Panera Mac 'n Cheese {Copycat}

I am sure you have figured it out by now, if you are a frequent reader of the blog, that we have a lot of macaroni and cheese in this house. There are a few reasons for this: 1) It is one of Ethan's favorite foods 2) It is delicious. Well, there are a few more reasons, it is super easy to make and it lasts a few days. We love trying new types of macaroni and cheese, and this one, is my new favorite. It is a stovetop mac 'n cheese, so no bake time or turning on the oven. It is quick to make and I love the sharp white cheddar in it, delicious. This is very close to Panera Bread Co. macaroni and cheese, in fact, this recipe came from the official website.

I have already made this mac 'n cheese recipe twice, since I discovered it. It is so creamy.
Source: Panera Bread, via Smells like Home

Ingredients:
16 oz. of Mini-Farfalle, or other small shaped pasta
4 tablespoons of Butter, unsalted
1/3 cup of Flour
2 1/2 cups of Milk or Heavy Cream
4 oz. of White American Cheese, shredded
8 oz. of Extra Sharp White Vermont Cheddar, shredded
2 teaspoons of Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon of Hot Sauce, Frank's or Louisiana

Directions:
First, cook your pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a 4-quart sauce pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour, cook for 1 1//2 minutes, whisking constantly. Then whisk in the milk or cream, gradually, until there are no lumps and all of the liquid has been incorporated. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let this mixture cook for about 8 minutes, whisking frequently.

Now, remove the sauce pan from the heat and stir in the cheeses, by the handful, making sure the cheese has completely melted before adding more.

Next, stir in the dijon mustard, kosher salt, and hot sauce.

Return the pan to the heat to heat back up and then stir in the pasta. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife