1 7oz pkg. of elbow macaroni (or two cups uncooked)
2 Tbs. Butter
2Tbs. flour
1 tsp Salt
2 cups WHOLE milk
2 cups of sharp cheddar (shredded)
1 cup of med. cheddar (Shredded)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
For Bread Crumb topping:
2 cups buttered bread crumbs (cut up enough french bread into cubes to cover the top of the macaroni and cheese...Drizzle and toss with about 3 Tbs of meted butter. This is optional)
1 cup (or less) of tiny tomatoes ... cut in half (also optional)
Prepare macaroni as the package directs. Drain the cooked macaroni. In a med saucepan, melt the butter (but do not brown it). Stir the flour and salt into the melted butter until tit is a smooth paste. Add the milk and stir with a whisk until it is blended with the flour...stir as you heat it up.. .it will thicken slightly. Once thickened...add the shredded cheese to the milk and flour mixture and stir until the cheese is melted. Stir in the parsley. Add the macaroni to this mixture and stir until well blended.(it looks very soupy at first... but will firm up as it cooks) If you are adding the tomatoes do it now. Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish. (if you like macaroni and cheese with lots of nice brown cheese on top...make the dish less deep and more wide so you will have more surface to brown.) If you want to have bread cubes on top...add them now and bake at 350 for about 30 min...until brown on top. ( if it starts to brown too quickly...you can stop the browning process by7 laying a piece of heavy duty foil gently over the top for the remainder of the cooking time.
