Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Step 2

Cook macaroni until just al dente or a little under al dente. (Look on the back of the box to see how long you need to cook your pasta for it to reach al dente.) Be careful not to overcook.

Step 3

Drain pasta and set aside.

Step 4

In a large bowl, add milk, heavy cream & cheeses (except for the smoked cheddar).

Step 5

Stir to combine.

Step 6

Taste the milk mixture and add salt & pepper until it has a good taste. (You can also add in other seasonings like onion powder, paprika, etc. Tasting will help avoid having a plain, bland baked macaroni & cheese.)

Step 7

When you are content with the taste, add the eggs.

Step 8

Stir well until combined.

Step 9

Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.

Step 10

Add macaroni to the baking dish.

Step 11

Pour cheese mixture over macaroni.

Step 12

Make sure the cheese is distributed well.

Step 13

Top with the smoked cheddar cheese. (I add a little more Colby jack as well.) Sprinkle with paprika and/or black pepper, if desired.

Step 14

Bake for 35-45 minutes. Do not overbake. It may be a bit jiggly when you take it out of the oven. It will firm up as it cool.

Step 15

Let cool for about 10-15 minutes or until fully set.

Step 16

Enjoy!