White Cheddar Mac & Cheese

This White Cheddar Mac & Cheese has deep flavor. Tender pasta, creamy cheese sauce, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping makes this absolutely awesome.

Color matters in magick. I mean, if you want it to. You're a witch and you can do what you want. But we all know that color can affect how we feel. It's a literal vibration, a wavelength of light, and there have been plenty of studies to observe the subconscious effects of color in our lives. I love using color magick in my practice, as its an easy and deeply felt way for me to fine tune the vibration of my spells.

In food, color can be nice. A multicolored display of macarons is certainly stunning. A pop of fresh green herbs can bring a plate to life. But a lot of the most delicious foods are simply various shades of brown. When it comes to cheese, we're definitely used to orange as the default color for cheddar in the US. Slicing into an orange brick of Tillamook cheddar from Costco was a popular past time in my house when I was growing up. Does something change about cheese when you just let it be white?

What makes White Cheddar Mac & Cheese so awesome?

White cheddar is the default color here in the UK, but where I grew up, white cheddar was special. It was more deeply flavored, and often more expensive. So making White Cheddar Mac & Cheese still has a special energy to me, even though it's not remotely special where I live now. I can confirm, however, that it is deeply delicious.

Use a mature or sharp cheddar in this recipe. The flavor will be more funky and fabulous than a mild cheese. But it's still nice and creamy, the perfect accompaniment to tender macaroni. That breadcrumb topping adds a textural contrast that you don't want to skip. It's basically a bowl full of comfort, and I can't get enough.

Magical Properties of Cheese

When I eat cheese, I always whisper a quick thank you to the ancestors who first discovered that you could transform milk into one of the most delicious foods ever created. Unsurprisingly, cheese holds the energy of success, happpiness, and friendliness. It's also great in spells for transformation. It can bring positive communication and cooperation, so it's the perfect ingredient to share with friends. Cheese is ruled by the planet Saturn and the elements of earth and air.

To learn more about the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make this dish. The full details are in the recipe card below.

• Short pasta - such as macaroni elbows or spirali
• Butter - If you use salted butter, just taste your sauce before you add more salt at the end
• Flour - all-purpose or plain flour
• Whole milk - You can use other types of milk, but your sauce will be a bit thinner
• White cheddar cheese - mature or sharp
• Garlic powder - or granules
• Salt and pepper
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Italian seasoning - or dried oregano

Tips for making White Cheddar Mac & Cheese

If you made mac and cheese from scratch before, there will be no surprises here. You'll start by cooking your pasta in plenty of boiling salted water.

To make your sauce, make a roux by melting butter then whisking in flour to make a paste. Let that cook until it smells nutty, then begin to add your milk about a half cup at a time, whisking until smooth before adding more. Then you can add your cheese and seasonings, and stir it all together until smooth.

Bring your pasta and sauce together, transfer it to a baking dish, then top it with breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning. Bake the whole thing until it's golden brown on the top. The hardest part is letting it cool before you dig in. You definitely don't want to burn your mouth on molten cheese, though, so be patient.

White Cheddar Mac & Cheese is pure awesomeness. I can't wait for you to give it a try.

Looking for more awesome mac and cheese recipes? Try some Smoky Mac & Cheese with bacon or spicy Chorizo Mac & Cheese.

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Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking for My Soul.