Tweet

Call it the winter doldrums. Blame it on the chilly weather. Or maybe it’s just Thursday. The truth is, we’ll take any excuse to eat cheese—or, in this case, mac and cheese.

While writing about The Bernards Inn and its award-winning restaurant, we stumbled upon their recipe for Macaroni and Vermont Cheddar Cheese. It sounded like the perfect cure for a cold evening, so we just had to share. Go ahead and cook up a little comfort tonight. No excuse needed.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Macaroni and Vermont Cheddar Cheese

Recipe from Corey Heyer

6 TBSP Butter, Cubed
¼ Cup Flour
3 Cups Whole Milk
1/8 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
Salt
¾ Cup Sharp Vermont Cheddar Cheese, Grated
½ Cup Macaroni, Cooked and Drained
¾ Cup Panko Breadcrumbs, Pulverized in Food Processor
1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme, Chopped

Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in heavy saucepot. Add Flour and mix well. Slowly add milk, whisking continuously to incorporate well and make a smooth sauce, simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in cayenne pepper, cheese, and salt to taste. Add cooked pasta to sauce and coat well. Put macaroni and cheese into a large casserole dish or 4 small dishes. Combine breadcrumbs, thyme, and 2 Tbsp. melted butter, mix well. Cover macaroni with breadcrumbs and bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.