Panera Mac & Cheese

I decided to make macaroni and cheese again tonight, and decided on a clone that my office-mate, Linda, had e-mailed me.

Panera Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz. package of rigatoni pasta (or other small pasta shells)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups 2% reduced fat milk (or cream)
• 6 slices white American cheese, chopped
• 1 cup (8 oz.) shredded extra-sharp white Vermont cheddar
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. hot sauce

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to directions on box or bag.
2. Melt the butter over low heat, and stir in flour. Cook for one minute. Gradually stir in milk or cream, whichever you choose to use. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat.
3. Add cheeses, mustard, salt and hot sauce, stirring until cheese melts and sauce is smooth. Stir in cooked pasta and cook over medium heat for 1 minute (or until thoroughly heated). Serve warm.
4. Serves 4.

Well, I've never had Panera's Macaroni & Cheese, and I did have to make a few slight modifications (I used regular mustard instead of Dijon, and I omitted the hot sauce), but I wasn't crazy about it. Tom didn't try it - he ate the other stuff I made for dinner instead.