mac n cheese

About a week ago it occurred to me that I should make some macaroni and cheese. I used to love that bright orange stuff by Kraft, and, when I am in my childhood home in the mid west, I do sometimes swipe some from my nephew and glom on it in a corner somewhere, but really, I have become somewhat more sophisticated in my ripe age, and banging out a box of craft does not satisfy my need for deliciousness or challenge. The homemade mac n cheese you see above has a crunchy, bread top and an oooey-gooey heart. I used three cheeses: a flavorful swiss, a buttery gouda, and a medium cheddar. I will now tell you how to make a cheese sauce (I'm assuming you know how to cook macaroni):

Grate your cheese and put it aside.

In a pretty big pot, heat a mixture of butter and olive oil (or just butter).

Add an equal volume of flour (equal to the volume of butter-oil) and whisk it until the flour is no longer raw tasting.

Add some milk (I used low fat milk from High Lawn Farms, though whole milk or even half-and-half could be used for added richness). You want a thick, but liquidy consistency.

Gradually add your grated cheese and incorporate it into the bechamel (that's the what you just made: roux and milk) at a low temperature.

Grate some nutmeg into the cheese sauce. Salt and pepper the cheese sauce.

Mix your cooked and drained macaroni into the cheese sauce.

Put it all in a caserole and put some bread crumbs on top along with more cheese (I used more cheddar and some Parmagiano Reggiano). Bake until golden and crunchy, 350 degrees.

I actually added some finely chopped celery to the top before baking it.

I also served this mac n cheese with sauteed kale and blanched cauliflower.