in: Cooking, Crazy Cooking Challenge, Pasta, Sides