CREAMIEST MACARONI & CHEESE

I make my macaroni & cheese with a combination of 4 cheeses. Use your favorite combination of melting cheeses or just use all cheddar, if you wish. I don't normally use processed cheeses but a little Velveeta makes the sauce very creamy. I baked one medium casserole and froze two smaller ones for later.

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup grated Gruyère cheese

½ cup grated Gouda or Edam cheese

½ cup Velveeta cut into small cubes

3 cups elbow macaroni

½ cup unsalted butter 

3 T all-purpose flour

2 t dry mustard

1 t paprika

½ t freshly ground nutmeg

½ t sea salt

½ t fine ground black pepper

1 cup whole milk

1 12-oz can evaporated milk

½ cup sour cream

Place all of the cheeses in a large bowl and set aside.
Save about ½ cup of the mixed cheeses for topping and set aside.

Boil the macaroni for 5 minutes in salted water and drain through a colander.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In the same saucepan that you boiled the macaroni in, melt the butter over low heat. 

Whisk in the flour and cook, while whisking, a couple of minutes.  

Whisk in the mustard, paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Whisk in the whole milk and evaporated milk until smooth.  

Raise heat to medium and gradually whisk in the grated cheeses and cook while whisking until the cheeses have melted and the mixture bubbles. 

Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and finally, the macaroni. 

Pour into a large shallow gratin or casserole dish. 
Sprinkle with reserved grated cheese.

Bake until cheese is bubbling around edges and top is a light golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Serves 8