Everyday Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Macaroni is a big deal where I come from.  I grew up in Saint Bernard Parish, Louisiana.  There is a well-known eatery named Rocky and Carlo's that made baked macaroni famous in southeastern Louisiana.  I''m sure thousands  of people literally have travelledl to "the parish" for that alone.  If St. Bernard had a signature dish, it would be baked macaroni.  Hence, everyone from there has there own version of it; all influenced by Rocky's.  This is a new recipe that I created last night that uses regular whole milk instead of evaporated milk or heavy whipping cream.  I also used corn starch as a binder to see what would happen.  Usually, when baked macaroni comes out the oven you have to let it rest for quite a while to thicken.  With this recipe, it's not runny at all coming out and you can eat it immediately.  Traditionally we would use long macaroni noodles for the pasta.  I like the spiral rotini pasta because it catches more of the cheesy custard so there's some in every bite.  This dish always reminded me of home (especially since I haven't really been there since Hurricane Katrina.)  When I was a Katrina refugee in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, I was often asked if I was homesick.  I told them, "of course," but with dishes like these, "home is only a bite away!"

EVERYDAY BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE

PREPARATION

8 OZ DRIED ROTINI PASTA

3 CUPS MILK

2 EA EXTRA LARGE BROWN EGGS

1 LB SARGENTO SHREDDED COLBY/MONTEREY JACK CHEESE

1 LB SARGENTO SHREDDED SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE

1 TSP SALT

1 TBSP CORN STARCH

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

• PREHEAT OVEN TO 300 DEGREES
• COOK PASTA ACCORDING TO DIRECTIONS ON BOX AND PLACE IN GREASED CASSEROLE DISH
• COMBINE BOTH SHREDDED CHEESES TOGETHER IN BOWL
• WHISK EGGS IN SEPEARATE MIXING BOWL UNTIL FROTHY
• WHISK MILK, SALT, AND CORN STARCH INTO EGGS
• POUR OVER PASTA
• ADD HALF OF MIXED CHEESE TO PASTA
• MIX CHEESE AND EGG MIXTURE INTO PASTA
• TOP PASTA WITH REMAINING HALF OF MIXED CHEESE COVERING THE WHOLE TOP
• BAKE UNCOVERED FOR 1 HOUR
• REMOVE BAKED MACARONI FROM OVEN AND LET REST FOR 15 MINUTES
• SERVE HOT

PREP TIME - 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

SERVES - 6-8