Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This isn’t just comfort food, this is grandma level comfort food. I have grown up with this dish and I mean really, is there anything more comforting than macaroni and cheese?

This is my grandmother’s wonderful recipe with a few tweaks of my own. With the temperature starting to plummet, this recipe is AMAZINGLY heart warming and surprisingly simple.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

2 cups macaroni noodles (or 2 ½ cups penne pasta)

½ medium white onion (chopped)

3 large cloves garlic (minced)

4 button mushrooms (thinly sliced)

2 tbs butter (No whining, you’re making macaroni and cheese. Deal with it)

2 cans cream of mushroom soup (the small ones)

1 soup can full of milk

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp basil

2 ½ cups cheese (shredded; cheddar, Colby jack, whatever tickles your fancy)

1 tbs parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 375*

Boil the noodles in a large pot and then drain. Place the pot back on the burner and turn it down to low. Melt the butter and sauté the mushrooms and onions for two minutes or so, just enough to soften the onions.

Remove the pot from heat and add the soups, milk and spices. Stir until combined. Add the noodles and 2 cups of cheese and continue to stir.

Pour the mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish and top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese and the parmesan.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese has begun to brown.

Voila!