Rose & Steve's Recipes

Bill Smith's Mac n' Cheese courtesy of the Carrboro Farmers' Market, 2009

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb elbow macaroni, cooked according to instructions, rinsed, drained and kept warm
• 4 c sliced mushrooms
• 1 small onion
• 2 tblsp whole butter
• 1/2 tsp salt, pepper to taste

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• 2 tblsp whole butter
• 1/4 c plain flour
• 2 1/2 c hot milk
• 1 generous tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne

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• 2 1/2 c Hickory Grove cheese
• 1/2 c crumbled Chapel Hill creamery farmer's cheese

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• 1/2 c bread crumbs
• 1/2 more grated Hickory Grove

Instructions:

1. Cook the onions in butter until soft, around 5 minutes, then add mushrooms and continue until the liquid they release is almost gone. Season withe the salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Make a roux by cooking the flour and butter together until ivory colored, then slowly stir in the hot milk. Let simmer to thicken a little, season with salt, white pepper and cayenne. Stir occasionally.
3. Fold the roux into the cooked drained pasta. Then fold in the first portion of Hickory Grove and the farmer's cheese.
4. Layer half of the macaroni into a 10“ x 12” X 3.5“ baking dish. Spread the mushrooms over this, then cover with the rest of the macaroni. Mix the rest of the Hickory Grove with the bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top.
5. Bake at 350˚for about 40 minutes until the top has browned and the edges start to get crunchy.
6. Let set 20 minutes before serving.