Mac and Cheese

This mac and cheese recipe is perfect for a party. You can do it the day before and it feeds a lot of people. Yes it involves a lot of cheese and fat and dairy and goodness, but it's well worth the calories. Everything in moderation. This will easily make two 9 x 13 baking dishes (about two inches deep). You can certainly make it thicker by using a deep dish, lasagna-type pan if you would like to make just one dish. You can also add Tapatio or pepper jack cheese for a little kick.

Here's the recipe...

2 pounds elbow macaroni

6 eggs

1 pound cubed Velveeta cheese -- (I know it's not cheese, but this what makes it creamy)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, melted

6 cups half-and-half, divided

4 cups grated sharp extra sharp cheddar cheese -- divided

3 cups grated mozzarella

2 cup grated Asiago

1 cup grated Gruyere

2 cup grated Monterey Jack

2 cup grated Muenster

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until slightly al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to keep warm.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until frothy.

Add the Velveeta, butter and 2 cups of the half-and-half to the large bowl of eggs. Add the warm macaroni tossing until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining half-and-half, add the cheddar reserving one cup, the remaining grated cheeses, and salt and pepper, tossing until completely combined in the large bowl. Taste to add salt and pepper if needed.

Pour the mixture into prepared baking dishes and bake for 40 minutes. (All this can be done the night before -- they day you want to serve it, take it out of the fridge and bring to room temp before putting in the oven.) Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of sharp yellow cheese and bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes more.