This is based on "Bill's Special Macaroni and Cheese", the mac & cheese recipe that I got from my Dad's long time friend, Bill Rothel.
8 oz Macaroni
2 T butter
2 T flour
1 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1 t dry mustard
2 c whole milk
1 can Rotel Tomatoes (original), undrained
8 oz shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese*
1/4 c panko bread crumbs
1/4 c finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t paprika
* You can use cheddar, or a mix of cheddar and gruyere.
Preheat oven to 375.
Combine flour, salt, pepper, and dry mustard. Stir and set aside.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add flour mixture and stir for 1 minute.
Stir in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
When sauce is bubbling and thickened, remove from heat.
Stir in the shredded cheese.
Continue stirring until cheese melts.
Cook macaroni until almost done. (About 2 minutes less than the directions on the box: it will continue to cook later.)
Add sauce and rotels to macaroni and mix well. It will look like too much sauce, but don't worry.
Pour into a greased (or PAMed) shallow casserole dish.
Sprinkle the panko and parmesan over the top.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until the top starts to brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
Let rest at least 10 minutes (up to 1/2 hour) before serving.
The Johnson Family Cookbook